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Hello to all… I am new to the mountain biking community and feel out of place reading about all of these pros. I bought a Diamondback Line in early October of this year, and am having some troubles with it that surprise me for such an expensive bike(to my standards anyway…) Is this normal or is it just a non-quality bike?
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What are the issues you’re having?
In the first few weeks it’s normal to have minor shifting issues as the cables stretch, and depending how much you’ve been riding, you might need to clean and/or lube the drivetrain. Tires are a constant battle and getting a flat, or having a tire slowly lose air after even the first ride can happen easily.
The brakes might feel a little weak initially if you haven’t properly bedded the pads.
Other than that, everything else should be good…
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Aaron the dummy: First, Jeff nailed it. If any of the issues listed are your issues that is normal for a new bike and truthfully any bike at any time. Common issues that show up. As you learn more you will figure how to stay on top of maintenance.
Second you have a fine bike. It is a good bike especially as a beginner and while compared to other high end bikes it some might say that it is cheap in cost. No. It is not a cheap bike. I while my two bikes are considered slightly ‘higher’ end than yours I would be confident in that bike. Don’t fret you bought the wrong bike. Educate yourself on how to care for it. Ride the heck out of it and welcome to the community.
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There’s always the possibility that a bike hasn’t been assembled properly, so that’s worth checking into. However that doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with the bike or components.
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NMI. Need. More. Information.
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Jeff hit it on the head. You seem to have yourself a solid first mountain bike and (I’m betting) you are experiencing break-in related adjustment needs. I’d recommend subscribing to the Park Tool YouTube channel, while they do (naturally) push their tools they also have very informative “How-To” videos that will greatly increase your knowledge of how a bike works and save you a ton of money over time.
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Thank you! That boosted my confidence. Yes I have had a few minor shifting issues but probably the biggest issue is creaking near my bottom bracket. I am going to try swapping pedals to make sure its not that but I think its actually the BB. While I know its possible isn’t it a little unlikely? Also my bottom bracket is different than any one I’ve seen before, and I don’t know how to take it off. I will be sure to check out Park Tool.
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From what I could tell by pictures, it looks like you have a threaded cartridge BB but thats just a guess. Before you tear into it though, remove your pedals and clean/grease the threads in both the spindles and crank arms. Also, while we’re troubleshooting creaks, remove your seat and to clean and apply a thin film of grease to the seat rails where they are clamped by the seatpost and to your seat clamp parts. Be sure to also lightly grease your seatpost inside your frame. You could also develop a creak where your chainring bolts to the crankarm. With all of these we’re just talking a thin film of grease, pretty much whats left after you wipe it off with your fingers, any more will just attract dirt and cause problems.
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Aaron – welcome, and you’ve got a fine bike. I like to say that the “best” bike is the one that gets you on the trails. Ride the crap out of it!
As the other guys are saying, a new bike will stretch the cables a bit, and of course you need to always keep up on the cleaning and lube (mostly chain). Check with where you got the bike – many places offer a few tune-up within the first year.
With regard to the creaking near the bottom-bracket, certainly occasional creaks squeaks are normal. If it really is the bottom-bracket, that is not normal for a new bike. But I’ve also found that often the noises aren’t actually coming from where I first think. First place I always go is degrease and lube the chain. Second, check and tighten the crank arms and you might even try removing them, clean, grease, and tighten. The other places to check are the stem/headset and seat-post/seat. I know you might hear the noise elsewhere, but I’ve been fooled before. Good luck!
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