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03-17-12, 12:39 PM
Last couple of weeks and I have had a mates bike in for repair. Mountain bike all covered in mud and he broke the rear Dr hanger. Easily replaceable but by the time I got the part- The mud had Caked on. Complete drive train was thick- solid and immovable. Cleaned it out last Saturday--just the drive chain- and fitted the hanger. Better just check the chain length while I have the bike and the chain was well and truly past its best. Told him I had to order some parts online and I would get him a chain. Before it came I got him to take the bike home and clean it. Fitted the chain and I warned him that it was pointless. His middle ring was missing about half the metal off every tooth so he now needed a new 32T ring and he had better get a cassette aswell.
Spent the afternoon fitting it-- well 30 minutes fitting and 2 hours adjusting the derailleurs. Replaced cables- inner and outer- Replaced a bolt on the front derailleur that had stripped.
So for the sake of changing a £20 chain--He has just spent somewhere in the region of £100 to get the bike running again. And that is just on parts. If he had put it into a shop- labour would have doubled that price.
The annoying thing is that as a mate---I used to look after his bike but as we don't ride often nowadays- he is MTB and I am road- He thought it a bit of a cheek to ask me to look after his bike.--Well £100 later and I am looking after his bike again.
Doesn't take much to check a bike over and see what is wearing and When we rode together- I would check his bike before rides. Adjust here- replace this part and warn of what he had to get for next weeks ride.
So just a warning-- check your bikes over on a regular basis and if you don't have the skills to do it-Get a mate to do it for you---It's cheaper.
And the had enough of Bikes bit?-- have two bikes in from neighbours and family to check over before next weekend. Apparantly there is a local Fun ride in the area and I must know about it as I told them about it months ago--Wonder how many more piles of Cr*p are going to turn up in the next week-Just so i can check them over.
Spent the afternoon fitting it-- well 30 minutes fitting and 2 hours adjusting the derailleurs. Replaced cables- inner and outer- Replaced a bolt on the front derailleur that had stripped.
So for the sake of changing a £20 chain--He has just spent somewhere in the region of £100 to get the bike running again. And that is just on parts. If he had put it into a shop- labour would have doubled that price.
The annoying thing is that as a mate---I used to look after his bike but as we don't ride often nowadays- he is MTB and I am road- He thought it a bit of a cheek to ask me to look after his bike.--Well £100 later and I am looking after his bike again.
Doesn't take much to check a bike over and see what is wearing and When we rode together- I would check his bike before rides. Adjust here- replace this part and warn of what he had to get for next weeks ride.
So just a warning-- check your bikes over on a regular basis and if you don't have the skills to do it-Get a mate to do it for you---It's cheaper.
And the had enough of Bikes bit?-- have two bikes in from neighbours and family to check over before next weekend. Apparantly there is a local Fun ride in the area and I must know about it as I told them about it months ago--Wonder how many more piles of Cr*p are going to turn up in the next week-Just so i can check them over.