Race bike durability

[grebletie]

Hey,

So I just gave my bike some much needed deep cleaning. The bike a Bianchi 928, in its second year of service. Giving the bike a close look, I've became very aware of all the small nicks and imperfections. To be honest, the bike is beginning to show its age. If I were to estimate, the bike has seen at least 13,000 miles of Northern California and Chicago roads.

Thinking about the future, I would be surprised if the bike lasts beyond next season. It'll either die a slow death by a thousand cuts, or die in a blaze of glory at some point.

How's your race rig doing? Is 3-4 years about what one can hope for out of a race bike? I take pretty good care of my bike, and clean it fairly often. But, the steady accumulation of training and racing miles is slowly but surely taking it's toll.

[EURO-TRASH]

this can vary obviously with what your frame is made of, who makes it, and how ''pretty'' you need your bike to look. but i switch ''race'' rides every 2-3 years. i think thats about average. but i know guys that untill the carbon fiber revolution raced frames that had seen 8-10 seasons and some even more.

[San Rensho]

Nicks and cuts will not wear out a bike. Only major crashing would take it out of commission. Steel, alu, carbon, Ti bikes will last last decades of hard daily use before they fail.

I raced and crashed my 26 year old bike hard for two seasons and have ridden it continuously since I got it and its still as structurally good as the day I got it.

But it sounds to me like you are bored of your bike or itching for a new one. Yopu don't need a new bike, but go for it if it makes you happy. New stuff can motivate.