Order of operations - ???
 

I took apart a bike and painted the frame. now I want to re-assemble but am not sure of the sequence.

so far:

forks on/ stem & handlebars / seatpost on

front & rear derailleurs on

new tires & tube installed/ wheels trued - Thanks Jim Walsh @ Stedman's - wheels on frame

bottom bracket/ cranks/ pedals on

brakes on

left to go: saddle/ brake cables/ shift cables/ racks/ fenders/ brake hoods/ wrap bars

everything on is snug but not socked down tight

what's next?

thanks

I start with the direct to complete frame and contact points. The fork, crank and seat. The move onto brakes then gear and end up with accessories like racks and fenders. As long as you end up with what you like does it really matter? Until your pay depends on your efficiency just enjoy the build up. Andy

Andy's right (it doesn't really matter), but for posterity this is my order:

wheels/tires/cassette
fork/headset
bottom bracket
cranks
brakes
stem/handlebars
derailleurs
brifters
cable up
handlebar tape
seatpost
saddle
pedals
tweaks

I sound drunk in my first post-spacing away some of the meat of my reply:)

The reason I start with the rider's connections is that so much else of the set up has to work around stem length/height, front chainline, and the biggie as a rider the saddle location over the feet. It's part of the core stuff first then outer stuff second method. Andy

Fenders often connect to the brakes. So, they may go on before the brakes, depending on the actual method of connection.

How is the rack mounted? It might just get in the way, or it might also connect to the brakes, or otherwise be an earlier step. Would it affect how you route the cables? It may also share the lower mount points with the fenders (mount the rack to the inside, and fenders to the outside, I think). So, perhaps mount rack, then fenders.

Bar wrap is the last thing to do, and I often ride the bike a couple of times before wrapping the bars.

A really good reason to not wrap the bars until after a few rides is that it makes dialing in brake lever location easy. Ride with the tools for levers and stem in your pocket. No bat tape? Stopping and moving stuff is quick and easy. I go a step further. FIrst tape jobois with cheap cloth tape, wrapped from the bar-ends to the stem. Gives me more chances to move the levers since cloth tape unwraps and rewarps nicely.

The rest of the stuff - usually I have most of the gear and not one or two important parts on hand. So order is dictated by what I have. It all works.

Ben

you must be checking the Magic 8 Ball because these are all of the concerns I have (honjo fenders / vo racks front & back) and the added interest of not scratching my paint. the rear wheel slides so far forward to get into the drop I will need to deflate the tire a bit to get the fender nut into the chainstay bridge.

in any event, everything fit before, so it must fit again!

thanks for the encouragement.

I agree that the order doesn't really matter, but something you said made me thing about this: The one rule I try to never break when putting a bike together is that I never tighten something part way. That is, if it looks like it could be tight, I make sure that it is put on with the right torque and ready to ride. Too often I get called away from my bike projects by something else, and I come back to it days later, having forgotten exactly what I've done. I don't ever want to hop on the bike and start riding, only to remember that I hadn't *quite* tightened the stem up all the way.

Others are probably not as absent-minded as me, but when the OP said that things were snug, but not tight, this is what I thought about.

I can't say I've not been bit by that gremlin. when I had the bike in question put together for its test ride, I hadn't tightened the handlebar in the stem. as I applied the brakes, the bar rotated forward in slow motion. a lesson to be made aware, but I am not confident in my abilities yet to do things once and for all.

but I will heed the advice and be mindful as I go through the process.

I have done that many times, and the key is using a big enough wrench. My mini 6 does not fit that description. Especially around handlebars and stems, because so much can go wrong so quickly. Once it appears to be complete, walk back through everything, tightening as you go.

And just for yucks, my order is as follows:
headset and fork
bb and crankset
derailleurs
chain
calipers
wheels
stem and handlebars
brake levers
shifters
cabling
seat post and seat, usually after all the fiddling is done.
pedals

This. Finish each job as you do it. You may have to come back and undo something later but so what. Fine adjustments come last but always snug up a bolt so it is ready to ride.

Funny that I do quite the opposite, I purposely leave an assembly loose so I will know where I left off. Regardless of the order of the steps I still will take the few minutes to review my work, component by system, Just like reviewing test answers. Oh wait! work and life is the grand test:) Andy

As most say, order doesn't really matter, although it makes very little sense to mount the front derailleur before mounting the cranks. But I guess if you leave it loose...

And tightening things to full torque right away seems less than ideal unless you are forgetful or normally in a rush. There aren't that many nuts and bolts on a bike that you can't go back through them all and double check with a torque wrench (especially if it's your bike and you can take your time). You could also use one of those marking pens to check off the bolts you have torqued (you see that on some new motorcycles, maybe cars too).

seatpost, so I can clamp it in a workstand

then

headset
fork
stem
bottom bracket
cranks
handlebars
brakes
shifters
derailleurs
wheels
chain
pedals


most of these are not necessarily in any order, except for bb/cranks, derailleurs, and wheels w/cassette before chain.

And don't forget, leave everything "race loose", meaning, loose enough so that when you crash, the part will give way, for example, the bars will turn sideways instead of staying rigid, which will lessen the chance of denting the top tube when the bars go all the way over.

What?

thanks, Bro. i'm all about cycling-safety.

+1, everthing!