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Bike maintenance philosophy

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Smudge has posted some interesting thoughts on another thread.

    "My maintenance efforts go effectively on one bike as well rather than being divided between several (none of which end up getting enough!)"

    "On a bicycle especially, if parts corrode/wear out, then it's a good reason to replace it with better"

    This was in response to ruggtomcat thinking about getting a cheap bike for the salty winter.

    There are plenty of people on here with more than one bike. Some will probably only get ridden on dry sunny days.

    Since the 'invention' of mountain bikes and their use in mud I think ideas about use/wear/maintenance/replacement have changed. Cleaning too.

    I remember at the first MTB race I went to seeing a successful racer with a bucket and a brush removing the mud - especially from the transmission. Most were happy to just load their bikes back on their/parents' cars.

    Commuters value reliability, so spending a bit more is probably a sound investment. Better bikes tend to be more pleasant to ride too.

    Some people do their own maintenance on a preventative basis, others just ride until something fails.

    To some extent this relates to the Does anyone calculate their cost of cycling? thread, but 'best you can afford' or 'something cheap for the winter' seems to be a philosophical question(?)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. wingpig
    Member

    My single-vehicle-ism works to my advantage here: it's neither something cheap for the winter nor the best I can afford; it's all I have, so if I want to be able to use it, it has to work. It's not fancy enough to have components invulnerable to the weather so has to be poked at reasonably regularly. If I had the space I'd probably initially get something chunkier, cheap and sacrificial to expose to the winter grit and the dampness of mornings like today but until I build some sort of shedlet-thing my bike has to live in the hallway, where there would not be space for another. If I had the space and the cash I'd get something shinier for nice and keep the existing one going for use during threatening weather until it's killed by cobbles or corrosive slush.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. gembo
    Member

    The road guys swap to winter training bikes and winter training tyres.

    My opinion on parts is that a generic no name brand will wear out over the winter at same rate as Shimano 105 (transmission may be less pleasant). I aim to get through the winter then get new stuff. I hate having to get new stuff before the winter as I know it will need replacing in spring. I have noticed the bits lasting longer since my commute distance was halved (and following a most excellent service from Freewheelin BIcycles of Shandon).

    I used to try to do it all on one bike.. Now I keep a 'Dorian Gray' as it were in the garage for feast days etc when the sun is shining.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. spitfire
    Member

    I don't buy expensive bikes (wouldn't go over £500) a £70 Tesco BSO lasted nearly 5 years and cost fractions of a penny per mile whereas the bike to work bike has cost roughly 20p per mile so far)

    I maintain my tyres, and chain (until told to replace it)
    I get the brakes and the gears done in a shop. (@gembo glad to see gembo say Freewheelin did a good job too) I know the guys, often get to have a cuppa and always get a chat, plus it all supports a local business which makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, after all where would I be when I needed something on the day (or on the way home so ready for morning) to get rolling and had to trudge up to EBC for it...
    Just like I don't repair the gears in my car myself or the brakes either, someone who knows what they are doing will get it done in half the time with a lot less swearing about brake block angles and spacing

    There is an old frankenstein's monster mashup of old Tesco BSO bits and reclaimed bikestation parts with knobbly tyres which was resurrected for the snow days last year after a horrendous skiing trip with the hybrid, as long as it goes and can be stopped from going I am happy with 3 gears, ride comfort doesn't matter either.

    @wingpig depending on where you stay I have already offered the ample dry underground garage storage if not stariwell storage at my flat. Ask around, I am sure there will be someone happy for you to lock up a hack bike for the grotty weather

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. wee folding bike
    Member

    I'm happy to mend bits of car when I have the time and tools.

    I do the same with bikes. I don't build wheels but I only need them every year or so and I can ask Alistair for that. I don't have the Brompton rear hinge reamer because a hinge lasts for years and the tool costs nearly £200.

    I'm not convinced a shop would do a better job but I've been doing this a long time. I made plenty of mistakes when I was in school. In those days tools meant a hammer, screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

    I'm usually quite proactive about maintenance. The only failures I can think of which have caused me to call on the memsahib have been a couple of tyre problems. Last year it was a chunk of metal on the road which slashed the sidewall of a Schwalbe Marathon Plus. A year before that a hole in the road beside a stank damaged the side of a Schwalbe Stelvio. She has called on me to rescue the car from two tyre events in the same time frame so we're even.

    As I've mentioned the Pashley doesn't seem to need much TLC. It's on about 8-900 miles now and all I've done was adjust the gear cable. I'll see how it deals with the winter.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. ruggtomcat
    Member

    talkin to a friend about this today:

    "so err how do you clean your chain?" i say

    "old rag, hold it round the chain, pedal backwards lots." he replies

    "oh" i say.

    he aint sheldon brown.

    but has a sweet ride :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. kaputnik
    Moderator

    There's the regular maintenance of cleaning, degreasing and lubing that everyone should (but often doesn't) undertake. I like my bikes looking clean and running smooth and quiet so I'm pretty regular on that front.

    Beyond that I like to try and do it myself, mainly to try and learn how bits work, how they come apart and - more importantly - go back together again! Where I don't have the tools or workshop space, I'll pay the bike station a visit. Where I don't have the skill or knowledge I'll admit defeat and take it to the LBS, making up some unlikely story as to why the bit is on the wrong way round or upside down ("It came like that, mate. Honest. I haven't touched it" <hides grease-stained fingers>).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I like my road bike to be perfect. I spend hours working on it.
    My commuter gets occasional remedial work e.g. replacing a worn-out chain-ring, chain etc. - but is usually neglected.
    I don't know why there's this discrepency but I think it may be due to the perceived value of the bikes. One is worth about six times more than the other.
    wee folding bike - when I was at school tools comprised soup spoons to lever off tyres and one of those multi-tools punched out of a sheet of steel.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    "one of those multi-tools punched out of a sheet of steel"

    Once upon a time I went round the Raleigh factory - when 'everything' was made in Nottingham - well apart from all the SunTour stuff etc.

    I picked up a blank for one of those tools - just the outline, no hexagonal holes punched.

    Must try and find it. Just a lump of metal but perhaps an almost unique relic!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. ruggtomcat
    Member

    Thoes things are essential if you go touring on an old frame, my modern multi tool is full of hex's, and no good for anything with a bolt...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. wee folding bike
    Member

    Hmmm... small Bahco shifter?

    http://extranet.bahco.com/CONndc.asp?Save_UID=1&wp=&GotoCat=true&cmbLanguage=1

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    no good for anything with a bolt

    I find there's enough bits with a bolt on a "modern" bike to justify always carrying a

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. gembo
    Member

    Cyclingmollie - those sheets came with every Raleigh Bicycle, they are still kicking about as when I got the useless Crossroads with hub gear and therefore horizontal drops the helpful mechanic gave me two (for pushing the back wheel back when chain had stretched). I went to shop in Morrison St. for spanners in due course. I love that spanner shop in Morrison St. Soup spoons were also tyre levers in my day.

    chdot - wouldn't any sheet be a blank for any other sheet ? made of steel rather than aluminium?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    "wouldn't any sheet be a blank for any other sheet"

    Er?

    "just the outline, no hexagonal holes punched"

    "made of steel"

    Yes

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. gembo
    Member

    oops, forgot about those hexagonal holes - I think mine had two - a big one and a wee one

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. Greenroofer
    Member

    So where do I sit in this philosophical debate if I use an Alfine hub (as I do)?

    I don't do any maintenance as such on it apart from tightening the cable every now and again, because it doesn't really need any. However it's so fiendishly complicated inside that I have to take it to the LBS to have it serviced every year, and whatever my philosophical leanings, I can't do it myself.

    So it's maintenance-free until it needs to go to the bike shop for an overhaul...

    ...actually, that probably describes many bikes out there. When I was collecting mine, I noticed that the one next to me had a job sheet on it that said "Not been used for years. Before doing anything else, pump up the tyres and see if it needs new tyres"

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    gembo - I got one a year ago with a kids bike from EBC. More or less the same. I've a Brooks one somewhere.
    kaputnik - I had one of those once or it may have been my dad's. Maybe we were a bit more sophisticated than I thought.
    Wee folding bike - I followed that link to a site that recommended I use a 4.x browser and asked for log-in details.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. wee folding bike
    Member

    Hmmm, didn't ask me for one. Bahco make tools some of which include very nice adjustable spanners.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    Highly recommended item/brand.

    Mine hasn't got the plastic bit (that must be progress...)

    Also got a 12" (must be about 20 years old) for headsets etc.

    http://www.screwfix.com/prods/33045/Hand-Tools/Spanners-Wrenches/Wrenches/Bahco-6-Adjustable-Wrench

    There are people who don't approve of adjustable spanners. But they probably have every possible individual spanner - which they may or may not take on every trip...

    Crucial thing with an adjustable is to adjust it tightly on the nut before turning. Taking the corners off nuts increase the chance that it will eventually get so rounded that a spanner won't work. Knocking the chrome off just leads to rust!

    When I went to primary schools to talk about bikes I did a 'maths lesson' talking about numbers involved in bikes. I told them that 4,5,6mm Allen keys and 8,9,10mm spanners covered a high proportion of the things that need adjusting - so they should start their tool kits with those.

    Colour helps to get the message across.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. wee folding bike
    Member

    I suspect the negative feeling towards adjustable spanners stems from cheap nasty items where the jaws are loose so they will move and round off the nut.

    I find the big Bahco does a better job on headsets than the official spanners. They are thin and flex too much (one of my sets is by Campag). I got the big Bahco for car sump plugs but it works on other big nuts too. I've always got the wee one tucked in a pocket or bike bag.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    "I suspect the negative feeling towards adjustable spanners stems from cheap nasty items where the jaws are loose so they will move and round off the nut."

    Definitely true, but people (especially children) don't understand the need/have the micro-second patience to adjust properly.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    Bigger ones are also available!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. chdot
    Admin

    Just found this -

    http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Basic-Bicycle-Maintenance--before-You-Ride/1452056

    Think this is mild scaremongering -

    "Also keep an eye on your bike frame and watch for rust. A small spot of rust can quickly grow and cause weak areas on your frame. To prevent rust, try not to leave your bicycle outside in harsh weather without a waterproof cover on it."

    But this true -

    "By taking just a little time to do some routine maintenance, you'll lengthen the life of your bike and allow yourself to enjoy a worry-free ride."

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Bigger ones are also available!

    I needed a 3.5" adjustable wrench for my BB tools so took a trip to Homebase. Found one for the princely sum of £27. Took it to the till humming and hawing about "do it myself and save money my ars*". Disinterested teenager behind the till scanned it and Pond Testing Kit £1.60 flashed up on the screen. Disinterested teenager asked me for £1.60. I managed to bite my lip and look cool and hand over my card. Disinterested teenager hands me receipt for Pond Testing Kit £1.60. I suppose I might have been testing the depth of my pond by dunking the wrench in... I turned down the offer of a carrier bag in recompense to Homebase.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  25. Stepdoh
    Member

    See Kaputnik, that was the god of OCD rewarding you for your fastidiousness in the face of Edinburgh's mucky roads.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  26. Arellcat
    Moderator

    There are people who don't approve of adjustable spanners. But they probably have every possible individual spanner - which they may or may not take on every trip...

    Every size from 8mm to 19mm, open-ended and ratcheting. Sockets from 6mm to 13mm and in their inchy equivalents. I also have four adjustable spanners, including the excellent 12 inch Bahco. :-)

    A small spot of rust can quickly grow and cause weak areas on your frame. To prevent rust, try not to leave your bicycle outside in harsh weather without a waterproof cover on it.

    The chainstay on my last mtb frame rusted through from the inside. It did take ten years, though. My current one I sprayed with copious amounts of Waxoyl before building the bike up.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  27. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    kaputnik - the punch-line to that story would have been even better if you had gone back and bought another half-dozen "pond testing kits" for your friends and family.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  28. chdot
    Admin

    "Isn't it usually 2-3 chains per cassette?"

    Interesting question.

    Never actually seen that 'rule'.

    'Replace chain and block' is an easy instruction.

    It partly depends on a) whether you ride mostly in the high gears (wear quicker) b) whether you will tolerate a bit of skipping if you replace a chain and not block and c) whether you replace chain before it's too far gone and block/cassette is really 'worn out'.

    (First posted on another thread!)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  29. Stepdoh
    Member

    may have been something I just made up in my head :). I don't claim the slightest bit of expertise here.

    Can't remember but saw something about the chain stretching a bit quicker then the cassette wearing out.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    "may have been something I just made up in my head"

    Perhaps, but it's a useful way of thinking.

    Pedants say that chains don't stretch they wear.

    But that assumes that stretch just means like elastic.

    BUT there are an impressive number of definitions including -

    "24. elasticity or capacity for extension."

    http://reference.com/d/search.html?q=Stretch

    Posted 13 years ago #

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