I purchased some stainless screws to fill the rack mounting holes on the seat stays. Invisible cargo rack. Does that count?

Srsly though, if you want to run a rack and a rear brake (for the kids who were too cool to run the bike as a fixed gear) you'd need to do some MacGyvering because the two items appear to be mutually exclusive on this model.

I want to change my handle bars so i can run one brake without looking weird. i never use my rear brake anyway, and it's set up rather too weak to use anyway.

no, but i want to

are the handlebars already wrapped with the brake levers on them when the bike arrives?
i'm hoping not, but i have a strange suspicion that they are.

yes

As mentioned they are wrapped. Whoever wraps them does it well, they don't cheat and use the little 4" strip of tape behind the brakes, they really wrap with one solid piece. [i was impressed]

If you want to remove the tape and you aren't planning on re-wrappign them right away you'll need a bottle of adhesive remover because the tape leaves a sticky residue.

good old sticky residue

i just got a reply back from BD, the messenger has 26mm bars.

(at least mine does anyway)

OH that is perfect! i ordered the nitto rb021 pursuits and figured i was gonna make em fit somehow. bike should be here tomorrow :)

pix when u get ur bike!!

I get mine tomorrow, and it'll be my first time assembling a bike, pics will be up when i'm done~!

yea, mine should be in tomorrow also...can't wait.

i should take a picture of my bike...

damn looks like we're all expecting a bike tomorrow...

got my bike, built it in 30 minutes, my first time ever assembling a bike. Easy as hell.

came back from a very short ride. Here is my intake.

5'11" 32" inseam, the bike is only a bit too small, but I love it. I think I fall right between a 56 and a 54, but no regrets at all for getting the 54cm

Enough about that.

Quality: EXTREMELY impressed. Very nice paint job, shiny and everything

Weight: Equally impressed, haha. When the UPS guy handed me the box. I thought it would weigh around 35 pounds, so I flexed my tiny muscles to pick it up. When I lift the box, the thing was very light. After I assembled the bike, I would say the bike is around 20 pounds or less.

Wheels: They are ridable but doesn't come trued.

My only disappointment, the brakes. The front brakes doesn't touch the rim where it is suppose to. I will post pictures later. The rear brake pads are not parallel. Anyone know how to fix it?

Would i recommend this to a friend? YES~! Thinking of getting the pink one for my gf.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Oh yea, very noisy freewheel, but doesn't bother me.

No pictures...

i had to squeeze the brake while setting the line in order to get the brakes to work, right now i don't have them set too tight, since i use them in conjunction with back pedaling.

yea, i did the same, i think that is the way to do it. I squeezed it so that it touches the rim, and when i tighten the cable and release my squeeze, its perfect. enough space for the wheel to spin and I can stop the wheels with the brakes in case of emergencies.

Here are the pictures of my bike as promised:

My Bike:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/...5e57c3.jpg?v=0


In my last post, I've mentioned that my rear brake pads are not parallel. Here is the picture:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/...0d5b30.jpg?v=0
Any suggestions on how to fix that?


Also in my last post, I have mentioned that the front brakes do not contact the rim at the right point:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/...c86be5.jpg?v=0
As you can see, the brake pads strikes the lower portion of the rim. Any ideas on how to fix this?

Thank you.

allen key.

^^ just get the correct allen key size and loosen the bolt that holds the brake pad (which you can see in your last picture) and move it up to where you want it...i think that should work? :P

you can always replace them...

When you say your rear brake pads aren't parallel, do you mean to each other or to the rim? From your picture, it looks like you're talking about the toe-in of the pad to the rim, which is supposed to be there. It might a little too 'toed-in' from looking at your picture, but it is supposed to be there none-the-less.

From sheldon:

Good practice in installing brake shoes is to "toe them in", so that the front part of the shoe hits the rim first. As the brake arm flexes under real braking, it will permit the whole surface of the brake shoe to engage the rim.

Toeing in of brake shoes can also reduce the annoying squeal some brakes make when in use.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/P9200013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/P9200018.jpg

i like my chain with no slack, although i don't know if this adversely effects the bike...

Hey, I I just fixe the front brakes. But the rear brakes, thanks for the information on toeing in, but i think it is toed in too much. I loosened the bolt in the rear and tightened it again, how do I adjust the pads?

Hey Understanding, thanks for sharing your pics. From your first pic, you see the Motobecan Decal, I took that off by heating the decal up with a blowdryer and then I used flossing and took it off.