LeanMachine

So I brought my Miyata 914 in after a winter on the trainer to get it ready for the spring. The things I wanted fixed were my loose bearings, both tires (puncture or other fault suspected) and other minor cosmetic changes.

I got a call today saying many things were wrong with the bike and he stopped counting cost at $250.

I wasn't aware the faults I found would cost that much, he didn't go into specifics but said it would need a new bottom bracket. He also mentioned he could sell me a used bike for the same price as fixing this one.

I love my Miyata and it hasn't cost much other than punctures which were mostly my own fault. I have just got my tax return and had budgeted a maximum of $200 on fixing the bike. He told me to call tomorrow with specifics.

What should I do? I was hoping to jump into races this summer with the goal of buying a better bike next summer if I enjoyed it. Any advice would be appreciated


Also I am a 22 year old grad students with a shoestring budget minus my tax refund.

Bob Dopolina 

Got to the shop and get the details.

I would also let them know what your budget was. It may be possible that they could suggest different replacement parts that could bring the cost down. They might even knock off a few dollars in labour.

bt

I would "call tomorrow for specifics. "

canam73

As others said, get speccifics.

Somebody in your position may want to see if there is a bike co-op in your area. You will get access to tools to fix things yourself (bottom brackets are fairly simple but require specific tools) and typically there will be people around to give pointers. Also a good resource for parts for older bikes.

Homebrew01

And ask them to prioritize the items based on safety or urgency.

gc3

This is the best free advice I've read on here in the last week or so.

MinnMan

hey, I sympathize with the tight budget, and others have already given you some good advice, but if you are hoping to get serious enough to maybe even race, you are going to have to be more self-sufficient for minor repairs. You can't do everything, and even doing some things (like replacing a bottom bracket) requires specialized tools, etc., but you are definitely going to have to learn to fix punctures on your own.

As soon as you get out from under with this financial/maintenance problem, if you find you really are riding frequently, something like this may be the best $20 investment you can make.

LeanMachine

I live in a fairly rural area, so I doubt there is a co-op around but it is worth a try.

I agree on the bike maintenance, I attempted to fix a puncture one and caused more damage and had to get a new wheel. I plan on learning as I would like to tour someday and don't want to leave with no skills other than riding.

Thanks for everyone's input, I will call tomorrow and ask what I can get done for $200 and maybe hold off on major overhauls until I can find parts that are cheap enough.

MinnMan

Oh, the Park Tool BBB that I just linked to is a good way to learn some bike basic maintenance skills, but even cheaper are the tons of how-too videos on Youtube.

rjones28 

Park Tool has a useful repair help section on their website too. Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog

pdedes

How do you wreck a wheel changing a tire and tube?

sced

Fix the damn thing yourself. That Miyata is a nice bike and simple as bikes go.

There's so much info on the web and here in the bikeforums. Check out the C&V forum.

Tools are cheap and I can't imagine that parts are going to be a problem. You can buy them used on Ebay. When you are done you'll be so much wiser.

Get to it!

qcpmsame 

+1 on doing repairs yourself, it will be the best investment in your cycling you make. The Park Tool site is a great one, bookmark the page on your computer. Their manual for repairs (Park Tool's Big Blue Book) is one thing that you could invest $20 or so in and it will walk you through anything you need to do. They also have a lot of You Tube videos about specific maintenance and rebuild tasks.

A few simple tools like a bottom bracket tool specific for your BB, a pedal wrench, hex key wrenches and some basic hand tools are all you need for the servicing. The high end tools like wheel truing stands, dishes, cone wrenches and such can wait, you just want to get your bike safe and well tuned and that can be done by you.

Best of luck with your repairs, if you use the shop do the things recommended above like seeing if they can prioritize by safety and give you a parts break. Keep us posted, too.

Bill

big chainring

I hate hearing stuff like this. But a bike shop is a business. The mechanics of a bike are so simple. I doubt that you need a new BB. BB's are fairly robust and even if its not perfect can function just fine. I think you need to find someone that can lend you a hand with fixing your bike. Any local cycling club around?

Good luck to you.

RollCNY

If we are playing guessing games, my guess would be using a screw driver to pry and bending the rim.

MinnMan

I think it's probably unrealistic to go directly from not knowing how to change a tire to doing most of one's maintenance oneself. Learn to do the easy stuff first- things associated with tires, adjusting cables and brakes, cleaning and lubing things, etc - these only require a couple of dollars in tools (hex wrenches, tire levers). Just like many other things, you don't get expertise over night, you build it.

Making a friend with somebody more experienced is always good.

merlinextraligh

This is a 25 year old bike, that reportedly has been ridden with the bearings out of adjustment,that apparently has received little maintenance, and you doubt the mechanic's finding that it needs a new BB?


And +1 on bike co-op if you have access to one, or learning it on your own if you don't.

If you're going to race, it's really helpful to be your own mechanic, or you will miss a lot of training time. Plus you're not going to be able to afford race expenses, and pay for bike maintenance.

merlinextraligh

True. Replacing the BB might be ambitious at this point. But the stuff you outline is likely most of what this bike needs. The Op could save a lot of money doing the tires, cables, and brake and derailleur adjustments himself.

LeanMachine

Ok I meant to say tire not wheel, I would be really upset if I had to replace a whole wheel. A screwdriver however was used in that attempt, I am not a smart man

I am going to look at the link and work on trying to get the price down. I realize the service the LBS provides and when I went in for new tubes last fall he was reasonable on price.

The main thing is that I don't want a new or used bike, I like the Miyata and want to keep it around for a long while. It is light and has a chaining that can cause some serious speed.

Thanks for all your help and not just giving me a hard time. I come from the world of running were the biggest equipment issue was a broken shoelace. Going to call on my lunch break and will keep you in the loop.

Seattle Forrest

If you like the Miyata, keep it. You already know it fits you well, the other bike might or might not.

prathmann

You mentioned being a grad student which usually means being near a university. If so, check what bike repair options might be available on campus.

wphamilton

Good. You really should be able to change the tire yourself if you don't mind my saying. Once you've practiced it a couple of times you'll have it down and won't have to worry about it any more.

I think the bottom bracket is a normal 68mm square taper, ie easy to find and inexpensive. I suggest that it's worth the shop fee for them to replace it for you. Everything else, after you have the specifics I'd say post in the mechanics forum but some of the same folks are posting here. Their advice is golden.

bbbean 

I wonder that, too. Not everyone is a natural mechanic, but sheesh!

BB

MinnMan

True. Not everybody is. And not everybody reads the whole thread before they post.

bbbean 

Not everyone does, but I did.

FWIW, When I first decided to get back into cycling after a looooong absence, I had a similar conversation with the bike shop about my old mtb that had been collecting dust, rust, and spider webs in a barn for 25 years. The advice to just buy a new (or newer used) bike is good advice. I ended up fixing up my old bike AFTER I'd spend a few months riding a new bike and got familiar with newer technology and could better evaluate what I wanted to use the bike for (i.e. fix what needed fixing, leave what didn't matter).

Buy a new bike and take the next few months to learn how to work on a bike (start with learning to fix flats!) and then fix up your old bike as a backup/commuter/cyclocross/beater/project/whatever bike.

BB