Rebuilding a bike

[Johan Bornman]

There are arguments for taking everything to the bike shops and there are arguments for doing it yourself. Both are OK of course.

 

If you like to tinker, like to understand and like to be self-reliant, go DIY. If you have messing up your nails or simply don't have the inclination, take it to a bike shop.

 

Then, on the DIY route, you can do a course or buy a book. Some people are excellent at reading manuals and can even read things like DSTV PVR and HP Calculator manuals. Those people are either gifted or autistic.

 

Some of us like to be shown how to do things and enjoy the benefit of instructor experience, multiple examples from different bikes in the same group and hands-on working without fear. Courses are for you.

 

Just another point on the fork steerer length thing. Get into the habit of cutting your steerer slightly longer than the total stack height of the collar, spacers and stem clamp. Add a little spacer on top to take care of the extra length. This extra bit of length protects the steerer from compression at its weakest point - the very end. This is especially true for carbon steerers.

 

 

 

[Acidfreak]

Thanks for all the comments guys!! So I took the bike to my LBS to rebuild from one frame to the other.. What a bunch of sharks!!! I gave the bike in they said it's going to be R150 + 300 for a seatpost as the other one did not fit the new frame.. Went to fetch the bike they changed the brake calipers and a bunch of other stuffs as well.. total account R1050!! Needless to say... They will not see me again...

[Acidfreak]

Here is a pic of my bike before and after the rebuild

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER: