mdolce

I have a 2005 trek 5000 with a little over 3500 miles on it. Other than cleaning, replaced shifter cables, and tires/tubes, i haven't replaces anything on the drive train.

Should i look into replacing anytying at this point, as part of good maint?
btw...part of me may just want to buy new components...or at least start toward the "if i spend X on new components..maybe i deserve a new ride for the spring...

thanks!

Nermal

You might consider having the chain checked for stretch, next time you are at the bike shop. Beyond that, I would wait for something to show signs of wear or failure and consider that an opportunity to upgrade. Now, if the upgrades get beyond what you want to spend on the old bike, you are definately deserving a new ride. If your weather is like mine, this is a good time to start fretting over just what the next one should be.

Cyclaholic

A bike is not so much like a car where you do preventative maintenance and swap out parts at fixed intervals that may still have some usefull life in them. In the case of your bike you only need to replace most parts as they show signs of approaching their usefull life, and how much mileage that occurs at can vary significantly based on many factors.

In the case of shifter cables If they're not fraying then there's no need to replace them. Brake pads, tires, and bar tape are all pretty obvious when they need replacement, you can just look at them and see that they're worn. With the chain all you have to do is measure it after cleaning. If it has elongated 1/16" over 12" then it's time to replace, any more and you probably need to replace your casette and chainrings. If the new chain skips then you have to replace the casette (or chainring if it skips on the chainring). In my experience you can expect to replace casette and/or chainrings every 3rd-5th chain.

The exceptions are the BB, head, and wheel bearings. I've found that it pays to strip down, clean, and re-grease them at regular intervals (every 2-3000 miles on my commuter bike). i also squirt a bit of lube into every pivot point (brake levers, V-brake arms, etc.) as part of my routine when I clean the chain, every 3-500 miles.

If you're trying to justify a new ride then replace my previous 3 paragraphs with "when anything on the bike appears as though it may start to look like it might be beggining to show possible signs of potential wear then the entire bike needs to be replaced immedietaly"

dekindy

What groupset do you have? How many miles do you ride? How long have you actually owned the bike? Did you purchase it new and know the whole history of the bike?

At a minimum the bike should be thoroughly cleaned and checked for signs of frame/wheel failure and all major components checked for proper adjustment-bottom bracket, headset, etc. Beyond that, it depends on the groupset and how much wet weather/extremely dirty, gritty conditions you have ridden in.

Some groupsets are not as weatherproof as others and require more frequent maintenance due to moisture and road grime getting inside the components. If you have one of those it may be past time for service. If you have a groupset that is sealed, generally annually or every 5,000 to 6,000 miles is recognized as a prudent time/mileage interval to strip the bike and clean, relubricate and readjust.

If prices were equal, I would still prefer Ultegra over Dura-Ace because Ultegra components are more weatherproof and I do not worry about getting caught in the rain or riding in grimy conditions as much as I would if I had Dura-Ace.

Bekologist

I bet its at least time for a new chain. go in for a tuneup twice a year if you don't do any of your own maintenence and have a shop check your chain for wear every month you ride regularily.

aside from

cogs
chain
rings
jockey wheels
bottom bracket

wearing down, you won't have to replace an ultegra level groupset for decades unless you crash on it.


yeah, if you want a new bike, buy one. keep your present bike as your rain day/backup bicycle.

graywolf

Maintenance on my bikes consists of going over them once a year in the winter. At that point I repack the bearings, adjust the brakes and shifters, check the tires and brake blocks for wear. In other words give it a tuneup.

Now if I feel like upgrades, that comes anytime I have a few extra bucks and a yen.

bkaapcke

If you are4 'itching' to buy some components, consider upgrading a few things. I find it very satisfying, and I slowly end up with a much nicer ride. bk

mdolce

Thanks everyone for the valued input.
I have Ultegra components, have owned the bike since new, and aside from cleaning and re-lubing the chain every other week, that's all i have done. Note: a large part of my riding has been at a beach town where the bike is subjected to salt air... hence the cable replacements from corrosion(regardless of oiling). aside from the cheesy finish corroding off of the Bontrager crank, it isn't at all rusty.

Now, let me caveat 2 things.

1) i am a tinkerer and love to take apart, learn, and reassemble almost anything. Plus i love to buy tools and see how things work. so if, i would like to do some maintenance. i've looked at some sites out there, but if there are any wrench types around that could recommend a service-manual type book please let me know.

2) my thoughts on a way to justify a new ride, was that my current bike could be left in the harsh climate for the summer(weekend house) -while the new ride stays at home an is for weekly rides in pristine conditions.

Sawtooth

Zinn And The Art of Road/Mountain Bike Repair.
I LOVE this book. It will let you get deeper into your repairs than you probably want to go. Very good descriptions of adjusting shifting, braking, etc.