What to do first with a new bike?

[dr_drift]

First, let me say that I'm a total noob when it comes to bikes. The last bike I had was about 15 years ago when I was a kid. I recently moved a lot closer to work and I want to get a cool bike to commute back and forth, as well as go to the nearby park, etc. Not a ton of riding, really, and I want something cheap that I can mess around with a customize.

Anyway, Walmart is having a sale on Cranbrooks, which seem to be kinda popular here. I know that they're probably put together by someone who probably isn't a bike enthusiast or anything (to put it mildly), and I know I could also assemble it myself. I'm pretty handy, so it's not that big a deal. Essentially, I wanted to know what kinds of things I should or shouldn't do before riding the bike for the first time. I tried searching, but I didn't really find a topic with this exact information. Grease here or there, adjust this or that, make sure that x is y, don't ___ before ___ing, whatever. I would really appreciate the help. Thanks!

 

[KJV]

grease the head set, & crank set, bearings.

 

[punisher0822]

The first thing I did to my Cranbrook was pull the stickers, fenders, and chainguard off. Then I installed some 25 inch ape hangers and union pedals because the pedals that came on it broke the first day!

 

[cruisehard]

Save up more cash. Buy Electra or Felt...or even a Nirve. Stay away from those "X-Mart" bikes. You'll be happy you did in the long run.
SUPPORT YOUR LBS!

 

[axsepul]

if you want something cool you can't get a walmart bike in my opinion. I mean you're going to save on fuel so i would get a fully dressed monark or a rollfast

 

[Highridah]

if you want something cool you can't get a walmart bike in my opinion. I mean you're going to save on fuel so i would get a fully dressed monark or a rollfast

walmart and???????

 

[axsepul]

i got one too but not as cool as my monark

 

[Philphine]

check the blade in the sawzall

 

[Wildcat]

Check CL in your town for a good quality cruiser. When you think you have found one, post it on here, we'll give you plenty of advice on price and what to look for.

 

[deorman]

Cheap bike? Strip it down completely, clean and grease all mechanical bits, replace any messed-up looking parts, and put it back together. Add a front brake if you're heavy or athletically inclined.
$300 and up bike from a good lbs? Adjust the seat and handlebar and start pedaling.

 

[FaceOFFbikes]

Its really not about price or which bicycle looks better than the other bone stock. I think the reason some of us RRB brothers buy the Wally World bikes is because we have an inexpensive canvas to create our own custom bike.

 

[Rockit!]

Keep an eye on CL, and put a classic back on the road instead of a landfill! :mrgreen: It'll be just as cheap, but most likely higher quality.

 

[dr_drift]

Thanks for all the replies... I've been checking out CL here in Ohio for months now pretty much to no avail. There's something here or there, but not really anything that I can get for under $200 and fix up. I don't know why... either there's not a big market for it or I'm doing it wrong. With my level of experience regarding bikes, though, I'm probably doing it wrong.

 

[CarolinaGuy]

If any of the bikes I have listed for sale interest you, a friend of mine is moving to Cincinnati and is always back and forth b/w here and there, im sure he wouldn't mind bringing one to you.

 

[JoKeR63]

Thanks for all the replies... I've been checking out CL here in Ohio for months now pretty much to no avail. There's something here or there, but not really anything that I can get for under $200 and fix up. I don't know why... either there's not a big market for it or I'm doing it wrong. With my level of experience regarding bikes, though, I'm probably doing it wrong.

It's 'cause your in Ohio, the cycling scene here is awful. Except maybe the Dayton area.

 

[Blueboy5000]

Cannot emphasize this enough; Disassemble the bottom bracket and fork and put some automotive wheel bearing grease in there! Bikes come with bearings coated in cosmoline which is NOT ACTUAL GREASE just a grease substitute that is placed on the bearings to retard corrosion, IT IS NOT ACTUAL LUBE! While you're at it grease up them axles too.

Then if you did get a Cranbrook, chuck those narsty pedals and replace them with some nice alloy BMX or Cruiser pedals. Spray water resistant lube on all cables and liberally all over the chain and sprockets. Get some decent grips from a bike shop (I suggest Oury, they are the comfort supreme).

DO NOT EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUY AN ASSEMBLED BIKE FROM WAL-MART, they use pitiful outsourcers who ARE NOT BICYCLE TECHNICIANS. A bike assembled by Wal-Mart will 90% of the time have parts damaged from mis-assembly. If you do purchase an assembled Wal-Mart bike expect to change axle nuts and post bolts right out the gate, they loves them some Vice Grips and tend to use them to build.

Of the 10 or so bikes I bought from Wal-Mart only one had true wheels, so I would just take the wheels out of the crate and bring them to a good shop and have them trued up toot sweet. A mis-trued rim= a narsty fall or worse a bent rim.

Wal-Mart is a good spot to pick up build-fodder, but it is an abysmal place for any type of safety.

Everything I said about your Wal-Mart bike goes quadruple for any bike you purchase for a kid. Remember, Wal-Mart doesn't care if your bike is safe in any way. They sure as all-get-out don't care about your bloodied children. And that I've learned from experience. If A Wal-Mart bike is defective, good luck getting them to do jack about it.

 

[deorman]

Whenever this subject comes up, I have to reflect on what may be the only benefit from living where I do. You see, the northernmost counties of VA, due to the proximity of central offices of the federal gov't, have a concentrated populace including about a gazillion lawyers, :roll: serving the lobbyist and gov't. contractor industries, and more arriving with each nat'l election, and piles and piles of consumer and safety regs, and people getting paid to enforce and draw revenue from them. VA is also a commonwealth with "right to work" laws that prevent closed union shops, and lots of people that need employment, so you do your job, or you will be replaced. It's cheaper and easier for big box stores to except returns (maybe they ship them to "flyover country" :x :roll: ), than to deal with the possible consequences. It's even cheaper to just hire someone who will do the job right in the first place. Consequently, the forks and handlebars at Walmart, K-Mart, and Target are turned the right way, brake pads hit the rims instead of spokes or tires. They won't even sell you an unassembled bike anymore, for fear you'll do it wrong.
None of this, however, solves manufacturing deficiencies, such as the aforementioned cosmoline/metal shaving "lube", grind-to-fit coaster brakes, cheap molybdenum fasteners, hastily assembled bearings and the like. For this, you're on your own, and it's the luck of the draw if you get one that's okay, or from a whole shipment of bikes with a wrong part or crap bearings. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BEARINGS AND BRAKE FASTENERS ON A NEW BIKE, ESPECIALLY IF IT"S A CHEAP KID"S BIKE. :|