General Cycling Discussion - How thorough do you maintain your bike.

Got home tonight. Was, probably still go out on a bike ride. Well, phone message was from bike friend, one of whom we are going on a 360 mile tour this coming week.
Anyway. It is probably still on. Pat fell off his seat at 20 mph going down hill. Lucky not faster. Problem.
The binder bolt on the seat tube fractured from fatigue. Seat fell off. Pat fell off the bike. Luckily seems no bones broken. His back side is a real case of road rash. Hopes he will be ok.
In regular maintenance, do we think of secondary parts, like binder bolts.? We concentrate on drive trains.
This composite frame bike is only two years old. Guess, he is lucky. 20 mph.

I hope he will be feeling better soon.

The question of mechanical failure and related accidents with injuries resulting is very valid. I have read from time to time of cases of things like front fork failure, etc. that caused injury to the rider and subsequent product recall.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
In regular maintenance, do we think of secondary parts, like binder bolts.? We concentrate on drive trains.

Periodically, it's a good idea to remove the seat post and regrease it so that you don't have the ugly problem of a seat post stuck in the frame. If at this time, a binder bolt appears to be rusty or bent, it would be good to replace it. Unfortunately, a binder bolt that may break due to metal fatigue may not show such symptoms.

Your friend was lucky, all things considered. Hope he's OK.

I was lucky not to crash when my seat post broke a few weeks back. Having to pedal home out of the saddle was also a good workout. I had just left it too long without replacing it (around 3 years).

I wash, lube, inspect my bike and remove and clean chain and cogs every 2 to 4 rides, ( apx 100 miles), more often if rainy etc.
I also true and rebuild my wheels as needed and overhaul my hubs etc., once or more per year on the bikes I ride most, less on others. I also inspect, and replace if any signs of wear/fraying, my brake cables every few months on the heavily used bikes. I also try to wipe down, look over the bike and remove any imbedded glass form the tires after every ride or two. I also "wipe off" the tires, while riding, after going through glass and inspect them occasionally at stops. I may sound anal about up-keep, but I rarely have any flats or "mechanicals".
I have tools to align the dropouts and derailleur hanger and they've paid for themselves several times.
Ride clean and well lubed
Pat

Pat. I am curious about what tools are used to align hangers and dropouts.? I sometimes fight wobbly wheels during rides.
I do my best to wipe off tires during rides. Good idea.

I hate to say it, but apart from the moving bits, brakes, chain, changers, block etc, I don't really touch the bike. the brakes I adjust from the hood with the cable adjusters, I libe things after a wet ride and I check tyre pressure and sidewalls every time.

Other than that, my bike doesn't get touched and probably has dirt on it from 3 or 4 tours ago!

I'm sure I couldn't import it to the states as it probably has plant life on it!

What was the seatpost binder bolt made of? Was it steel or a lighter material like Ti or Al ?

I think Pat's binder bolt was aluminum. Some manufactures' will do anything to save a .25 cents. Only two years old!
As for me I clean my drive train. Check tires, lube clean- just regular stuff. I trust my bike to my top notch mechanic. Wonder if he thinks of things like binder bolts?
My friend Pat talked to a bike mechanic friend up in Orange County. He rides a clunky heavy frame bike. Told my friend of horror stories he knows of like collapsing wheels etc.
Heah, I am a bike addict. No turning back. This is just a maintenance issue. Also reason too. I come down some really steep grades, I do a fair amount of braking. Some cyclists friends I know get impatience with trucks, they are in the way- they can't pass trucks at 45 mph.! Not me.
So does your bike mechanic think of things like binder bolts. When my wheels have about 30,000 miles and show wear- time for new wheels too.

I'm a former wrench, and a total freak about my bikes. I enjoy the yearly teardown/rebuild almost as much as some rides.

Dont forget to check the condition of the frame when doing your maintenance. Thats how I found out my head tube as cracked, and I was about ten miles or so from a bad accident.

I try to get as thourogh as possible without getting myself in trouble of not knowing what I am doing. I clean the teeth and sprockets and give the chain a good cleaning/lubing once a week.

I am planning a complete teardown (not including headset race removal, though) of my road and touring bikes this fall, as well as a thourough BB and headset overhaul on my Raleigh. The hybrid got one this spring, so it won't be getting major work this year.

I keep it clean and lubed.
I change chains every 1000 miles or so.
I keep my air pressure up.
I make sure my wheels are true and my tires are ok.
I check my cleats and pedals.
I check my spokes.

I guess that's about it.

I have one aluminium bolt on my bike. It holds the headlamp onto its bracket, and came free with the lamp, from a friend.
The only other use of Al as a material for bolts would be as breakaway bolts for a rear derailleur on an Al frame, and possibly to fasten your water bottle cage. As a safety critical fastener, it sucks, esp since standard bolt dimensions are based on using steel.

Don't forget that aluminum and steel create a galvanic cell, and the steel always loses.

cyclezealot- drop out and deraileurhanger tools are specialized tools I ordered when I was wrenching for a shop. Basically they're levers.
The dropout tools clamp on to the dropouts and have barrels that screw in to line up against one another, if they don't you start bending dropouts into line.
The deraileur tool screws into the deraileur hanger and is a long bar that has an adjustable pin that lines up on various positions on the rear wheel, youjsut "reef" on it until everything lines up
Ride straight
Pat

Don't forget that aluminum and steel create a galvanic cell, and the steel always loses.
... so the next time your playing rock-scisors-paper-aluminum-steel, remember Alex's Cell Theory:

Rock beats scissors, scissors cut paper, aluminum allways loses to steel.




Sorry, couldnt resist.:D

Like Pat, I am also anal about maintenance. At my age, I need all the hedges I can get against injury, especially the ones I can do something about myself.

Of course, I'm anal about everything else too. But this is part of the fascination I have with cycling - on top of the many other good bits, nifty mechanical stuff too!

About tools - I am probably going to buy mostly Campagnolo and Park, as the need requires, and after my initial setup. Any comments on whose tools might be better? Except perhaps for that very expensive Rohloff chain tool.

Cheers...Gary