Is my bike costing me a fortune?

[mauvais]

Well, I hear that mechanic discs aren't simply bad per se, and so I'm warned not to write em off.

The only advantage I see apart from price and probably some weight, is that if you do some more serious damage, it's easier to fix mechanical - e.g. a snapped cable vs a broken hose.

I'd go with hydraulic every time, but if I was skint, probably V-brakes instead.

 

[weepiper]

Only problem with mechanical discs is that they are too much of a compromise - most of the good things about disc brakes are down to them being hydraulic and having no sliding cable (no cable flex = more efficient and don't need to keep adjusting as cable stretches, can't get mud/grit/rust sticking the cable up = more efficient). And a well set up good quality v brake is at least as good as the average mechanical disc, only cheaper. The advantages a mechanical disc have over v brake is that the wheel rims don't get worn and if you buckle a wheel the brake still works.

 

[Cid]

Technically mechanical disks are considerably less powerful than Vs, think of the rim as a huge disk. In practice Vs are often set up badly and therefore not great, but if you take an hour or two to familiarlise yourself with maintenance (see the excellent Park Tool guide. Just don't look at the prices of their tools ) and tune them they will work very well. A soft compound pad can also increase power but will wear more quickly.

 

[Choc]

it's my turn to invest in bike repairs.

i was very lucky in the last two years that nothing big went wrong: i only had a few punctures, and 1 set of new breakpads for back and front wheel which wasn't expensive.

however now i need a new chain and gears for £44
my back wheel is wonka and needs repairing £15
and new breakpads again.


now, i am considering if i shold get a brandnew bike altoghether? the reason being that my current bike (whilst it is a superb reliable bike -a ridgeback) actually the frame is a size too big for me. i find leaning forward as much as i have to do with it not comfortable and expect that this will get worse with advanced pregnancy.

however, brixton cycles said that i could have a better/higher/more round steering wheel for aprox another £20 which would allow me to sit more upright.

what should i do? repair old one as very good quality bike for approx £100 or buy new better sized bike for me for about £250?

please help!

 

[Herbsman.]

"steering wheel"

Personally, I'd keep the same bike and get a shorter, upward-sloping stem first, then get a pair of riser handlebars if necessary. I've actually had to do that myself since my frame is a bit too long.

 

[_angel_]

So far since about June my bike has cost me:

£35 annual service and tinkering
2 weeks later, the bearings or something went, then;
£40 new bearings etc tinkering
£10 two new inner tubes
£20 new anti-puncture tyre

And now
£40 new wheel + labour

My fucking bike only cost £220 new 2.5 years ago, ffs!!! I cycle to work along a fairly rough London route maybe 3-4 times a week for 11.5miles return. Maybe some light cycling on weekends. I ride a lot, but not ridiculous amounts. I did a cycle maintenance course last w/end and the instructor said a new wheel after 2.5yrs isn't excessive at all. I know things wear out but ffs, when I was a kid, I didn't take care of my bike at all and it kept going forever. Now I do and it's costing me a bomb.

Is this unusual?
Put your cycling maintenance cost moans here....

My luckless boyfriend has been through four bikes in under a year. Dread to think how much this has cost him!!

 

[Herbsman.]

My luckless boyfriend has been through four bikes in under a year. Dread to think how much this has cost him!!

Are you f*cking joking? Is he a professional cycle racer, or does he just crash a lot, or, does he get them stolen a lot, or, is he just buying shit bikes?

 

[gentlegreen]

I've just put a new £75 wheel on my commuting (mountain) bike .. add the tyres, brakes, chain, cogs et all and it adds up.

There in the shop were these amazing new Giant hybrids with 7 speed hub gears and roller brakes for £300 all in .....

 

[Herbsman.]

what are roller brakes?

 

[mauvais]

I've just spent another £56 on tyres , £7 on a bit of cloth, £7 on a whole two bolts, and £15 on spanners I'll probably never use again. Spending money is one competition I can win!

 

[gentlegreen]

what are roller brakes?

Not sure but they're inside the hub and apparently only need an occaisional greasing ...

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_upload_uk/bikes/models/zooms/2007/Expression N7 07.jpg

 

[mauvais]

Sounds like a broken hub to me

 

[_angel_]

Are you f*cking joking? Is he a professional cycle racer, or does he just crash a lot, or, does he get them stolen a lot, or, is he just buying shit bikes?

LOL!


Bike no one: cheapo catalogue bike £75 + £40 assembly. Fell apart.

Bike no two: £180 reduced in sale : nicked

Bike three: Insurance replacement: not as good, due to be sold. Had to pay £50 excess on it tho

Bike Four: proper good bike but cost more

Then there's the two sets of lights and three bicycle locks to factor in.

A fortune!!

 

[mauvais]

I've just worked out that mine's cost me about 34p a mile

 

[gentlegreen]

 

[Psychonaut]

So far since about June my bike has cost me:

£35 annual service and tinkering
2 weeks later, the bearings or something went, then;
£40 new bearings etc tinkering
...

have you been using a hose to clean the muck off? - that can destroy your bearings in no time - by pushing the grease out (even in 'sealed' bearings apparently)

I think a normal garden hose (ie not specially pressureised) is relatively safe - as long as your very careful where to point it.

 

[mauvais]

I always use a garden hose with a jet nozzle thing, give it a proper soaking & sponge it down. Yes, it probably reduces the life of some components, but not as much as having grit and mud pulled around through it. And another cardinal sin - lots of Fairy Liquid - but I do re-oil everything afterwards. Doesn't seem to do it much harm.

 

[Choc]

I've just worked out that mine's cost me about 34p a mile

really? how much is a car per mile?

but i think people are either lucky or unlucky. i had a few bikes nicked but never had to many pricey repairs yet.

 

[mauvais]

Yeah - about £1900 and 5500 miles, just under a year and a half.

I don't know anything about cars as I don't have one. I could do the commute on the train for about the same, but it'd take longer, I'd have nothing to show for it and I'd have no fun!

 

[gentlegreen]

really? how much is a car per mile?

but i think people are either lucky or unlucky. i had a few bikes nicked but never had to many pricey repairs yet.

My old Peugeot needs a couple of tyres. I can get a lot of rubber for £55 a pair.

I'm lucky to get 2,000 miles out of a rear tyre on my pushbike.

 

[ddraig]

i've had to shell out a bit recently and was miffed a tyre cost me £11 last week but it has made a fair difference and i spent £10+ getting the bus last week as it was proper nasty weather etc.
i have spent more on the bike than it was in the first place but considering the benefits in time/money/fitness/green points (polishes halo) tis all swings and roundabouts. takes me less time to cycle than to bus it or walk/bus it and the route is well easy, only bout 2 miles along a river and through a park for most of the way.

 

[Herbsman.]

You were miffed at paying £11 for a tyre?

 

[mauvais]

My old Peugeot needs a couple of tyres. I can get a lot of rubber for £55 a pair.

I'm lucky to get 2,000 miles out of a rear tyre on my pushbike.

I reckon you can get about six to seven thousand out of these. That's mixed trail and road use, but mostly road. I didn't need to replace mine - plenty of tread left - but I got a couple of punctures, noticed a cut in the rear one, so bought a new set.

 

[mauvais]

I've just wasted a load more money on it

 

[gentlegreen]

Just trashed a brand new back wheel.

Chain came off while going downhill and wedged between cogs and spokes. Managed to stay on the bike but snapped 3 spokes and damaged more - not sure about the hub yet.

Luckily I hadn't put the new tyre on.

 

[Herbsman.]

Thou needst to set thy H and L limiter screws correctly...

 

[Herbsman.]

I've just wasted a load more money on it

Rahtid to claatid! how much did that lot cost?!

 

[mauvais]

The first bit of the price was two hundred and then I wasn't really listening

 

[gentlegreen]

Thou needst to set thy H and L limiter screws correctly...

Yes I know - the first time it happened (when going uphill) should have been sufficient warning.

 

[snowy_again]

hmm, picked up my new back wheel yesterday (flip flop Goldtec). I don't think I'll be going out - other than on the bike - for the rest of the month. But, I just the last spent 30 minutes riding around and skidding like a child.