What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Vorpal
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Vorpal »

robing wrote:Neglected as in not maintained, then when you do get it out, works fine.
The only maintenance allowed is pumping up the tyres! :D

I don't have any bikes that are not maintained. I have some that are minimally maintained, as in, something is only done when it breaks.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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Audax67
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Audax67 »

A nice little yellow/blue MBK which is a little too small for me. I bought it for Mrs Audax67 in 2000 or 2001 and she only did around 80 km on it before deciding she didn't like road bikes. It's a 51 cm & I ride a 54. I can use it at a pinch but since I have two other much better bikes it only serves on the turbo. In all, I think it's done less than 1000 km, and maybe only half that.

Needs new cables, though - it still has the originals.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
mig
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by mig »

maybe just me but i can't ride a badly maintained bike. rubbing blocks, gritty rims and rusty chains annoy me in a big way. i think that's why i like fixed gear bikes so much - they're nice and quiet.
mercalia
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by mercalia »

well I saw one today locked up in Streatham so must be working. It has absolutely no paint on the steel frame that had a good deal of surface rust. The rear mudguard was not properly secured giveing atleast 6" clearance over the wheel in places. I didnt lock my bike at the same stand incase it caught some thing :lol:
Marcus Aurelius
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Marcus Aurelius »

I’ve got an old Riverside 3 Hybrid. It’s still in working order, but I have lots of bikes in front of it, in the ‘pecking order’ and never seem to use it.
mattsccm
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by mattsccm »

Pub bike like many I know. Mines a 1988 Specialized Hardrock, much as it came out of the factory. I ride its a bout 4 times a month to the pub/club meetings and then when I get home leave it by the back door for a few days until I get round to bunging it in a shed. Never lock it at the 2 pubs visited but do take the lights off as they are worth something. Tyres are cast offs with holes in. Chain is brown under a liberal coating of any oil I can find. Mudguards are multi piece affairs made from bits of others. Squeally brakes are especially useful to move boar off the fast down hill to one pub.
Brucey
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Brucey »

for various reasons my hack/training bike has just been ridden and ridden (pretty much daily) on a diet of minimal maintenance for about a year. It was old before then. I normally reckon to keep it in a condition whereby I would happily ride 50- 100 miles on it at the drop of a hat. Recently I have not been sure if there is any single part that would last another 50 miles or not.

I could make a list of the faults but it would be long and boring. Suffice it to say that I have recently removed the remains of the front mudguard (35 years old, broken into three pieces) and fitted some new brake blocks (they were worn to within 0.5mm of the holders before.... :roll: This only leaves about a day's work to replace the other worn out parts and resurrect the gears from their present 'three working' state back to their usual 'ten working' condition. That would still leave a bike where most of the major parts are 35 years old or more, and have done at least 65000 miles...

BTW a test of whether your bike is truly knackered or not is, if you took it to bits, whether you would bother building a bike up from the pieces laid in front of you. In the case of my hack bike there are only about three bits that would get a 'yes' vote.... :shock: :oops:

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MarcusT
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by MarcusT »

I have always had the passion to maintain my bikes, even if I don't ride them. Every winter, I will still do an overhaul, regardless of kms. Helps me get through the dark, cold months
I wish it were as easy as riding a bike
Cyril Haearn
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Cyril Haearn »

mattsccm wrote:Pub bike like many I know. Mines a 1988 Specialized Hardrock, much as it came out of the factory. I ride its a bout 4 times a month to the pub/club meetings and then when I get home leave it by the back door for a few days until I get round to bunging it in a shed. Never lock it at the 2 pubs visited but do take the lights off as they are worth something. Tyres are cast offs with holes in. Chain is brown under a liberal coating of any oil I can find. Mudguards are multi piece affairs made from bits of others. Squeally brakes are especially useful to move boar off the fast down hill to one pub.

Any pictures? Diolch
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robing
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by robing »

mattsccm wrote:Pub bikze like many I know. Mines a 1988 Specialized Hardrock, much as it came out of the factory. I ride its a bout 4 times a month to the pub/club meetings and then when I get home leave it by the back door for a few days until I get round to bunging it in a shed. Never lock it at the 2 pubs visited but do take the lights off as they are worth something. Tyres are cast offs with holes in. Chain is brown under a liberal coating of any oil I can find. Mudguards are multi piece affairs made from bits of others. Squeally brakes are especially useful to move boar off the fast down hill to one pub.

This is what I meant! :D
maxglide
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by maxglide »

I don't neglect my bikes & they all work. Even my 50 quid ebay Raleigh (wonderful steed) receives love & care. And, it loves me back. Bikes are like dogs.
Vorpal
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Vorpal »

I took the hybrid out today. It was only couple of miles each way to a doctor's appointment, but it's the first time it has been out this year. I didn't have to pump up the tyres, though the rear one could have done with a little more air in it, and the chain was slightly rusty.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by cyclop »

Any older scottish audaxers might remember Neil Henderson.A great lad whose mechanical aptitude was reflected in the dire state of his bikes which I fixed on a regular basis.Bald tyres,rims on the point of collapse,pedals on their last legs,brakes worn to the metal.He could ride himself to incoherence but it was always a gamble whether his kit would hold together.Sadly,one too many serious accidents enforced early retirement but our rides together remain as good memories."nae food,nae stamp".
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freiston
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by freiston »


It's been relisted at £600! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263594862832 ... 3594862832

I almost choked reading the spiel
For sale
A very rare and complete bike.
Very hard to find in this condition with all the accessories as per pictures
It comes with Sturmey Archer 3 speed
Front and rear dynamo lights
Original Raleigh Speedometer
Brooks saddle
Reynolds 531 tubing.
I have paid a lot of money for this bike to add to my collection, however I have now found something else I would like to buy so this has to go.
Not desperate to sell so no stupid offers
CASH ON COLLECTION ONLY... NO PAYPAL.
Advertised elsewhere


It was the "no stupid offers" bit that astounded me.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
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Re: What's your most neglected bike? (that still works)

Post by Annoying Twit »

My single speed. I regretted buying a cheap bike and don't feel inclined to fettle it that much. I just ride it every day because I'm less concerned about it being stolen, don't park it in bike parks, and replace bits when they wear out with reasonably cheap other bits.

It's probably a bit unfair given how much value I receive from the bike. As well as riding it most days, I've been to various places around the country on it. As of today, it's running perfectly due to recent new bits.

I should probably clean it and paint over the bits of the frame where the paint has worn off and there's some surface rust. Maybe.
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