Wheels pumping
- Turn the wheel to bring the inner tube valve into a comfortable position for pumping and remove the plastic nut from the valve.
- Refer to the instructions on the Toolbox station to check the type of valve on your bike and with which hole on the inflator it should be pumped. For a Presta valve, you will need to loosen the nut on the end of the valve.
- Check the recommended pressure range (BAR/PSI) for your bike. Usually this information can be found on the side of the tyre. The standard value is around 3 BAR
- Open the lever on the pump adapter, place it on the valve and close it
- Inflate the wheel by checking the pressure gauge reading.
- Remove the inflator adapter, put it back in place
- Screw on the plastic nut (in the case of the Presta valve, do not forget to tighten the metal nut)
Replacing an inner tube
- Hang the bike by the saddle on the Toolbox station, change the derailleur to the smallest sprocket (this will make it much easier to remove the wheel), and unhook the brake – first tighten it with your hands and then release the cable (for disc brakes this is not necessary).
- Open the wheel clamp or loosen the nuts on the axle and remove the wheel.
- Lean 2 tyre spoons against the rim and lever the tyre, then pull one spoon around the rim
- Remove the inner tube, then check that the object that punctured it is still not on the inside or outside of the tyre. If the hole is large the tyre should be replaced.
- If you have tyre patches with you, you can use them to quickly patch the puncture. The best solution, however, is to replace the inner tube with a new one.
- Gently inflate a functioning inner tube so that it takes shape. Then place it inside the tyre, starting by inserting the valve into the hole in the rim.
- Using a spoon, place the edge of the tyre on the rim, then inflate the inner tube.
- Install the wheel back on the bike and fasten the brake.
Tightening of clearances
From time to time, it is important to check for so-called ‘play’ in our bicycle. This refers to situations where, over time, certain screws loosen of their own accord, so that individual parts are not perfectly joined together. It is a good idea to check each component individually and tighten where necessary to avoid dangerous failure and faster wear of the equipment. When tightening, just remember not to use too much force, which risks damaging the threads.
Front derailleur adjustment
- Regulację rozpoczynamy oStart the adjustment by placing the chain on the largest sprocket at the rear and the smallest chainring at the front.
- Check that the derailleur guide is parallel to the chain. If not, it is necessary to loosen the fixing bolt and correct its setting.
- There are 2 adjustment screws on the derailleur, marked L (low) and H (high). Tighten the L bolt until the chain is within 1mm of the inner part of the derailleur guide bar.
- Then set the chain on the smallest sprocket at the rear and the smallest at the front.
- By manipulating the H-bolt, adjust the derailleur guide so that its outer part is 1mm from the chain.
- Then adjust the cable tension with the cable adjuster on the handlebar until the gears shift smoothly
Rear derailleur adjustment
- We start adjusting the rear derailleur by changing the gears to the largest sprocket at the front and the smallest at the rear and loosening the cable fixing bolt.
- Manipulate the adjustment screw H, so that the derailleur gears are in line with the smallest cassette sprocket.
- Then slide the derailleur as close to the wheel as possible and check that its sprockets are in line with the largest cassette sprocket. If this is not the case, adjust its position with the L-bolt.
- The next step is to tension the cable and tighten the cable fixing bolt.
- Then check that the gear ratio changes smoothly. If the chain struggles to jump to a higher sprocket, tighten the cable more. The cable tension can be set by adjusting the adjusters at both ends of the chainrings – on the derailleur side as well as on the shifter side.
V-brake adjustment
- Loosen the screw with which the cable is screwed to the brake arm.
- Pre-adjust each pad. To do this, loosen the pad nut and press the brake arm against the rim. Adjust the pad so that it touches the rim evenly without snagging on the tyre, then tighten the nut (not necessarily to the maximum, this is a pre-setting for now).
- Next check that the pads are the correct distance from the brake arms. Tighten both pads against the rim and measure the distance between the end of the cable hitch and the other arm, as shown in the photo. If you don’t have a second person to help you, you can help yourself with a rubber band. This distance should be at least 39 millimetres. Otherwise, the hitch may start to rub against the other arm during braking.
- Then press the two pads against the rim (hold them with a rubber band or get someone to help you), again check that the pad does not rub against the tyre and is evenly aligned.
- Insert the cable back into the retaining bolt. Position the cable so that the pads are between 1 and 1.5 millimetres from the rim. Then tighten the cable with the screw. Also tighten the barrel screws at the brake handles.
Disc brake adjustment
Disc brakes come in a great many models and two basic variants – mechanical (cable operated) and hydraulic (brake fluid operated). Often, the solutions from different manufacturers differ considerably, so it is best to find the instruction manual for our particular brake on the internet. If we do not have this option, it is worth remembering a few things:
- In disc brakes, one pad remains stationary while the other presses against the disc. The position of the stationary pad can be adjusted with a special knob or screw, so that it is as close to the disc as possible, but does not rub against it.
- We can then adjust the position of the second pad by adjusting the adjusters at both ends of the armours. Here again, we are concerned with getting the pad as close to the disc as possible without unwanted friction.
- The brake pads should be checked and replaced regularly. If your brake is correctly adjusted, the pads are not worn, but you still feel a loss of braking power, we recommend that you visit a professional bike service.