Why do bikes need so much tweaking?
So as an everyday bike commuter, I'm just used to the idea now that "bikes need work." Even on top brands, something could always use a good wrenching: brakes, BB, wheels, cables, whatever. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to fix, lube & tweak. But why is this so much different than the world of motor vehicles, where you can go months or years of everyday use without so much as an oil change?
At first blush it seems like we are stuck in the motoring equivalent of the early 20th century, when cars also needed constant tweaking & wrenching. So I'd like to see a bike that could be ridden 25 high-performance miles every single day for a whole year with one minor tune-up.
So are cyclists just more tolerant of mechanical issues? More mechanically inclined? Less apt to care? I mean most motorists aren't carrying a bag of tools and spare parts under their car seats.