# Break-in period?!?



## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

as many of you know from my recent posts, i bought a new specialized a week or so ago and i've brought it back already twice for problems, and they keep talking about a "break in" period..... is this actually something or are they just blowing smoke? also, if this is true, what exactly breaks in? thanks


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Cables stretch , brake pads wear in , parts get to know each other . "Break in period" is legit up to a point .


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

You didn't say what sort of problems you had.

On new bikes, there are several things that need to be checked after a little riding.

- cables stretch/settle down, causing shifting or mechanical brakes to act up.
- spokes settle down, possibly making the wheels go untrue
- bearings settle down ... need to be adjusted/tightened
- ...
- ...


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

the first problem was the front derraileur (lol) was hitting the bottle cage and wouldn't shift... got that fixed (not really a bike problem, rather a builder/manufacturer error)

then i felt popping in the pedals, switched them, wasn't it. Took it in and told them it may be the bottom bracket, they couldn't feel it and i told them it was there. they took it all apart and must have tightened something? it feels fine now.

NOW.... whenever i stand up to ride (when there's more weight on the handlebars) i can hear, and i'll describe as best i can, creaking. it sounds like metal pieces are settling or something (bad description, i know) but my wife's specialized and my work's trek doesn't make any sounds. it's not the shocks, and i can't tell where it's coming from, and its only when i put weight on the front. it sounds like its coming from inside the shifters but again, i can't tell. its hard to lean on the handlebars while riding and put my head way down over the front...... i guess i'm wondering if this is settling too. if its still there in a month i guess i'll take it back (45 minutes away) :skep:


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Creaks... they can be tricky to locate. If it only comes when you stand up, it is not the seat or seat post 

I'd check that the headset is not loose:
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=65
"grab the front brake tightly. Press downward on the handlebars and rock the bike forward and back. A knocking sensation may indicate a loose headset."
You can also try to feel with your finger if there is movement between headset parts and frame, when you rock the bike.

(every single one of the bikes I've bought in the last half a decade needed the headset tightened after a little riding. Then they stayed OK)

Stem clamps, holding steerer tube and handlebar are also likely suspects in the front of the bike. Any loose bolts? Some have greased all mating surfaces and bolts to get rid of stem and bar creaks.


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

i tightened every bolt i could find and the "creaking" (best word) was still there. like i said, i think its coming from inside the shifters, best i can tell..... and again, its only when i lean forward onto the handlebars.... i guess i'll just have to wait and hope it goes away... cuz i know just like with the bottom bracket, i'll take it in and they'll say, "we don't hear it"....


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## bclagge (Aug 31, 2009)

My bike's been creaking for the last thousand miles without a problem. It might not be a big deal.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Could be the seat tube as well. When mine started creaking after about 500 miles i found that the bolts that keep the cranks as one piece had come loose. Well just 2 of them. There were still 2 tight ones but when i tightened the 2 loose ones the creaking stopped completely.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Here is a quick pic of what bolts im talking about


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

thanks, i'll check those bolts. I looked on you tube and it said check the front hub and make sure its not overtightened. the next chance i get i'll try all of the above. and its not so much i'm worried about it as it is annoying


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## ooctrl (Aug 7, 2006)

I just bought a new bike myself and I can say there always seem to be little issues with a new bike. I have had to tighten both crank arm bolts and I had a hyrdro brake cable almost completely unscrewed from the reservoir that I noticed yesterday. This is within the first 4-5 rides on the bike as Saturday was the day I picked the bike up. Cable stretch is for real as I have replaced many derailleur cables. Spokes bed in from side to side tension caused when riding and shocks/forks loosen up over the first twenty hours of riding or so.


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## OSOK (Jul 11, 2009)

Take it in man... you got a new bike, from a LBS... you should have just that, a new bike. New bikes shouldn't creak.


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

ok, i think i found the creak. i'm new at this so if the terminology is wrong, just bear with me.. on the suspension fork in the front there is two sides (pistons? lol).... looking at the left one, there is a "dust cap" with a metal retension ring/spring/whatever. I pried it up/off and cleaned some dust out. with the up-most cap up and around the "piston" i tried it and the creak is gone (now i'm guessing its a squeak, as opposed to a creak). i cleaned it out as best i could and when i slide the ring up and down it doesn't do it, and when i compress the shocks while its up and around the piston its fine. but as soon as i combine the two, putting the ring back down and securing it to where it was, its back...i tried a little dry lube and not doing it. i was thinking about an air compressor and trying to blow out what microscopic junk might be in there but i'm sure thats a no no and will probably put it in further and make it worse, so i won't do that......... i'm hoping this is the problem... i did this in the garage and havn't riden it yet to be 100% sure but i think it is.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I did not quite get what you mean...

Can you get a picture?

The most I dare do with my forks is: clean the outside, turn adjustment knobs and screw open dust caps to put air in the air spring. Anything more complicated I take to someone who knows what he is doing.


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

here's a pic, sorry for the shotty camera phone quality, the wife keeps the camera in her purse.... (won't fit in my wallet lol)... the piece thats slid up has a metal ring (guessing its a retention ring). when its up like that the fork makes no noise. when i put back snug on the lower black piece, it makes the noise, but again, when its up, neither piece makes any noise. i've wiped the insides of the upper piece and i will put some lube on it later, but now i'm off to bed, damn third shift.... thanks everyone!


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Looks like a Suntour fork.

I found some of their documentation. It seems to be called a "dust seal" and one instructions file says: 

"Oil the dustseal area with Teflon oil" after 25 hours

(must be 25 hours of riding)


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## 1SPD (Apr 25, 2010)

Try putting a little bit of grease on the fork leg. I mean a super thin coat! It sounds like you are just getting a squeek from the rubber dust boot sliding on the fork stansion (leg).

Do not use WD40! You don't want anything that will work its way down through the lower seal and into the actual lower chamber of the fork. I put a little bit of white lithium grease on mine years ago when this was happening and I never heard it again.


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## Stevirey (Jul 16, 2005)

*creek!*

The most illusive creek I've ever had was from a spoke!


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

what a journey,,, as much as i would have bet money it was the fork, i was wrong..... me playing with it made it creak, but i fixed it and then IT CAME BACK which meant i was messing with the wrong creak. I hope to finally say I got my ear close enough to hear its origin. it sounded like it was coming from the center piece that clamps the handlebars on... so i loosened it and tightened it.... still creaks.... so i took it off, flipped it over, and tightened it back up.... GONE!!!! i don't think turning it over had any technical reason to stop the creak, but something was rubbing on something else and when i moved its position, those things stopped touching..... hopefully i can leave it alone and finally enjoy my NEW BIKE


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## OSOK (Jul 11, 2009)

um, what are you talking about? the stem?


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## saliva2002 (Jun 14, 2010)

the piece in front of the stem, thats holds the handlebars on... where if you take off the two screws the entire handlebars fall off


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