exas

before i came to this forum i still rode bikes and never did anything to them after i have purchased them. but i came here and now i see people here saying stuff like clean your chain and pump air in your tires every week etc and other stuff you guys do.

is that really necessary? i see bikes being ridden with rusty chains and they look fine. air doesn't leak out of my tires anyways. is it because before, i bought department store bikes and those bikes are so rugged and bullet proof and the people here ride rode bikes with are thin and light and i guess that can make them fragile and therefore need more maintenance? or is it because bikes sold in department stores have to be durable and be expected to last years without a tuneup because the customers there know nothing about bikes and are not expected to anyways. or is it because the more expensive the bike (and more lighter), the more you need to do to keep the parts running properly, sort of like how professional bikers have really light bikes but they ahve lots of mechanics looking over it everyday

Portis

If you don't ride very much or very often, it isn't necessary.

Cyclaholic

How many miles do you do on average in a week/month/year?

Cadfael

I hope this does not sound snobbish...

But if you buy a new bike for £70 from somewhere like Halfords in the UK, or Walmart in the US and you get a good 18 months out of it before it falls apart due to lack of servicing.... who can fault it? But if your baby cost £500 or more... you want to get more use than 18 months from it.

Cycle maintainence is not only about keeping a bike in good repair however. A well maintained bike is easier to ride and will give you more power for the energy you put into it than a poorly maintained bike. When a BB turns smoothly and easily, when your chain is running free, your pedals spinning with no effort, your hubs giving you a good freewheel distance, then you are not woking 'to' hard to keep a forward momentum.

I will tell you what I think is a crime, and pi**es me of big time. It is me on my £175 Raleigh Lithium passing a bloke on a Marin that is quite literally a wreck due to poor maintenance. Usually the tyres are under-inflated and the seat to low as well. And it has happened... I have seen Marins, Treks, Orange.. and my personale fave, a bike no longer produced... 'The Rivington Pike'. Okay, either they have 'aquired' the bike and have no idea just what they have.. but some must have bought them new, and not cheaply. I can't understand NOT looking after an expensive bike. Yes, for a cheap one... run it into the ground and then get another. But even cheap bikes will last a few years if looked after.

mud

A simple answer; for you no, for me yes!
Mud

Quick_Torch C5

two words....preventative maintenence

chephy

Yeah, it's possible to ride a bike with a rusty chain and underinflated tires. It's just much more work than riding a bike that is well-maintainted. Of course if you don't ride much, it won't really matter.

Department-store bikes bulletproof? You evidently don't ride very much. That crap breaks after a few hundred miles - if (and that's a big if) it works in the first place (I had a department-store bike on which gears didn't shift since Day 1... and no amount of adjustment would get them to work properly). But most of those bikes don't even see a few hundred miles in their lifetimes anyway.

Yes, they're made to be durable enough to make them last for years... sitting inside your garage gathering dust.

DataJunkie

As my grandfather a retired mechanical engineer taught me, everything man made needs maintenance. Maintenance optimizes the performance and life span of every piece of equipment. If you enjoy being able to ride a bike without it breaking down then maintenance is a necessity.
Heck, now that I think of it people and animals need health maintenance.

Stacey

Sniff, sniff... I smell a troll.

Nicodemus

It depends.

I'd bet pounds to pence that a good 75% of the bicycles ridden here haven't had a thing done to them in years, possibly decades.

But most Dutch don't ride their bikes like high performance machines. They ride them just to get around.

Most people here on BF are into cycling as a sport or a passion. Thus prefer higher performance or at least treat their bikes as something a little more than the get-around tank.

But even over here amidst the mass of old abused beater tanks, I almost *never* hear a squeaky anything.

Maintenance is like learning. The more you do it the more you need to do it.

lima_bean

im telling you, keeping your tires topped off makes such a HUGE difference.

no motor?

+1

slowandsteady

Most people don't even know what it feels like to ride a finely tuned bike so if they leave it in disrepair they don't notice the crappy shifting and stiff chain. They expect it. That is just how bikes are...they think.

A rusty, poorly shifting Walmart bike to a finely tuned $1500 bike is like comparing a 30 year old clunker destined for the junkyard with a brand new Porsche. And if you own a Porsche...you WILL get the oil changed and keep the tires inflated and give it regular tune ups. The 30 year old clunker isn't worth the cost of an oil change so you just run it into the ground.

edp773

Welcome to our newest Merton wannabe!!!

It's alive I tell ya! It's ALIVE!!

Rev.Chuck

Brushing your teeth is not necessary either. But it is better for all involved when done regularly.

I-Like-To-Bike

And the usual suspects replied with the same old, same old CW.

slowandsteady

Like you?

DataJunkie

.... and I thought it was a serious question worthy of a serious answer. Before starting the commuting thing I never ever maintained a bike. Went on the same path and was wondering why everything kept falling apart.

Now.... what does CW mean? Is ILTB a Veronica Mars fan?

cyclezealot

You just want a beater bike for about town, guess any old bike will do. Not very adventurious, what is the risk. You get far away on the road, I appreciate a bike that shifts well, brakes that are reliable on a steep downhill, and like knowing my chain won't break 40 miles away from home.

1ply

You never truly KNOW that it won't break. You just lessen the chances by cleaning and lubricating it.

cyclezealot

I change my chain every 3000 miles , regardless of their condition. Ever see anyone's chain break on an uphill. Not good.

mlts22 

Its up to people how they maintain their bikes.

IMHO, at least keep the tire pressure topped off and the chain lubed.

If the bike is used daily, buy a chain wear indicator and check the chain periodically, replacing the chain when the gauge shows that its worn.

Maintaining a bike is up to its owner, but time spent periodically checking and replacing worn components as a preventative measure is a lot easier than time dealing with a mechanical failure.

barba

Regular maintenance saves money in the long run. If I keep my chain lubed and clean, I get more miles out of it. If I change it before the chain gets worn, the cassette lasts almost indefinitely (and they can be pricey). If I keep the wheels true, they run smoother and last longer. Plus, I enjoy working on bikes.

blickblocks

I'm guessing you won't be riding much in your life...

bkaapcke

From some of the equipment I've seen out there, you would wonder if it is needed. On the other hand, I spend 15 minutes cleaning my drivetrain and lubing the chain after every ride. It always works flawlessly. It is easy to clean 'cause it never gets groady. Oh, it only takes a tiny bit of lube when you do it every time. Overkill? Yeah, but I like it that way. bk