Commuting - When do you get a new bike for commuting

Hey I live in washington it rains like crazy. I want to know how often those of you who ride year round thow your bike in the junk pile after a certain ammount of time. I am planning on riding this bike until its life is over. When your cogs are getting worn do you just give in and buy a new bike or do you put new cogs on it? What are some of the things you concider when doing this? If you can't say how long, how many miles do you usually go? I just want to get an idea on how to keep in the bank for when my bike gives out or I need to buy new cogs. I got the bike in april and have put about 2000 miles on it so far. I am not looking into trading it in, I am going to train with it all winter and in the summer I'll buy a new road bike to ride when the weather is nice. Is it better to buy a commuting bike rather than put street tires on a mountain bike. Or is it pointless getting a commuter with crappy weather 8 months of the year that they both will wear out fairly soon? Sorry its so long but I had a lot to think about on my ride today :-)

Kevin

Buy the best you can afford. Replace parts as needed.
Commuted for 16 years.
Maximum miles we have put on one tandem bike: 64,000 miles, and then we sold it.
Moral of this story: quality lasts!

Hey I live in washington it rains like crazy. I want to know how often those of you who ride year round thow your bike in the junk pile after a certain ammount of time. I am planning on riding this bike until its life is over. When your cogs are getting worn do you just give in and buy a new bike or do you put new cogs on it?
Unless the bike is a huge POS, yes, cogs (either a freewheel or cassette) are very replaceable: one of those items that need to be replaced every ten thousand miles or so. Chains go every 3-5, though there are lots of variables. Things can break, but apart from the frame, it's usually worth replacing. And of cours eyou can take all your old parts and put them onto a new frame. Unless you just want a new bike altogether.

Well its a 2006 model that I got new for $180 made by GT. Not sure whether its a pos or not but everyone asks me if it costed $350-$400, then again what common people know much about bikes? What things will usually need to be replaced over time besides of the knowns. Also how much do new cogs usually cost? Say for my next future purchase, what would be a good price range to buy a commuting bike for? Keep in mind that I lock it up also while at work with a cable lock and a 13mm chain lock. How do you know when to replace a freewheel or cassette? Say I go to a bike shop when this problem does arrive, do I buy online or ask them to order it and what will it usually cost to get it installed? Sorry for all the questions I'm a college student that tries to use money very wisley. Thanks for your thoughts already they have been a good insight.

Kevin

Moral of this story: quality lasts!

I still ride a Trek 520 that I bought new in 1983. Replaced bearings and other wear parts over the years, but I'm a tinkerer and do most of the work myself. One piece of advice... don't replace something just because. Replace things only if you have a reason to change it out.

Quality certainly shows in the long run!

How do you know when your cogs are worn and how do you know whether to replace a cog or replace the whole cassette?

How do you know when your cogs are worn and how do you know whether to replace a cog or replace the whole cassette?

The telltale signs of cassette wear are 1) your chain slipping and skipping while solidly in gear 2) when you put a new chain on and your chain starts creaking and grinding because it can't quite fit onto your worn cogs and 3) the valleys in between the teeth of the cog start looking a little more like a crashing wave shape than a symmetrical wave.

I take pretty good care of my chain so I usually swap out a new cassette with a new chain but to each their own.

Where do you buy a new set of cogs and how do you know they are the right size, if they differ?

I'm buying a new bike around the new year. First time in almost 18 years. The old one is OK, but I don't feel like replacing another headset and bottom bracket.
I'm stripping the Brooks, good pedals, racks and lights off of it and transferring them to a new bike. I'll sell this one for cheap to a friend who's getting into bike commuting.

Typically, for things like cog, chain, chainring wear... I just replace those parts.

My summer ride is a '68 Gitane. I bought it used and have nearly 11,000 miles on it. It was well used when I got it. The only original components on it are the headset and seat-post. I just replace stuff as it wears out/breaks.

Find a frame you like and ride it until it dies.

im also a big believer in quality lasts, so hopefully get some good kit and youll be knocking up the miles for years to come

Agreed, buy quality (used if you can!) and ride on. Because of the junk I ride on (rock, sand, mud) I find I replace bearings and such a lot. Cheap and easy to do. I have a full tool set and a personal mechanic. (Okay, he is the company mechanic but I am the president and owner - nuff said)

In reality, you will replace your bike when you want another bike, not when you need one. Baring accidents that wreck the frame of course.

However, I ride a higher end hardtail that was a couple of grand. Very nice bike that has held up very well.

I replace when the cost of repair and/or replacement (including labour, if i can't do it) and imminent future repairs/replacements exceed about 80% of the price i'd spend on its replacement. Oh, and it depends on the season - at this time of year, i'd be tempted to 'get by' somehow until spring so i can get the best of the new bike.

But cogs are a 'wear and tear' item, definitely not worth replacing a bike for. Maybe worth buying a replacement while you have the other repaired though... ;-)

Kevin, a suggestion if you have the time -- check around to see if one of your local bike shops offers a basic bike repair training class. You will learn what needs to be done (and how often) to keep your bike running smoothly, and you'll get some hands-on wrenching experience under the supervision of someone who knows what he/she is doing. :)

When I was first getting back into cycling again after a 20-year absence, I took a Park Tool maintenance class at my local REI. It was great, well worth the time and money (fairly cheap, as I recall.)

Buy the best bike that you can afford and ride it. Depending on how many miles you put on it (and the conditions), you'll have to replace chain/chainring/cassette, brake pads, tires, and bottom bracket every so often (indicated by skipping chain, grinding pads, creaking bottom bracket, worn tires). Replace other parts when they break: wheels, hubs, cables. This will be the case for even the most expensive bikes. If you have a frame that you like, there's no sense in throwing the whole thing out for some worn parts. Remember, if you commute for ecological reasons, you should only replace/throw out what's necassary.

How do you know when your cogs are worn and how do you know whether to replace a cog or replace the whole cassette?
Where do you buy a new set of cogs and how do you know they are the right size, if they differ?
If your cogs are worn your chain is probably way past worn.
Replace your chain when it shows sign of stretch. This will extend the life of your cogs and chainrings.

If you have the correct tools and the know-how, you can buy replacement parts on-line or at your LBS.
If you don't know about bikes and repairs, take the bike to your LBS and let them do the repairs. Most shops will let you watch (just stay outta the way) and will explain the signs to look for and how to do the repairs.

Kevin, Check out http://www.sheldonbrown.com - it has all the answers to questions you're asking (chain wear etc.), and a comprehensive glossary. It's a great one-stop to get you up to speed on understanding the issues and how everything works.

If you're in western Washington (Seattle?), then your bike will probably be quite happy with the winter, as long as you clean/lubricate regularly. They almost never use salt there, and your bike will last well for the same reason you see a lot of old cars around there. Bikes (and cars) don't mind water much at all compared to salt.

I only replaced mine because the car that it me did too much damage to salvage much of it. If you do the maint, replace worn parts the frame should last as long as you want to ride it. Use good quality lubricant on bearings, marine in wet conditions if necessary, keep the chain lubed with a good wet weather chain lube, use T9 or the like on cables and other exposed components, and most will last years. I change my chain and rear cassette about ever 7-8K miles, or if shifting becomes a problem before then. I have had cables last 15K or more on a mountain bike so commuting shouldn't be an issue if you take care of them. .

My favorite frame for commuting is a 1982 peugeot road bike that I bought from a thrift store bike pen after it sat in the elements for a year or more. I have replaced everything but the drive train, bottom bracket and headset. The frame is steel and is going fine after all these years even though it was horribly neglected.

Chains,as with gas mileage claims, your mileage may vary. My last chain(a high quality replacement) lasted only 1500 miles, even with regular cleaning and lubing. Heavily loaded panniers, stop and go traffic, and road grit took it's toll on the chain, yet my summer bike, which is lighter, with out panniers(backpack only) has several hundred more mile on it's chain, but still has almost "like new" stretch readings. Also, my winter commuter just recently broke a rear axle, making me realize that I need to upgrade to a better hub/wheel assembly, but for a few hundred dollars more, I can get a bike that will better meet my needs, and then I can put my current commuter into backup/recreational status.

You can replace a commuting bike???:eek:
Seriously, bikes are incredibly durable, at least the frames, anyway. Replace components as they wear out or break. Replace the whole thing at your whim or leisure. Even an entry bike that has just limited, basic maintenance will run for thousands of miles. (excluding walmart type stuff).

Buy the best you can afford. Replace parts as needed.
Commuted for 16 years.
Maximum miles we have put on one tandem bike: 64,000 miles, and then we sold it.
Moral of this story: quality lasts!

Sounds like George Washington's original axe (after three new heads and four new handles, yet it's still the same old axe).

I'll replace my bike when the frame breaks, or possibly if something like the bottom bracket strips out and I can't fix it.
I have a $300 Giant Cypress, and I've replaced the freewheel twice, I've rebuilt both wheels (the rear was hopeless from the factory, the front I built a new one so I could go to disc brakes), I just replaced the bottom bracket, and of course I've been through tires. The rear derailler got replaced at about 10,000 miles. I've been through about 7 chains so far. I replaced the crank and chainrings because I screwed up the pedal threads real bad last winter. The front suspension (which I'd just as soon wasn't there at all) isn't good, in fact it was frozen at one time because I don't give a damn about it so I never used to lube it, but I do now when I remember.

So at this point, what's original is the frame, fork/headseat/bars/shifter/brake lever bunch, and the rear hub. and the seatpost. The seat is looking a little ragged but I don't care much.

I get 1800 miles out of a chain if I'm paying attention (whether I just lube or take good care to clean every 100 miles, doesn't matter). I went too far on the last round and got to where the freewheel was wrecked and with a new chain it skipped like crazy. So I just put the old worn chain back on and I've ridden it another 2000 miles since then (yes, close to 4000 miles on this chain). It still gives me zero trouble.

I don't see any reason to replace the bike unless you don't like it.

Buy the best you can afford. Replace parts as needed.

Well, there's an upper limit. I could afford a $5000 bike, but I wouldn't be getting ANYTHING that could possibly be of any benefit to me that I couldn't get on a $1000 bike. I think for commuting, $1200 is probably about the limit of increasing functionality. Past that it seems like you're just buying fancy crap that will just mean more $$$ to fix if you crash, and isn't buying you any durability (actually probably COSTING you durability; a steel frame is cheaper and lasts longer than carbon).

To answer the question posed in the subject line, "When do you get a new bike for commuting?", my answer is: as often as my wife lets me. :)

Hey I live in washington it rains like crazy. I want to know how often those of you who ride year round thow your bike in the junk pile after a certain ammount of time. I am planning on riding this bike until its life is over. When your cogs are getting worn do you just give in and buy a new bike or do you put new cogs on it? ... Or is it pointless getting a commuter with crappy weather 8 months of the year that they both will wear out fairly soon?
I live in the PNW where I probably get the same rain you do. To get straight to the point, the life of a bike is never really over. I don't know how many miles my current commuter has on it, but it's easily over 40,000.

Cogs are worn out when you put a new chain on and it skips. I got about 25,000 miles out of my last cassette, but I'm a spinner and do a good job maintaining my chain. Other parts will wear out -- bearings, rim surfaces, cables, shifters can go bad, you can wear seats out, etc.

People often try to come up with an economic rationale for replacing a bike, but the reality is that if your bike is any good, it is always cheaper to fix the problem. As others have stated, quality is worth it. Cheap bikes don't last and have to be replaced rather frequently because everything on them fails after a short time. A decent bike can be kept going practically forever with maintenance.

A bike that was high quality when new will retain its value for many years. I bought a nice old road frame in 1995 with a bunch of used components that were OK . I have ridden about 10miles every day, that is about 44,000 miles. I keep debating whether it is better to replace the whole thing but I really like it and cant imagine anything much better for the price.
The initial purchase was £100 and I think I have spent about £100/year on all maintenance and replacement parts.

For me, I have an old classic that (for the time being) does double duty as a commuter and weekend recreational bike. So far I've put over 12,000 miles on it and just replace worn parts as I go, so my advice is to get a good quality bike that fits you, and that you love, and ride that baby. When the tires wear out, replace them. When drive-line components wear out, replace them too, because a good quality frame will last you 40,000 miles and up if you take care of it.

The same can be said for good quality components too. I usually get about 2,000 miles out of good road tires (700 x 23c), and about 2-3000 out of a good chain. The cassette can last 8-10,000 miles if you take care of it well, maybe even a little more. The same goes for the chain-rings. For me, the whole point of commuting is integrating your passion for riding a bike you love into it also being a work vehicle. So in essense you're getting double use out of your bike, all for the same goal. You're getting more miles riding doing what you like best, getting yourself into better physical shape, and losing weight, increasing your mental acuity, and just generally loving life that god wanted you to do.

:D

I got mine new bike two years ago after my Raleigh hybrid, which I bought circa 1990, was breaking spokes regularly. I needed to replace the rear wheel, the rear derailer, and generally needed to overhaul the bike. That was going to cost my over $200. I ended up replacing a few spokes and gaving it to my kid. He doesn't ride it nearly as often as I did and certainly doesn't load it up like I did. It also serves as a backup.

It seems to me that a major overhaul gets pricey. But, I agree, a bike frame can last a long time and I'm sure with regular maintenance that the least expensive approach is to replace parts and keep on cycling.

I got my commuter bike because the old one was not well suited to my needs and expectations. I kept the old one as a backup. Bikes don't really ever wear out, because the parts are all replaceable.

Paul

The bike was $180 new last year??? OK.. then it's a POS. In fact, it was a POS when you bought it. You aren't going to get a "quality" bike for that kind of money (maybe used... but not new.) You said you're a college student trying to use his money "wisely." Being "cheap" doesn't necessarily coincide with being wise. In less than a few years, you're ready to spend another $180 "wisely" to replace your last "wise" decision. I spent about $1300 on my commuting/touring/road bike and I fully expect to be riding it a few decades from now. I'm not saying that $1300 is the sign of a good quality bike. I think you can get an excellent commuter for 400-500 that will also serve you for several decades.

I want to know how often those of you who ride year round thow your bike in the junk pile after a certain ammount of time. I am planning on riding this bike until its life is over.

I get something quality and keep it till it's hard to get parts or technology has changed enough to make it worth a new bike.

The last bike was bought in '95 and rode it till this time last year. Many many thousands of miles... I replaced many parts along the way. about every 2000 miles the chain at least needs to be changed.

I bought a new bike for the disc brakes. they are substantially more reliable and thus safer when the weather gets nasty.

cheers

depends on your commute, you should consider a quality Schwinn - mine is a 1958 Corvette

The last time I bought the schwin the frame cracked within a month. What justifies a cheap bike besides the price? I asked for a bike for my birthday this year, I just wanted to get into biking for cardio and to get to work. I had no idea $180 was cheap for a bike at the time. Are you saying instead of replacing parts to just get a new bike? Wouldn't it be smarter to just get good parts for it as they wear out? After all I like the frame and when you buy a bike your paying more for the parts than anything else. When I say that I mean the frames in cost don't cost that much in difference when comparing what components you want.