Randallissimo
07-02-08, 09:35 PM
When you buy a new bike at a LBS, does that bike come in one piece like a car does? Or is there "some assembly required" by the shop?
Bicycle Mechanics - new bike assembly.. who?
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urban_assault
07-02-08, 10:03 PM
It usually arrives at the shop in a box, partially built. The shop then completes assembly, puts the bike on the floor, and hopefully sells it.
Other times the manufacturer hires people to ride assembled bikes from the distribution center to the shop.
You can get a job doing this line of work. Just a tip for those interested, if you want to get paid a little extra,
get a gig with one of the Taiwanese bike manufacturers. They are always looking for good riders.
A few riders quit every day about half way across the Pacific. ;)
Other times the manufacturer hires people to ride assembled bikes from the distribution center to the shop.
You can get a job doing this line of work. Just a tip for those interested, if you want to get paid a little extra,
get a gig with one of the Taiwanese bike manufacturers. They are always looking for good riders.
A few riders quit every day about half way across the Pacific. ;)
bjoerges
07-02-08, 10:05 PM
Bicycles are typically assembled by the LBS. Typically they arrive in a box about 56-66" long, 24-36" tall, and 12" wide (very rough estimates). Depending on the bike, the brakes, rear wheel, cassette, chain, chainrings, and crank are assembled. The front fork is in the head tube but not attached to the handlebars or front wheel. The front wheel sits alongside the bike and is zip-tied to the frame. The handlebars dangle by the brake and derailleur cables or are also zip-tied to the frame.
Zip ties are cut and the assembly begins! After finishing, the brakes and derailleurs need adjusted.
(LBS employee)
Zip ties are cut and the assembly begins! After finishing, the brakes and derailleurs need adjusted.
(LBS employee)
operator
07-02-08, 10:28 PM
Bicycles are typically assembled by the LBS. Typically they arrive in a box about 56-66" long, 24-36" tall, and 12" wide (very rough estimates). Depending on the bike, the brakes, rear wheel, cassette, chain, chainrings, and crank are assembled. The front fork is in the head tube but not attached to the handlebars or front wheel. The front wheel sits alongside the bike and is zip-tied to the frame. The handlebars dangle by the brake and derailleur cables or are also zip-tied to the frame.
Zip ties are cut and the assembly begins! After finishing, the brakes and derailleurs need adjusted.
(LBS employee)
And depending on the LBS. They either fast forward the assemblies, e.g just put it together or do the complete thing like normalizing the tension on wheels + adjusting everything that could be adjusted.
Bad shops do the former, better shops do the latter even though it costs more. So to answer the OP's question. You can do an assemblin in < 15min if you do a **** one. About an hour for low end bikes with loose ball hubs/headsets etc.
Zip ties are cut and the assembly begins! After finishing, the brakes and derailleurs need adjusted.
(LBS employee)
And depending on the LBS. They either fast forward the assemblies, e.g just put it together or do the complete thing like normalizing the tension on wheels + adjusting everything that could be adjusted.
Bad shops do the former, better shops do the latter even though it costs more. So to answer the OP's question. You can do an assemblin in < 15min if you do a **** one. About an hour for low end bikes with loose ball hubs/headsets etc.
Retro Grouch
07-03-08, 06:49 AM
It usually arrives at the shop in a box, partially built. The shop then completes assembly, puts the bike on the floor, and hopefully sells it.
There's another common business model.
Many of the smaller manufacturers sell frames and forks only. Then they hook the bike shop up with a complete build kit and the shop assembles the whole thing.
There's another common business model.
Many of the smaller manufacturers sell frames and forks only. Then they hook the bike shop up with a complete build kit and the shop assembles the whole thing.
HillRider
07-03-08, 06:08 PM
There's another common business model.
Many of the smaller manufacturers sell frames and forks only. Then they hook the bike shop up with a complete build kit and the shop assembles the whole thing.
This is a good thing. In the mid-90's I bought a Litespeed Catalyst as a bare frame and a complete build kit from QBP, both through my LBS. That allowed me to specify all of the details I wanted like crank arm length, bar width, stem length, cassette configuration, etc.
I assembled it myself but the shop would have done the work if I had requested it.
Many of the smaller manufacturers sell frames and forks only. Then they hook the bike shop up with a complete build kit and the shop assembles the whole thing.
This is a good thing. In the mid-90's I bought a Litespeed Catalyst as a bare frame and a complete build kit from QBP, both through my LBS. That allowed me to specify all of the details I wanted like crank arm length, bar width, stem length, cassette configuration, etc.
I assembled it myself but the shop would have done the work if I had requested it.