Bike Building: Part 3

By Rob Manning

Almost rolling.

Bike Build part 3 (continued from October)

Last time, we installed our derailleurs and brakes. Soon we’ll be taking our new toy out for a spin, but it needs a few other things first. Wheels and a seat might be helpful. There are any number of ways to move through the next steps, but it’s easy enough to follow this sequence.

To install your seat, you’ll need to unbolt the fixing bolts on your seat post and line up the rails on the bottom of the seat with the troughs in the seat post. When you have the seat tilted roughly to the proper angle and adjusted fore and aft to your satisfaction, snug down the bolt to keep the seat in place. You’ll likely be making adjustments to it as soon as you take the bike out of the stand, so don’t worry about tightening it down all the way. That was simple, wasn’t it?

Moving on to wheels, it’s easier at this point to install the tubes and tires on the wheel before installing the brake rotors. I tend to hate cutting my hands on rotors, so I like making things easier on myself. To begin with the wheels, I check the tire direction and line them up properly on the rim (disc brake mounts on the left for disc wheels). Typically, you can use your hands to roll one bead over the rim by placing the rim in the tire, setting the whole wheel on the ground, and slipping the bead over the rim from the bottom around to the top. If you need to use tire levers, you’ll want to avoid damaging the bead whenever possible (very VERY important if installing tubeless tires). I personally like to mount the tire label opposite the valve stem hole, to make locating punctures or thorns a little easier.

Install the tubes by slipping the valve stem through the hole in the rim and tucking it inside the tire. At this point, I like to inflate the tube just a touch to make sure it’s not twisted and to help it stay inside the tire while I’m working around it. To seat the rest of the tire, start at the opposite side of the tire from the valve stem, slip the bead over the rim, and work your way around to the valve stem. When getting up to the valve stem, it’s necessary to push the valve stem up into the tire to get the necessary clearance for the bead to slide over the rim. Finish the job by using a track pump to inflate the tire and seat the beads properly. Repeat the entire sequence for the other wheel and set it aside.

Rotors are one of those very necessary bits.

Now you’re going to want to grab your brake rotors and your six rotor bolts. You’ll need a Torx T25 bit to install the rotor bolts, so be sure you’ve got one on hand. I’ve found the easiest way to install the rotors is to set the wheel in your lap with the brake flange on the hub facing up. Check the rotor for a rotational direction arrow and line up the rotor so the arrow points counterclockwise. Line up the bolt holes in the rotor with the bolt holes in the hub and thread in all six bolts by hand to hold the rotor in place. I tighten the six bolts by skipping every other one, tightening them in a star pattern. This distributes nice even force over the face of the rotor and prevents the rotor from wobbling in the caliper and rubbing the pads. Repeat the procedure for the other wheel then grab your cassette and rear wheel, and have a seat again.

Looking at the cassette, you’ll notice there is one notch that is narrower than the rest. Lay the rear wheel in your lap with the freehub body facing the ceiling. Line up that narrow notch on the cassette with the narrow spline on the freehub body and slide it on. Make sure to line up the individual sprockets (usually the smallest two or three) properly as well, with the spacers aligned. With all the sprockets resting on the freehub, place the lockring on the top of the cassette and thread it on with your cassette lockring tool. Tighten it down with a wrench until it’s nice and snug and will not come off.

Get those wheels on and you're nearly there.

Now you’re ready to install the quick releases in the hubs. I generally pick the left side to have the quick release lever on so it makes the installation cleaner and easier. Be sure to install the conical springs so the small loop of the spring faces in, then slide the skewer through the hub. Install the second spring and thread on the end cap. Slide the wheel into the frame and snug down the quick releases so that when you close the quick release levers they leave a slight imprint in your palm.

Now you’re ready to install the chain. I have had better luck with SRAM chains with Powerlinks (which are available separately and can be used on Shimano chains as well) and I use a Powerlink on all of my bikes. Sizing the chain is a little tricky, but I generally wrap the chain around the largest cog, through the derailleurs and around the large ring. I break the chain and install the Powerlink so the chain is just long enough to get into that large/large combo. I’ve found this to provide good shifting without too much slack in the derailleur. To break the chain, pull out your chain tool, unwind it, place the chain into the tool in the slots molded in the tool, and push the pin out of the chain.

With your chain on, you’re close…really close. Only one more installment to go, and then you’ll be out there on your new toy. Stay tuned!