Got a Discovery 501

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Quoted message said:

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replys to my last email asking about hybrids. With
the feedback from that I decided to order a Dawes Discovery 501. I got
it from Spa Cycles.

A few things though when i've started to set it up.

The rear wheel looks like its buckling... it seems to roll fine but
when looking at it it seems to be going side to side i.e. if you
lightly press the rear brake some parts of the wheel catch as it spins.
Is this normal?

Secondly, one of the pedals won't screw in.. the other one screws in
both fine, so it looks like the pedal at fault, even though the threads
appear to be ok.

Should I just send this back? bit of a ball ache to pack it back up
etc.. wondering if this is the sort of thing to expect when getting
bikes delivered?

One pedal is left threaded -- are you screwing it the right way?

Is the wheel true in the drop outs? If not it can wander. If it is then it
needs truing -- the shop should do that FOC.

T

Oh secondly, i'm only a stones through away from Dawes Cycles in
Birmingham, anyone know if I could just go back there with the bike to
get it sorted?

Thanks,

Matt

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all the replys to my last email asking about hybrids. With
the feedback from that I decided to order a Dawes Discovery 501. I got
it from Spa Cycles.

Mail order I take it?

Quoted message said:

A few things though when i've started to set it up.

The rear wheel looks like its buckling... it seems to roll fine but
when looking at it it seems to be going side to side i.e. if you
lightly press the rear brake some parts of the wheel catch as it spins.
Is this normal?

Not really. Your local bike shop will probably be able to true the
wheel for you for a few quid though.

Quoted message said:

Secondly, one of the pedals won't screw in.. the other one screws in
both fine, so it looks like the pedal at fault, even though the threads
appear to be ok.

(Teaching grandmothers to suck eggs hat on) Do you know that one pedal
screws in the other way (ie anti-clockwise) ?

Quoted message said:

Should I just send this back? bit of a ball ache to pack it back up
etc.. wondering if this is the sort of thing to expect when getting
bikes delivered?

Pedals off = yes, it's a legal thing IIRC. Perfectly true wheels might
depend on the price point!

cheers, Phil

--
http://www.kantaka.co.uk/ .oOo. public key: http://www.kantaka.co.uk/gpg.txt

Quoted message said:

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replys to my last email asking about hybrids. With
the feedback from that I decided to order a Dawes Discovery 501. I
got it from Spa Cycles.

A few things though when i've started to set it up.

The rear wheel looks like its buckling... it seems to roll fine but
when looking at it it seems to be going side to side i.e. if you
lightly press the rear brake some parts of the wheel catch as it
spins. Is this normal?

No. Get a bike shop to true the wheel. It won't be worth sending the
bike back for this minor problem.

Quoted message said:

Secondly, one of the pedals won't screw in.. the other one screws in
both fine, so it looks like the pedal at fault, even though the
threads appear to be ok.

The left pedal tightens anti-clockwise, right clockwise. It shouldn't be
possible to put the wrong pedal in the wrong crank.

~PB

Thank you T and Phil!

Yep, I was screwing it the wrong way (face is red).

So its just the wheel then. Its defintely tight where the hub is. Are
these things easy to tune yourself? Any How To's on the Web?

I was Oooing and rrring about buying from the Bike shop as they were
very helpful when I went in there before ordering off the web. But the
70 quid difference in price swung me towards the Web.. I am planning on
doing a few upgrades though + helmet, lock, pump, etc.. and this will
be via the LBS.

Any recommendations on pumps? Bike toolset?

Matt

Quoted message said:

Thank you T and Phil!

Yep, I was screwing it the wrong way (face is red).

So its just the wheel then. Its defintely tight where the hub is.
Are these things easy to tune yourself? Any How To's on the Web?

The hub may need adjusting if the wheel doesn't turn easily when the
brakes are *not* rubbing. Hopefully you're mistaken about that because
it's very naughty for a new wheel to be supplied like that. With a new
bike and no previous experience of adjusting hubs, I think it'll be wise
to get it looked at by a bike shop. Same with the "buckle".

Quoted message said:

I was Oooing and rrring about buying from the Bike shop as they were
very helpful when I went in there before ordering off the web. But
the 70 quid difference in price swung me towards the Web.. I am
planning on doing a few upgrades though + helmet, lock, pump, etc..
and this will be via the LBS.

Any recommendations on pumps?

Zefal/Truflo HPX full length job -- there are ways of attaching under the
top tube. Or LBS should be able to recommend a mini pump if you'd prefer
one of those (though it won't work as well).

Quoted message said:

Bike toolset?

A few allen keys and a screwdriver will do for a start.

~PB

Quoted message said:

Hi everyone,

The rear wheel looks like its buckling... it seems to roll fine but
when looking at it it seems to be going side to side i.e. if you
lightly press the rear brake some parts of the wheel catch as it spins.
Is this normal?

The rest has been answered but how far out is the wheel. If its a mm
wobble that's not unusual but it should be better. If its more that a
mm then you probably ought to get it trued. Go to the Wheelbuilding
section of Sheldon Brown's website for instructions -
http://www.sheldonbrown.com - or take it to the bike shop. Its not hard
to do if you follow the instructions carefully although you may find the
first few times a bit laborious and frustrating getting it right. If
you are embarrassed about taking the bike to the shop you didn't buy it
from, take the rear wheel in on its own.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Quoted message said:

Any recommendations on pumps?

Matt

These work well http://www.cyclaire.com/bikepump.html, but maybe a bit
heavy?

squeaker said:

Quoted message said:

Any recommendations on pumps?

Matt

These work well http://www.cyclaire.com/bikepump.html, but maybe a bit
heavy?

Having both a Cyclaire and an HPX,the Cycleaire is only 10gms heavier
than the HPX surprisingly.

Sam Salt

Quoted message said:

Thank you T and Phil!

Yep, I was screwing it the wrong way (face is red).

So its just the wheel then. Its defintely tight where the hub is.
Are these things easy to tune yourself? Any How To's on the Web?

Various given by others. I find that fitting a dial gauge to a suitable bit
of the bike (rear stay, rear rack) helps no end, I can get to +/-0.5mm on an
old wheel without too much time or trouble. But, if you don't happen to
have a dial gauge around, then its another expense to add.

Quoted message said:

I was Oooing and rrring about buying from the Bike shop as they were
very helpful when I went in there before ordering off the web. But
the 70 quid difference in price swung me towards the Web..

How much, do you think a bike shop will charge you to put right a
web-purchase ?

They would be completely justified in £20-£30/hr in my opinion.

Quoted message said:

Any recommendations on pumps? Bike toolset?

Any frame-length pump is better than a short micro one. Zefal HPX is usually
good, as is the Topeak Master Road pump. For smaller ones, I used to rate
the Blackburn dual-action, but the newer models don't seem as nice as the
old originals.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Thanks for everyone for there replies. I'm on the road now and loving
it.

The wheel cost me a fiver to put right and the LBS guys were really
helpful. I decided to spend the 70 quid i'd saved on a ball of extras
and they gave me a bit of discount, so can't argue.

They did say they oftern get Internet orders to set up and they usually
charge 30 - 35 quid.

Cheers all!

Matt

Quoted message said:

Thanks for everyone for there replies. I'm on the road now and loving
it.

The wheel cost me a fiver to put right and the LBS guys were really
helpful. I decided to spend the 70 quid i'd saved on a ball of extras
and they gave me a bit of discount, so can't argue.

They did say they oftern get Internet orders to set up and they
usually charge 30 - 35 quid.

An unqualified happy ending. Very good to hear it.
--
Ambrose