I bought a bike online from state bicycle co its a fixed gear bike. When i assemble should i grease the bottom bracket area and what tool and grease do i need to do it
Assembling a mail-order bike usually consists of mounting the pedals and turning the handlebar. Possibly installing the wheels. You shouldn't have to touch the bottom bracket. If it is a square taper cartridge BB, these are generally not serviceable anyhow. It'd only make sense to check If its properly lubed If it's a cup cone BB. To service one of those you need: - a crank puller - a hook wrench for the lockring - another wrench, maybe a pin wrench for the adjustable cup - and some generic hand tools To put things back together again, being a rookie bike mechanic, I suggest you also use a torque wrench. Many a square taper Crankset has died an early death due to insufficient assembly torque. As for grease, bikes aren't that picky. Any automotive grease will work.
Bottom brackets on new bikes are already installed. Depends on the exact bottom bracket. If it is a cartridge bottom bracket, no grease is required. If is an older style adjustable bearing bottom bracket you would have to disassemble the whole bottom bracket to add grease and readjust the bearings. For that you need a crank puller and whatever bottom bracket tools needed to remove at least the adjustable cup. One thing at least that should be checked is that the crank spindle bolts(or nuts) are properly tightened before you ride. There are different types of cranks and bottom brackets, without knowing the exact ones the bike has, nobody can tell you exactly what needs to be done.
New bikes will have it serviced, you don't install the bottom bracket. Now I've taken apart supposedly new bikes and found lack of grease but it was more my personal preference than the total absence of grease. One can feel/hear the bottom bracket if it needs service or adjustment.
Bikes - Fansastic. Great to ride, but then you find things going wrong and need to get them fixed. Oh that minefield that is simple mechanical servicing. Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance by Lennard Zinn This book is famous.
