ninjamunky

So I got the urge to buy a bicycle for some exercise and as a fun way to get around town. The last bike I had was a BMX, not very good for getting around on. This time I wanted something a little more comfortable.

I looked around at a few bikes and decided to order the Vilano C-1 hybrid from RoadBikeOutlet. I'ts supposed to be coming on tuesday so I'm trying to find out everything I can about what all I will have to do to get it put together and adjusted properly.

From what I've read so far is that these bikes are good for the price, but need extra attention when being put together to make sure everything is in spec. Soooo... does anyone out there have one of these bikes? What all should I be looking out for when putting it together?

Also any advice you've got for a new rider would be appreciated. I'm thinking about getting a rack for the rear, but not sure what I could carry on it or how. Thanks

pierce

typically, a new bike needs its wheels trued, derailleurs adjusted and everything torqued and tightened properly. The brakes will undoubtedly need the pad angle reset. It probably will need some tweaking to fit you optimally. On most hybrids, I find I want a longer lower stem, and a flat bar instead of a riser bar, and I finally figured out on my latest one that I want a relatively short flatbar so I trimmed like 25mm off each end of the 600mm flat bar I put on it. oh, and if its got some big squishy comfort seat, toss that in the dumpster and get a proper hard saddle

ninjamunky

OK cool, that gives me a good place to start. I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle. I do all the maintenance on my other bike, a Kawasaki ninja 250.

pierce

the torques are a lot lighter than on that ninja, heh. 10 N-m and stuff.

park tools' website has a lot of tech info on modern bike part repair/adjust. sheldon brown's webpile has a lot of older information, much of it is still valid, but also much of it is his own personal opinion so view with a skeptic's eye.

bjjoondo 

Even if you do decide it's "to weird" for YOU to set up, find a good local bike shop, (LBS) and have them set up the bike properly, it's usually not that expensive and you'll have piece of mind, jmho. As pierce say's, there's a lot of vid's on U-Tube for bike maintance that might help you, "do it yourself"! Enjoy that new bike and Please give us a photo when your done setting it up.

ninjamunky

Thanks, I can't wait till it gets here. I already bought a lock, bar end mirror, and a pump. I'm thinking of getting one of these bags too.

https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Cyclin...I2A7HKK97TIN5K

Jimbo47

After you've worked the kinks out, the best upgrade you can make is putting a quality set of tires on your hybrid.
I put close to 2000 miles on my original tires that came with my bike and they were terrible. High rolling resistance, uneven tread, but I never had a flat so I rode them long enough to wear them out, and I just replaced them with some Quality Continental tires, and now the ride is like night and day. My bike doesn't even feel like the same bike. It's like a brand new bike, smooth and fast is the only way I can describe it.