stapfam

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.

rdtompki

You're going to be very busy post retirement!

Mobile 155

Right now I am in luck. I have one chain change on both road bikes with New Chainrings one one and new cassette on the other. The MTB has less than 600 miles on a new chainring and crank, new chain and cassette. However I have some upgrades planned so that might not last.

Phil85207

I only have two bikes so its easier to keep up with the repairs. I wouldn't have a place to store any more. When we retired we had a home built much smaller that the old one so the maintenance would be easer. I am so glad we did, one of the best moves that I have made. The down side is I don't have a lot of room for storing stuff. The up side is I don't have a lot of room to store stuff.

DnvrFox

I am SO glad that I have absolutely no mechanical bike skills.

qcpmsame 

It is your own fault Stap, you are too nice for your own good. Do me a favor, please do not ever change.

Bill

NOS88

I have one word for you, that is after I acknowledge that you are a generous man with your time and skills. That word is "barter".

Gravity Aided

That is a truly nice thing you are doing .
It has its own rewards .

leob1

My advice to you; Pick a name and register your business. Find a parts wholesaler. Then when the Brother in law of a cousin of a friend of a friend needs\wants you to fix his bike you can charge him proper. And you can buy the parts wholesale, and add your own markup on that. Maybe you'll make enough to pay for the upgrades to the Pinerello.
Happy "Retirement".

bradtx

Spike, After years of fixing family's, friend's and neighbor's bicycles I called it quits when a friend complained about the white cable housing I'd used and which he didn't pay for anyways. Just family bikes now. I will notify someone of a safety item, but that's as far as it goes.

Brad

stapfam

So parts changed for running a chain too long--Front middle ring- Chain and cassette. This all started because he broke the rear derailleur hanger and I spotted the chain length---And tonight fitted a new frontmech.

And on the front mech--Slightly different to his 7 year old front mech but it did the job. AND JUST TO SHOW MY PROWESS AT FITTING PARTS--Took the old mech off- placed the new one in the right place thanks to the plastic Teeth marker that is removed once in place---Pulled the cable tight and all 3 front rings change perfectly. No adjustment- no realighning no nothing. Just wish it went like that all the time. Last one I fitted took over an hour to work well- let alone perfectly.

Wogster

Barter can be a great thing, when you need to add a new circuit to light up the bike shop and your mate just happens to be an electrician Your you need to run a water line to a basement darkroom and your mate is a plumber