Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Tools
  • Seatpost Installation
  • Treating the Stem
  • Handlebar Positioning
  • Stem Faceplate Installation
  • Front Wheel Installation
  • Final Steps

Bicycle Assembly

When you get your Zinn, Clydesdale, or KHS bike fully assembled from us, it’s shipped to your house already built. But, you will have a few minor steps to complete before you can hop on and go for a ride. So, follow this how-to guide to assemble your bicycle quickly and easily.

Tools

There are a few tools you’ll need in order to follow along with our how-to guide to assemble a bicycle, including:

  • Wire Cutter or Scissors
  • 4mm Allen Wrench
  • 6mm Allen Wrench

1. Installing Your Seatpost

cutting off packaging and rotating stem removing the face-plate from the stem rotating the handlebars
  • The first step in bicycle assembly is to remove your bike from the box. 
  • Next, it’s time to install the seat post into the frame.
  • Adjust the seat post height until it reaches the silver mark, and then tighten the seat post clamp. Next, clamp the seat post into a bike repair stand or stand your bike up on the floor. You may want to put down a piece of cardboard to protect the fork from damage until you install your wheels.
  • DROPPER POSTS: If your bike has a dropper seatpost, you may need to connect the cable to the bottom of the seapost before installing it. Some of our bikes can fit in the box with the dopper post installed and compressed to the bottom of its travel. Some bikes are too big and the seatpost must be removed from the frame. If yours is removed, install the end of the cable that is poking out of the frame into the hook mechanism at the base of the seatpost. Pull on the cable housing and set the end cap into the slot below the mechanism. Now you can install the seatpost into the frame while feeding the dropper post cable through the frame toward the handlebar. 
  • ELECTRONIC SHIFTING BIKES If your bike has Shimano electronic shifting, connect the wire into the battery port that is installed inside the seatpost. Press the wire connection head into the battery port using the black Di2 wire tool included inside your box until you hear the wire snap into the port. Then install the seapost into the frame. 

2. Treating the Stem

There will be zip ties and packaging around the stem of the bicycle. Cut them off and rotate the stem forward. Now, remove the face-plate from the stem.

3. Handlebar Positioning

aligning the silver marks attaching the stem clamp

At this point of learning how to assemble a bike, you rotate the handlebar around to the front of the bicycle, making sure the cables don’t get twisted. 

Place the handlebar into the stem clamp and rotate until the silver mark lines up with the top of the stem clamp.

4. Stem Faceplate Installation

tightening the clamp 5Nm tightening using a 5nm tool aligned stem clamp

Installing the stem face-plate is the next step in how you assemble your bike. 

  • First, use a 4mm Allen wrench to tighten the stem clamp bolts. Alternate tightening each side so that they are evenly tightened. 
  • Next, use a torque wrench to tighten down to 5Nm. Check torque on each bolt. 
  • Compare your bike to the image to match how the silver marks should line up. If your handlebar does not have these marks, rotate the bar in the stem until it is in a comfortable riding position. You may have to use trial and error until you discover the right positioning.

5. Front Wheel Installation

installing the bike wheel front wheel into fork tighten hub and thread completed bike wheel installation

Now that the top of your bike is complete, it’s time to move on to the wheels.

  •  Install the front wheel into the fork with the disc rotor inside the brake caliper. 
  • Insert the axle through the fork and the hub and thread in until tight. 
  • Use a 6mm Allen wrench to tighten the axle.
  • If your axle has a hand lever, tighten the lever down until it’s tight.

6. Final Steps

You’re almost done! Remove the rest of your packing material, install your pedals and bottle cages in the appropriate spots and take a look at your bike.

If you just put together a road or gravel bike, compare yours to the silver bike here:

silver road bike from Zinn

 If you completed a mountain bike assembly, yours should look similar to the yellow one:

yellow mountain bike from Zinn

Putting It All Together

While these are the basic steps of how to assemble a bicycle, you may require a little extra help with your gravel or mountain bike assembly. Our team is here for you any time! Just call us at 303-499-4349 or submit our online contact form today!