When I started riding again after many years, I decided I would ride and leave all the maintenance to a shop, just like I now do with my car. (I used to work on my car too, until my job pressures and increasing income made it desirable to turn it over to a pro mechanic) As it's turned out, I've started doing minor jobs myself (adjusting derailleurs, fixing flats) because I like it, and I envision I'll be doing more and more as time goes on. But just like the car, the technology is more complicated so I'm not sure I'll do everything I used to do. (I'm not sure I'm going to bother to figure out how the "brifters" work.)

So I'm grateful to have a reliable shop where I bought the bike nearby and they still can do anything for a reasonable price.

Off topic: Brownsfan, I see you have a '73 Frejus, I had a Frejus that I bought in 1967, was stolen in '73, still miss that bike! Don't know if I had a Tdf, though. Do you still ride yours?