New here could do with some advice

Hi, i have had a single speed bike for about a week now and looking at the bike everything seems fine but there is one thing that is bothering me and it is about the wheels and brakes, why are the wheels so close to the brakes, there is a gap of a couple of millimetres between them, is this normal, thanks

does anyone know where my picnic blanket is? I can't find it anywhere.

?

it's good that your brakes are close to the wheel no - more responsive? They're not rubbing are they?

I'm not sure how to explain it but I'll post a picture

1 Attachment

PS this distance is adjustable.
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/dual-pivot-brake-service
See point 4

Thanks for that link, will point 4 adjust this gap, see pic

1 Attachment

So you mean that the tyre is close to the brake bridge.

What size are the tyres, will be written on the sidewall.

Yes that's it the brake bridge, 700x28c thanks

no it won't - i think we thought you were talking about the distance between the pads and the rim of the wheel, but you mean the tyre right? That does look quite tight, but if there is a gap, i don't think it's an issue. Have you got big tyres on it?

edit - sorry, wrote that before i saw freezing's reply

Fit smaller tyres if your are concerned i.e. 700 x 23c or 700 x 25c

http://janheine.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/tire-width-how-much-difference-do-a-few-millimeters-make/

Yes sorry I was on about the tyre and the brake bridge, I'm not to clued up on bike parts, when the wheel spins it does touch slightly on one part but I guess that means the wheel is slightly buckled!

you can straighten that out with a spoke key (cheap to buy) and some googling - it's not buckled. Or you can adjust the distance of the pads to the rim or reailgn your brakes as per freezing's first link

Thanks for your help guys much appreciated

If the frame has track ends with enough room, you could add a link to the chain and move the wheel back a bit.

Yes it has got track ends, can I buy single chain links or do I have to buy a full chain

Yes it has got track ends,

But are they long enough ? For this to work you need to be able to move the axle back about half an inch and still have the nuts grip the track ends properly.

can I buy single chain links or do I have to buy a full chain

It's actually a pair of links you need, one inner and one outer. The person you got the bike from may have the leftover links from when they installed the chain, otherwise new chain I would think.

Ask nicely at a bike shop and they may well just give you some. Your chain is single speed, 1/8 in size.

28 is quite large for typical ss and fixed . They're designed to take a narrower 23 or 25 as mentioned above.

Thanks for all the help of everyone, I'm just learning as i go along so with the help i shouldn't need to ask to many questions