Ok later tonight I'll see if I can remove the bottom bracket and measure out the spindle length. I don't have a torque wrench so I was just making them reasonably tight; so I'll also swing by REI or something and pick one up.
When I first got this I didn't think there was so many small things that made such a big difference, it's all so confusing to me. Haha.

But thank you all for your help. Sometimes I get to the point where I have no idea what to type into Google anymore.


At what point do I stop investing money into buying specialty tools (ie: to remove the bottom bracket), and just start taking the bike to a local shop when I want something done? I don't plan on modifying the bicycle much more than I really have to. And I only really particularly care about being able to replace basics, chains, tubes, tires, etc; I just don't want to find myself neck deep in special tools that that I'm going to use once every couple-few years. (I'm sure this is a question for myself, but not necessarily rhetorical if anyone has a thought)