When to bring your bike in for its first "check up"?

[Tree]

I'm a new RR6+ owner, and while I'm solid enough on service and repair, I do tend to trust folks with more experience than me when it comes to riding a vehicle at 20+ mph.

A local shop built my bike for me, and did a fantastic job.

Now my question is when to bring it in for its first check-up/tune-up, from a mileage standpoint - thoughts on this?

[JimInPT]

I had my local bike shop assemble my MiniST last Spring as I was in the middle of moving when it arrived.  They asked me to bring it back after about 200 miles, to give the brake cables a chance to stretch out and need adjustment, or any fittings that wanted to work loose again to do so.

I noticed quite a bit of extra slack in the brake cables, as expected, but resisted the temptation to just pull them tight myself, so the bike techs could evaluate the amount of stretch.  All was well and I've since done brake-cable tuneups myself.

[RayStDenis]

When you order the RAD assembly service, they come back to do a tuneup after 100 miles (150km).

[Eric7]

Of course, if you feel unsafe, then you should bring it in pronto regardless of mileage.

In 140 miles of riding, I adjusted the brakes once.  Then it got too cold and I stopped. 

I bought a long 18 mm wrench to take off the wheels myself if I ever have to.  I also have the usual tire pump and repair kit.  The most expensive piece is a bike repair stand that can hold a 70-pound bike.  It is well worth it and makes the repairs go much faster.  That's an expensive investment but then I have 3 functioning bikes and a project bike (always almost ready fixed but never truly fixed).

It is not too difficult to learn the stuff yourself.  And, the tools will pay for themselves quickly - think of the cost of driving to the shop, driving back and the labor costs.  You also save the time and hassle of bringing your bike to the shop.  Also, if you ever plan for long trips, it is important to learn how to fix tires and stuff yourself.  Something to think about.  And it is a learning experience all by itself.  You get to choose each part and understand the tradeoffs.  That is, even if I end up wasting money, I think of it like a treat and a learning experience.

[Tree]

When you order the RAD assembly service, they come back to do a tuneup after 100 miles (150km).

hmmm, i'll reach out to the place that built and delivered, as I surpassed 100 a few days ago. Might wait until after the weekend, since we're in the midst of a rare winter storm here.

Of course, if you feel unsafe, then you should bring it in pronto regardless of mileage.

In 140 miles of riding, I adjusted the brakes once.  Then it got too cold and I stopped. 

I bought a long 18 mm wrench to take off the wheels myself if I ever have to.  I also have the usual tire pump and repair kit.  The most expensive piece is a bike repair stand that can hold a 70-pound bike.  It is well worth it and makes the repairs go much faster.  That's an expensive investment but then I have 3 functioning bikes and a project bike (always almost ready fixed but never truly fixed).

It is not too difficult to learn the stuff yourself.  And, the tools will pay for themselves quickly - think of the cost of driving to the shop, driving back and the labor costs.  You also save the time and hassle of bringing your bike to the shop.  Also, if you ever plan for long trips, it is important to learn how to fix tires and stuff yourself.  Something to think about.  And it is a learning experience all by itself.  You get to choose each part and understand the tradeoffs.  That is, even if I end up wasting money, I think of it like a treat and a learning experience.

Appreciate all the info, and I do plan on going that route over time - as a newbie, I definitely want someone more experienced to handle the early goings.

That being said, what stand are you using? As previously mentioned, I've got the 6+, so I definitely need one that holds 70+ pounds.

[Eric7]

When you order the RAD assembly service, they come back to do a tuneup after 100 miles (150km).

Appreciate all the info, and I do plan on going that route over time - as a newbie, I definitely want someone more experienced to handle the early goings.

That being said, what stand are you using? As previously mentioned, I've got the 6+, so I definitely need one that holds 70+ pounds.

https://amzn.to/3BRc526

I use this one.  It is only rated for 55 pounds but it is holding up well if you go to 65 to 70 pounds. You do so at your own risk. I am just saying what I do.

I have some mechanical training so I know how to baby it.  I clamp the bike by the seat stem.  The front is heavier and the bike inclines 30 degrees down with the front lower than the back.  I put no torque on the holding arm.  That's it.  I lift it as high as I want and put a stool under the front wheel to make it level.

I think the main thing is not to apply too much torque to the mount.  With my method there is no torque. When I want to spin the front wheel to test the brakes I clamp it down, remove the stool, and spin it a bit - always putting the stool back before too long.

There are better repair stands - but they cost more.  Maybe $200-$300.   I am trying to save some money.

[Veggyhed]

I also suggest trying to do the maintenance yourself and YouTube is a great help.

As long as you have no problems 100 miles it's a good starting reference point taking a bike in.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk