Home Bicycle Assembly and Maintenance

Final assembly of your new bicycle can be done at home. Our guide below explains each step of assembly. Please follow it very carefully. We have also listed the few vital areas which should be checked by a bike shop or knowledgeable individual - as the bike arrives 85%-95% ready, it is your responsbility to make sure it is road safe.

STANDARD TOOLS: Philips cross head screwdriver, small adjustable spanner, 16mm socket spanner, flat head pliers, 5mm and 6mm allen key

Compact

  • Install seat into seat post hole- very easy (1 minute)
  • Attach pedals - very easy (2 minutes)
  • Brakes - moderate (30 minutes)
  • Pre-ride check - spoke tensions, pedal crank nuts, gears, brakes (see below)

City

  • Front Wheel - very easy (5 minutes)
  • Pedals - very easy (2 minutes)
  • Seat and Seat post - very easy (3 minutes)
  • Handlebars - easy (3 minutes)
  • Rear carry rack - very easy (2 minutes)
  • Skirtguard (city women) - very easy (1 minute)
  • Dynamo Lights - moderate (15 minutes)
  • Brakes - moderate (30 minutes)
  • Front mudguard - easy (5 minutes)
  • Check and tighten spokes
  • Pre-ride check - spoke tensions, pedal crank nuts, gears, brakes (see below)

Classic

  • Note: You will see that you have a new, superior front brake lever taped to your bicycle. This is to replace the one which is currently attached to the handlebar. Replacing it is very easy and will take about 1 minute.

  • Assembly of the Classic Dutch Style bike is much like the City bike (see steps below), although there are some exceptions:

  • Part assembly of the Sturmey Archer 3 Speed Gear unit - separate instructions are supplied inside the box. Standard tools are required and if you are not able to do this yourself, ask a friend or your local bike shop to do it for you.

  • The kick down centre stand. Simply remove the nuts holding the back wheel on, remove the mudguard arms and carry rack arms and install the kickstand so it is facing out of the back of the bike. Then replace the mudgaurd and carry rack arms and nuts.

  • Dynamo Lights. The concept is the same as the City bike. The cable for the front only needs to be very short and as a result all you do is simply cut some of the cable from the back light. It is important that the dynamo motor wheel is in firm contact with the ribbed edge of the tyre wall when in the ON position. To turn it OFF, simply twist the motor body away from the tyre wall.

  • Pedal crank nut. If you wish to tighten this, you must first tap the top of the bolt with a hammer making space for the nut to tighten. The nut needs to be tight but not full torque.

  • Adjusting the chain: If you hear a rattling inside the chaincase, this means that you need to tighten the bicycle chain. Simply remove the rear end of the chain case and adjust accordingly.

  • Tightening the wheel spokes. This ensures the wheel is strong and rigid. If you cannot do this yourself, your local shop will do it for around £3 per wheel.

  • Pre-ride check - spoke tensions, gears, brakes, headset (see below)

  • We have also written an article outlining some great upgrade ideas - simply click here!

Assembly Directions

  • Front Wheel

    Turn the forks around so the brakes are facing forwards. Loosen the nuts on either side of the wheel until they almost come off. NOTE: In transit, a brake cable may have been stored inside the front fork. Pull this out. Slot the wheel in between forks, with the tyre tread pointing the same way as the back wheel. Place the wheel fastening washers into the fork holes and gently tighten the wheel nuts evenly on both sides (do not tighten fully yet). If the wheel seems crooked, repeat the process being carefully how evenly you tighten the nuts.

  • In some cases, a wheel may arrive out of true (wobbly) and small adjustments to the spoke tensions will be required. This can be done with a spoke key if you have one, or cheaply by a shop (£3 - £6 approx).

  • Pedals

    Using a standard adjustable spanner, screw the pedals onto the crank arms. L and R is stamped at the threaded end of the pedal - L goes on the side of the bike stand and R goes on the side of the chainguard. Please note the reverse thread on the left pedal.

  • Also, check that pedal arm is securely attached to the crank. On City models this can be done by removing the grey/black plastic bung and tightening the nut (16mm) which secures the pedal arm to the crank.

  • Seat and seat post

    First, attach the saddle to the short seat post tube provided and tighten securely. Then slide into the seat post hole in the frame. MAKE SURE THE SEAT POST IS IN BELOW THE SAFETY MARK. Adjust to your required height and tighten securely.

  • Handlebars

    Lighlty oil and slide handlebars into hole, with the brakes facing forward. Straddle the bicycle and make sure that the forks, wheel and handlebars are completely straight. MAKE SURE THE HANDLEBAR POST IS IN BELOW THE SAFETY MARK. Tighten the top screw securely.

  • Rear carry rack

    (City models only) This is very easy. You will find screws waiting to be used already attached to the frame. Simply remove all screws, place the carry rack over the back wheel and replace the screws.

  • Skirtguard

    (City models only) This is very easy. Simply loosen the nut that connects the rear mudguard to the rear forks lightly (beneath seat) and slide the top of the skirtguard into the small gap between the frame and the mudguard. Then retighten the mudguard screw, thus holding the skirtguard securely in place.

  • Dynamo lights

    FRONT LIGHT: To attach the front light: i) Remove the front protecting nut from the caliper brake bolt. ii) slide the silver light mounting bracket onto the end of the caliper bolt. iii) Place protecting nut on outside of light bracket. iv) Turn the protecting nut and the light bracket together, thus tightening the nut and bracket. v) Screw the light onto the light bracket.

    BACK LIGHT: This is very simple. Screw the back light onto the rear mudguard and feed the dynamo cable out of the bottom of the light fitting and thread it along the mudguard arm and bike frame until you reach the front fork.

    DYNAMO: The dynamo fits on a dedicated arm which is on the right side of the front fork. Simply bolt this onto the outside of the arm using the forward most hole (the long hole) and adjust until it runs FLUSH, in contact with the ribbed edge of the tyre wall. The dynamo can be switched on and off by twisting the unit clockwise (off) or pressing where it says PRESS (on). When you receive it, it will be in the ON position. Simply feed the light cables into the mounting hole on the bottom of the dynamo.

  • Brakes

    The procedure of tightening and checking can be difficult and is very important.

    FRONT CALIPER BRAKE

    i) Installing brake cable: Take the cable that feeds from the front caliper brake and feed it into the RIGHT hand (chain side) brake lever, through the silver adjusting barrel. This can be made easier if you loosen the cable where it clamps to the caliper brake.
    ii) Placing the brake pads in their correct position: Loosen the brake pad nut and gently adjust the pads so that they are flat against the silver wheel rim and aligned with the cruve of the rim. Make sure neither pads are rubbing against the black tyre. Hold each pad in place and tighten the nut securely.
    iii) Tightening the brake cable: Press/pinch the brake pads against the wheel rim with your fingers. Loosen the cable clamp nut (where the cable feeds through the caliper brake) and pull the cable tight using pliers. Tighten the clamp securely. Squeeze the brake lever firmly 20 or 30 times. Press the pads against the wheel rim, loosen the cable clamp, pull the cable tight again and re-tighten. This is to account for new cable stretch.
    iv) Checking that the caliper brake frame mounting nut is secure: Make sure the nut on the back side of the fork is tight and secure. Centre the brake pads on wheel rim and hit downward lightly on the caliper brake. Make sure both ends of the return spring stay hooked around the inside edge of the fitting. Squeeze the brake lever a few times.
    v) The brake pads must now be fine tuned to be the correct distance from the rim (1/16 inch). You do this by turning the adjusting barrel (the long silver, ribbed wheel that you unscrewed from the brake lever in step one) clockwise or anti-clockwise. Turning the adjusting barrel anti-clockwise will tighten the cable. Once you have made any barrel adjustments, ALWAYS make sure the barrel locking nut (part closest to the lever) is screwed tight against the lever.
    It is common for caliper brakes to make a noise or squeak when in use. This does NOT indicate a brake problem.

    (City and Folding bikes only) REAR BAND BRAKE

    i)Take the brake cable which comes from the rear band brake and feed it into the LEFT hand brake lever (side stand side).
    ii) Follow the same steps as the front caliper brake. Fine tuning to the rear band brake can also be made by tighening the brass screws on the actual brake.

    ALSO - Please make a note that the brake levers will need tightening (5mm allan key). New cable wire will stretch a bit during the first week or two of use. It is vital that you check and adjust your brakes once a week, until the wire has found its natural stretch. This is completely normal.

  • Front mudguard

    Place the front mudguard in between the front wheel and the fork so it is the same as the rear mudguard. You will see that there is a small piece of metal with a hole on top of the mudguard. Bend this up until it is facing straight up. Remove the brake mounting nut and small washer on the back of the fork, slide the mudguard hole onto the bolt and tighten nut very tightly. For the two steel arms, you will find screws at the bottom of the forks, waiting to be used. Simply remove the screws, place the arms over the holes on the outside of the forks and replace screws.

  • Note: the brake mounting nut you removed in order to attach the mudguard is responsible for holding the whole caliper brake in place. It must be sufficiently tight before you use the bike.

  • Pre Ride Check

    To be 100% safe, your bicycle should be checked before cycling. We urge you to have the following components checked by a professional bike shop or experienced individual: brakes, gears, spoke tensions, chain tension, pedal crank nuts, handlebar stem and wheel nuts.

Bicycle Maintenance Guide

Before every ride

Check your tyre pressure. Refer to the tyre sidewall for the recommended pressure
Check tyre tread for wear, cuts and debris
Check frame welds for signs of cracking
DO NOT RIDE BIKE IF THERE ARE ANY SIGNS OF CRACKS
Check to make sure your wheel nuts are properly tightened and secure
Check seat and handlebars for alignment and tightness
Check brakes
Check brake pad thickness for excessive wear and correct alignment with rim surface
Spin wheels and check to make sure they run true and are not bent
Check chain adjustment for proper tension
Shake mudguards gently by hand and check for rattles and general tightness
 

Every 30 days

Check chain for tension and lightly oil with chain oil
Spin front and rear wheel, making sure they are reasonably true
Check hubs for wobble and freeplay
Check brakes, brake levers and brake cables for wear and tear. Check brakes are firmly fixed and correctly adjusted
Check gear cable for wear and tear and ensure rear derailleur is not bent in
Check pedal crank and steering bearings for smooth operation. Crank and steering bearings should be adjusted to work smoothly with no resistance or play
Check pedal axles to be sure they have not worked loose. Tighten if necessary using a wrench
Wipe off bike and components of any accumulated road grime using clean soft cloth
Check that headset and steering is smooth, with no freeplay or resistance
Check all nuts and bolts for general tightness
 

Once a year

Take to your local professional bike shop for complete check up and tune up