Poor maintenance

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Stradageek
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Stradageek »

My wife reckons, and I think I agree, that it's because we have become a 'use once and throw away' society.

When your washing machine/fridge/phone/TV/microwave/bicycle etc. etc. breaks, if it's out of warranty, chances are most people will chuck it and buy a new one. We are very much encouraged to do this so that we always have the 'latest' version and the economy can forever 'grow'.

Post Armageddon I'm trusting that my skills in building bikes from spare parts will come in handy. :)
freeflow
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by freeflow »

It's a weird phenomenon but my car gets by as best it can with an mot and service whenever. My bike is fettled and tender washed and polished at least once a week. Can't abide noisy bikes.
Manc33
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Manc33 »

I knew someone that got a puncture, I said "I can fix it in 10 minutes" and he said its OK I will get it sorted another time... there never was another time and now a few years later the same bike has the same puncture, it was never ridden again because it got one puncture once. Beat that for "bad maintenance". :)
We'll always be together, together on electric bikes.
Postboxer
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Postboxer »

Cars need constant maintenance if you count having to fill them up with fuel all the time.
Vorpal
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Vorpal »

Neilo wrote:But the overwhelming thing that I noticed yesterday was that a large amount of the people I saw, are either unable are can't be bothered to do even simple maintenance on their bikes.
So many people came past me, I'm not that fast, with rattles, creaks, strange noises and my pet hate, when it happens to me I have to sort it straight away, ticking derailleurs.


Some bits make a bit of noise, independent of whether they are well maintained. And frankly, if it doesn't bother the person riding it, and the bike is safe, I don't see that it should make any difference.

ANTONISH wrote:Perhaps it should be taught in school
Is it taught in Bikeability??[/quote]

Dunno Mick F but I think it ought to be.[/quote]

There's hardly time in Bikeability to teach students the basics of safe cycling & using the road. Those who are interested in how to fix a puncture can learn elsewhere. IMO, it's no more necessary to know how fix a puncture on bike than a car. There are plenty of shops and independent mechanics that can fix a puncture for a minimal fee.
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ANTONISH
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by ANTONISH »

There's hardly time in Bikeability to teach students the basics of safe cycling & using the road. Those who are interested in how to fix a puncture can learn elsewhere. IMO, it's no more necessary to know how fix a puncture on bike than a car. There are plenty of shops and independent mechanics that can fix a puncture for a minimal fee.

[/quote]
That assumes that you would have access to these resources when you got a puncture. You could easily be faced with a 10 mile walk to the nearest shop/mechanic.
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Lance Dopestrong
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Lance Dopestrong »

A 10 mile walk is no more physically onerous than a 10 mile bike ride.
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DaveP
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by DaveP »

Vorpal wrote:IMO, it's no more necessary to know how fix a puncture on bike than a car. There are plenty of shops and independent mechanics that can fix a puncture for a minimal fee.

I find it a bit odd to read this, written by a woman. Sorry to disagree and all that, but you seem to have overlooked the risks associated with being stranded in a random location. At least in a car one can lock oneself inside and wait for rescue with some degree of comfort and security.

I've only ever had one puncture outside a bike shop, about thirty years ago...
I had just dismounted to gaze at a two wheeled fantasy in bright red in the window when there was a sudden detonation wrecking tyre, tube, and buckling the wheel :cry: Most expensive puncture I have ever had!
Trying to retain enough fitness to grow old disgracefully... That hasn't changed!
Postboxer
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Postboxer »

I suspect the bike shop was in some kind of racket with the puncture fairy.
Vorpal
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Vorpal »

DaveP wrote:
Vorpal wrote:IMO, it's no more necessary to know how fix a puncture on bike than a car. There are plenty of shops and independent mechanics that can fix a puncture for a minimal fee.

I find it a bit odd to read this, written by a woman. Sorry to disagree and all that, but you seem to have overlooked the risks associated with being stranded in a random location. At least in a car one can lock oneself inside and wait for rescue with some degree of comfort and security.

I've only ever had one puncture outside a bike shop, about thirty years ago...
I had just dismounted to gaze at a two wheeled fantasy in bright red in the window when there was a sudden detonation wrecking tyre, tube, and buckling the wheel :cry: Most expensive puncture I have ever had!

If it's about risk, call a taxi (or a friend), rather than changing a puncture by the road, which can take much longer for someone who is inexperienced. Also, there are rescue services for cyclists, like those for motorists. Lastly, not everyone can physically manage getting a tyre off and replacing or patching an inner tube. Maybe most people can handle slime and CO2 cartridges, but not everyone wants to. People who are likely to ride 10 miles from any sort of help are more likely to be self-reliant, or ride with friends.

I'm not sure that I understand why it's odd for a woman to have written it. I have never felt particularly at risk by the side of the road. While I understand why some people feel that way, I should think that it applies to anyone who feels vulnerable, and not just or necessarily women. In any case being able to fix a puncture at the side of the road won't be the best solution for all of those who feel vulnerable.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Samuel D
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Samuel D »

You know, I tend to agree with Vorpal.

For people, like me, who are interested in the mechanics of their bicycle, it is inconceivable to not know how to fix a puncture or quieten a noisy drivetrain.

But why should only people like that cycle?

Still, I can’t help but roll my eyes – figuratively speaking – at the sort of person who rides a three-grand carbon wonder and lubes the chain once a year whether it needs it or not. Caring and at once not caring about performance in this way is a contradiction in terms, so I’m left thinking they only care about the image they project.
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mjr
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by mjr »

Neilo wrote:So many people came past me, I'm not that fast, with rattles, creaks, strange noises and my pet hate, when it happens to me I have to sort it straight away, ticking derailleurs.

I'm with you and I'm forever trying to figure out what any noise is, as soon as it happens, before it does worse damage (sadly, some I've left too long and I've chipped paint to show for it :-( ) but I've realised some things from riding with many newcomers over the last few years: Some riders have much worse hearing than others and simply don't hear it. Some just have no mechanical sympathy. Some riders have been told by bad shops that the noise is nothing to worry about and only ride with more experienced people at sportives.

ANTONISH wrote:I'm always bemused by this inability to fix a puncture. How would he get on if he punctured while on a ride?

Many of them walk, pushing the bike. I've asked a few such people if they're OK as I ride pass, but most of them are doing short distances so they prefer to walk the bike home or to work and ask a relative or friend to help fix it.

Vantage wrote:You'll care if one crashes his/her bike into you because they couldn't adjust the brakes.

All the squeaks and rattles mean you can hear them coming and get out of the way of most of them well in advance... also, they either crash into stuff long before they get near anyone else or they've learned to cope with it - coasting to a stop aided by the - err - higher friction of a broken bike, or (ab)using their shoe soles.

freeflow wrote:It's a weird phenomenon but my car gets by as best it can with an mot and service whenever. My bike is fettled and tender washed and polished at least once a week. Can't abide noisy bikes.

Cars were always fiddlier than bikes but modern cars are even more difficult now :-( so they need to be very low-maintenance, even more so than sensible hub-geared hub-braked commuter bikes.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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roubaixtuesday
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by roubaixtuesday »

I've only ever had one puncture outside a bike shop, about thirty years ago...
I had just dismounted to gaze at a two wheeled fantasy in bright red in the window when there was a sudden detonation wrecking tyre, tube, and buckling the wheel :cry: Most expensive puncture I have ever had!


Ever since having a crank literally snap in two directly outside a bike shop, I've been firmly of the opinion that somewhere in orbit is a satellite controlled by LBS union headquarters beneath a volcano in the Pacific. It is programmed to zap unsuspecting riders just as they pass a subscribing repairer.
Manc33
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by Manc33 »

I remember fixing punctures in my back garden 25 years ago and I am "only" 40 now. :)

I still remmeber the bike I learned to ride a bike on. :shock:
We'll always be together, together on electric bikes.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Poor maintenance

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Lance Dopestrong wrote:A 10 mile walk is no more physically onerous than a 10 mile bike ride.

Anyone could ride ten miles on the flat in a hour and never feel any after effect, but many would struggle to walk 10 in less than four :?:
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