hey guys, my frame arrived today and I’m not sure how to install my fork.
I’m not really sure what goes where and i don’t want to go hey that looks right, then ride it and it all fall apart.
iv searched the internet but i still don’t really understand how it all goes together,
any suggestions?
There should be some pictures of all the stuff i have, if you need more info or pictures just ask.
cheers
good start there from Rolly, it can e tricky. His picture is for a threaded fork system, yours is for threadless, or Ahead. That’s why there is a topcap and star-spangled nut on the right of your picture. Are your forks threadless? did all that crap come without instructions? Do you have a stem you’ll be using?
In brief, you need to install the crown race on the forks, install upper and lower bearing shells on the frame, install the star-fangled nut into the forker steerer (alloy steerer tube only), and then assemble to whole goddam lot in the correct order. It’s like a 12 layered sandwich and every part has it’s place and has to go the right way around. [or your fork might fall out and that would put a dent in your day].
Have you checked sheldon Brown? I’d be a looking there
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i’d be taking it to shifterbikes.
Without the tools (either proper ones or homemade variants) it is quite possible you will damage the headset and/or the headtube). I think you should swallow your pride and pay the $20-50 and get it installed professionally by your LBS.
Go to a smaller shop and tell that that you’d like to learn about it and ask if they’ll let you watch. That might mean coming back at another time when it’s quieter. It also might mean going to a couple of shops 'cos some folks are a bit grumpy sometimes.
there’s a sign i’ve seen at a few shops here and there, something along the lines of:
labour - $25 p/hr
labour if you want to watch - $35 p/hr
labour if you want to help - $100 p/hr
yeah i think I will just take it down to the shop, shouldnt cost to much and il have to spend that sort of money if i stuff it up and have to buy new gear
thanks for the tips guys
one last thing,
i just called up the bike shop, they just said it would cost me $60 to install the fork and BB/crank.
does that sound right?
Call two more shops. Then you’ll have your answer.
I got my threadless headset installed for $15 a couple of weeks ago by the guys at Bikeforce Richmond. They only put the cups into head tube, and the crown race on the fork. I did the rest (stem, etc). But that seems more like what you should be paying. It takes them 10 minutes to do.
You need the tools to DIY, but you could always go up to Ceres if you’re in Melbs?
Get them to install the BB. you can put the cranks on with an allen key or socket wrench, unless they’re the old, shitty type with cotter pins.
A BB tool is pretty cheap anyway, if you wanna do it yourself. It ain’t hard to do. Just GGGOOGLE it.
doing a complete installation of the fork (headset cups, crown race, cut steerer, etc) and installing the BB and cranks (probably also facing the BB shell as well) I’d say $60 is about right, maybe some would do it cheaper though.
if you want to save money, just get them to press in the cups/crown race and face the BB shell, then do the rest yourself. you’ll only need a BB tool which is cheap and useful to own anyway.
THANK YOU!!! i completely forgot about the bike shed, I’ll go tomorrow and get as much done myself 
cheers guys il keep you updated
When you’re pressing in the headset cups into the frame be careful than they go in level (evenly), if they go in on an angle you’ll stuff the headset or worse still you could crack your headtube. If you’ve just repainted or powdercoated the frame be extra vigilant of this because paint on the inside of the headtube can cause them to go in cock-eyed. If they don’t have a press there, take it to a LBS. I wouldn’t recommend you go at it with a rubber mallet. And make sure you tap the crown race down evenly too. Good luck! 
im getting the impression that i should probs get the fork done professionally and then go to ceres to do the rest.
good idea? or will I be fine doing it all at ceres?
If you don’t have someone there to help you, whose done it before, I wouldn’t risk it. Not for $15 labour. Be a lot more expensive if you fuck it up.
Yeah you can do the rest yourself, just remember BBs have one normal thread and one reverse thread. Buy a tub of grease and take it along with you, provided you don’t already have some. Make sure you grease all your threads and don’t force anything. Read up and watch some how-to videos before you go too.
thanks DICE, il take it to my local bike shop tomorrow to get the forks done.
i have another problem, my bars a to thin for my head stem, is there anything i can wrap around the middle of the bars so it will fit my head stem? or do i need to buy a new headstem???
you can get specific shims for that. On the other hand, yeh, you can get a new stem, or new bars.
you need to use fewer question marks.