Bicycle Mechanics - I have all the parts, now what?

I have now collected all of the parts to build my new road machine. All parts are new.
Merlin Extralight frame
Ultegra drivetrain
ITM Millenium stem and bars
San Marco Arami Night train saddle (yuck)
Bontrager Race X light wheels
Conti GP 3000 tires
Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork
Ultegra pedals
American post
Flight deck

I am a auto technician by trade. What tools are a must?

1. can I use a wire stipping pliers instead of cable cutters?
2. what do I need to install cassette?
3. do you use loc-tite on anything during initial assembly?
4. I have a inch pound torque wrench, hex wrenches, open end wrenches and
more sockets then I know what to do with.
5. Can you think of any pitfalls that you may have experienced that you may be
able to warn me about, I have not worked on bicycles very much before.
I have purchased the Zinn Road Bike Repair manual.
6. What things need to be greased during initial assembly and with what kind of
grease.
7. I am most worried about fork, cables, bottom bracket, headset, cassette.

You're going to need special tools for the crankset, cassette and bottom bracket (and setting the star screw in the steerer tube). Available at your local bike shop, probably cheaper than paying for the labor for each installation...

check out http://www.parktool.com/ for some idea of what you'll be looking for.

Answers:

1) Yeah, but it won't do a good job...

2) A cassette tool

3) No. Never use loctite on anything unless there is no other way of keeping it tightened.

4) I don't detect a question here.

5) Maybe you'll forget about cars???

6) Bearings might need grease. Use bike grease.

7) Why?

If I were you, if you don't want to buy a load of specialist tools, just take the frame, fork, headset, BB, rear wheel and cassette to your LBS and get them to put it all together. They're all pretty simple jobs with the proper tools, you should have no problems if you decide to buy the tools.

Dood, the guys a mechanic. Of course he wants to buy the tools!

Allen keys, Philips screwdriver, adjustable wrench(may be 2), vise, two 2x4's about 6" long and a rubber mallet to install the headset (kinda Neanderthal but it works). If you have a press at home or at your shop that will work for the head set also but you need to be sure they go in stright.



I would say definitly get a pair of cable cutters. regular wire cutters do a horrible job cutting the cable and housing.

As for the starnut you could get a tool for it or you can rig some thing up. I made my own out of a piece of steel bar and an allen bolt.

You will also need a case of beer and some good music to get you through the build

:beer:

its an ouzo pro fork, guys. carbon steerer...no star nut for that baby.

Get youself a Park rollup toolkit. It has all of the special tools that you need for basic maintinance. I think the new ones have a cable cutter, not positive though. Around $100.00, it will pay for itself many times over.

There is a full bicycle tool-kit available on eBay now for $70. Looks pretty complete and the price is right. Probably more than you need to do the job.

But the first thing you need to get is a copy of Lennard Zinn's "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance". It has all the in's and out's of feeding and caring for a road bike, including the assembly and adjustment of same.

The second thing you need to do is get rid of that Shimano stuff and get some good Campy gear.

Have fun!

Thanks for all of your help. I'm sure that I will have a great time doing the build. Any clarification on the installation of the cassette would help. I always hear about a cassette lock ring tool and a chain whip tool, also no one mentioned that I would or not need a chain tool. Can I get by without these?

To install a cassette you only need the cassette lock ring tool I believe. If you want to remove it, you need a chain whip to stop the cassette freewheeling round as you try and undo the lockring. Chain tool you will need to put your chain together.

So Cassette remover and chain tool required, chain whip not required until you want to remove the cassette.

Correct me if i'm wrong anyone

Tools you must have: Park 4th hand, work stand

The other week, I picked up a Park '4th hand' cable stretcher. The guy at Performance said "Man, I work on cars and this is my favorite tool in the world."

I was like whatever, but the 4th hand is amazing. It makes brake a derailleur adjustments a snap. I installed and adjusted a new front derailleur last night in less than 10 minutes - and without swearing once. Buy one of these.

If you don't have a bike work stand yet, you'll never believe how easy they make working on bikes. Pick up a cheapie at performance or off of ebay.

Grease - I grease everything that screws into anything else. It helps ensure parts won't get frozen and makes it a lot easier to take apart again.

I believe in using Locktite - just don't use the permanent type. But, not on tapered-fit things like cranks. I don't like the idea of things falling off at speed.

I had a really nasty crash as a kid when a brake lever fell off. It got near the spokes so I put me foot out to kick it away. Just then it went in and took my right foot with it. Many spokes gone, lots of road rash.

I always build titanium frames using a copper base anti-seize compound esp installing the bb and the headset cups. Don't grease the carbon seatpost.

Have fun, nice bike