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

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Tangled Metal
Posts: 9505
Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

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

Post by Tangled Metal »

My pride and joy is at least 26 years old and never been serviced. It's got original brake pads and even the front tyre is original and still going. I had to replace the rear tyre at 7 years because I had two punctures in a year. I hadn't had a single puncture up until then so I guessed the tyre wasn't good. Perhaps a faulty one, should I have taken it back to the LBS?

Right now it has a gatorskin rear tyre it's still on. Bought at 7 years and an expensive purchase at the time, but you splash out for your pride and joy don't you? Cost £7 or so at the time and the best out for puncture resistance.

I don't ride it now. Not because I got scared by the brakes which had me going down a steep hill, accelerating towards a hairpin despite brakes on so hard I had white knuckles and my hands were straining. Fortunately the hill eased just before the bend so I actually slowed enough to make it. Then I burnt my hands on my wheel rim quite badly.

No the reason I don't ride it is the steering developed a scary kind of wobble to it. It didn't wobble but felt like it did is the best way to describe it. I think it's the headset / steerer issues. Plus I think the wheels aren't strong enough for roads around here. I used to straighten them every two weeks in my amateurish way.

It would be good to ride it again. It was so smooth riding it. Only 501 tubing but 300 exage gearing and full Shimano throughout including hubs with Mavic rims. Overall a decent road bike for nearly 30 years ago and £400. I expect it's equivalent to a tiagra or 105 equipped road bike. In today's standard. Possibly carbon too at the cheaper end.
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