Commuting - How often do you have bicycle trouble?

Of any sort... I'd like to find out if I have bad luck or lofty ideals or what. My longest period of trouble-free commuting in a year, was a little over two months.

I once rode 2000 miles without getting a flat tire.

I once rode 2000 miles without getting a flat tire.

Jinxed!

all my bikes have been extremely reliable...my DB outlook was ridden for over 4,000mi without a flat...but that tire was armored to all hell, so it prolly doesnt count.

so far no issues, andthe only failures were from crash damage.

Probably 3,000 miles with no flats, chain breaks, or anything, on stock Trek 520 tires. A day after I put Armadillos on, I got a flat from a piece of glass! No problems since though, currently near 500 miles since then.

After the initial break-in period, most of my bikes run trouble-free unless accident induced failures occur.

However, I do have a set of wheels on my road bike that I don't like, mostly because the spokes seem to unwind after about 40 miles. I'm constantly retrueing them.

Serves me right for trying low spoke count wheels with my clydesdale self.

I'd buy another set, but funds are limited these days.

L8R

Ten months and 2,000 miles at the time it went in for its tune-up last month. At that time, a lost fender bolt and a stiff rear brake cable were replaced, along with several minor repairs and adjustments.

Paul

Other than flat tires I've never had any real bike trouble on my sturdy mountain bike. My fussy road bikes were another story with constant little adjustments necessary.

Since I put this green slime stuff in the tires I've never had a flat tire. I have been storing my bike outside and I think that is making it get squeaky. The seat creaks, too. But these problems aren't bad enough to me to count as bike trouble, and are largely self-inflicted.

i've had my bike for a year now - one flat, and one wheel true needed. no other adjustments.

Other than flat tires I've never had any real bike trouble on my sturdy mountain bike. My fussy road bikes were another story with constant little adjustments necessary.

Since I put this green slime stuff in the tires I've never had a flat tire. I have been storing my bike outside and I think that is making it get squeaky. The seat creaks, too. But these problems aren't bad enough to me to count as bike trouble, and are largely self-inflicted.


Ditto dat^ but without the storing outside part, and the seat creaking.

Had a brake cable snap and the next day flat. This was last thursday and friday. Gay.

Have my roadie for about a decade now. No flats commuting, air up the tires once a week, minor adjustments are done as needed.
HOWEVER......... Went on a weekend ride once & got 7 flats in ONE day (various reasons). Go figuire.

My bikes act up whenever I have extra time on my hands that could be filled with a repair that wasn't needed when I had something to do.

My 3 speed folding bike has about 3 thousand miles. Other than flat tires, my only major repair was the shifter which had to be replaced. Total cost --- $15.00 USD.

In the last two years, I've had one flat tire, and that's it other than replacing brake pads and other routine maintenance. I have a cyclocross bike w/ bar-end shifters. I have it set up for mechanical simplicity, which begets low maintenance.

I got a new bike in May that has had nothing but problems-- but I've also road bikes all winter without doing anything other than a little cleaning and oiling. Bike breakdowns tend to run in cycles with me. Right now I must be at a 10 year jinx or something.

I've had one flat so far, on my cyclocross bike, which I picked up in june. Other than that, I keep noticing tiny little chips in the paint, which is making me mental. Unfortunately, I've since read that is a common problem with my bike. Too bad...sharp looking paint job on it. Outside of that, it's tight.

I've had 2 flats with my road bike since this summer (one which I just had today), and 2 with my commuter.

So I'm getting used to repairing those things.

6 flats in the last year, Usually 2 in a row, always glass. I don't know about everyone else, but the slime has always failed me. Coincidentally, the puncture resistant tube got a giant hole in it the day after i installed it. I suppose I would save a lot of effort if I had ordered better tires a long time ago.

I used to break a lot of spokes, but I upgraded my rims and have not had a problem since.

I bent the handlebars 2 weeks ago, but that was a wreck, and it was way cheaper and easier to fix than the bruised ribs.

I usually adjust the rear derailleur once a month, and clean the dreivetrain every 2 weeks. Other than that, it's been 3900 miles without a major brakdown, and 1 major tuneup.

I went 15,773km between flats up until August of this year. However, I had other problems during that time (mostly related to chains when I was in Tasmania). Having said all of that, I think we need to make a distinction here between problems that can be quickly fixed by the side of the road (which is what usually happens with flats), and others that cause major problems. Now I've only actually been stranded once since early 1997 -- I'd estimate there would be well over 100,000km in that time.

...However, I do have a set of wheels on my road bike that I don't like, mostly because the spokes seem to unwind after about 40 miles. I'm constantly retrueing them....


Increase the tension in the spokes. Give each spoke an additional 1 or 2 turns, so they will be tighter. That way, the wheel will remain true much longer.