Cycling UK Forum

I agree with Peetee, I am in a similar position. Fortunately I work through a University who pay the rapair labour for staff bikes for routine repairs (or words to that effect), and use a cargo bike to get my stuff about - so there is a limit on what I can cart about (but do manage a surprising amount). Thus anything over complicated can be declined, though I do my best in that regard. So no BB or headset replacements, but will secure loose BB cups (surprisingly common!). Concealed cables I do (with some looking/consideration first so I don't get caught out). If all BB's could be guarranteed to be not siezed, I could probably do threaded ones.
I just wish that the designers of all this new stuff* (who clearly have not considered dismantling) were sent on a 3 week holiday to relax and forget about work. On their first day back they are given a bike equipped with their latest design, and told to replace the bearings/change the cable or what ever. It might make them design something in the future more easily maintained.

*And not so new stuff. Why does Mr Shimano make most of his gear levers in a manner that often means it can be difficult to release a gear cable nipple from it's slot. Access isn't the problem, prising out the nipple is!

I'm forever rummaging through sales and buying parts that I might need when I think they are at a good price. It's partly the retail therapy associated with getting what I think is a bargain and partly the convenience of knowing that I have the part somewhere should I need it and not having to order it (usually at a higher price) and wait for it to show up. Finding something I know I've got somewhere, however, is another matter. One sale purchase a few years ago was the Park Tools Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair. which pushed me a long way up the learning curve to the extent I can now do almost all my own maintenance.

I'm also trying to keep away from the latest equipment which tends to be disproportionately expensive. My current upper limit is a Shimano 105 11 speed drivetrain on one of the bikes because I wanted hydraulic brakes with brifters which ruled out my preferred 9 speed gearing. Having two Spa Cycles Aubisque bikes is a bit of a luxury but I liked the first so much that I got another frame before they sold out to have as backup.

cycle tramp wrote: ↑7 Apr 2024, 9:10amIf you've bought a 8k bike, and never played with meccano and shied away from metal work as a kid, then even adjusting your stem height might cause you nightmares...

If I'd bought an £8k bike, riding it would cause me nightmares

I don't think I'm decrying the use of professionals. I've said a couple of times how valuable the role of LBSs is, and choice is a great thing. What I'm not so happy about is the attitude that going to a professional should be the expected way, because that takes away the same choice.

PT1029 wrote: ↑7 Apr 2024, 3:42pm.....*And not so new stuff. Why does Mr Shimano make most of his gear levers in a manner that often means it can be difficult to release a gear cable nipple from it's slot. Access isn't the problem, prising out the nipple is!

if the nipple can easily pop out when the cable is slack, this can wreck the shifter. That's why they do it.

Very interesting reading, i do lot of work on friends and bikes brought to me that shops have refused ....or more likely the shop estimated cost has meant seeking an alternative repair source .. two things of note in the last 20 years are in my mind where 'road machines' are concerned, chains are weaker, a hard club rider on 11 sp will get maybe 6 weeks out of a chain given his weekly training mileage is around150 plus.. as has been mentioned the STI levers have changed and created imo a tortuous route exiting the lever causing 2 or more tight bends inside the lever which given time and rough handling will break, where as the old washing lines would do for yonks yet parachute when they do give up with the ensuing mess internally.. disc brakes, i left it late myself to adopt and while i still like old school mavic dp calipers above duraace or super record as dual pivot stoppers, i am having issues with my discs due to transporting an 45/50LB ' E ' machine in my estate on its side for meeting up at rides outside my area.. they need bled sometimes 2 times a year.. it can be done and its not an innocents job.. imo the advances are tubed tyres, the disadvantages are wheels, too many, hubs,too complicated, where tyres are concerned talking with early adopters of tubeless theyre fewer on the ground round here, too messy when a total refit is required by guys who cannot even fit a tyre with a tube on a machine.. bar tape , too dear, too easily torn and dirtied and uncleanable usually, aheadsets too many, too much rubbish, and winter use with out guards is bordering on 2 a year..not to mention stuck seat posts, or pedals that Desperate Dan installed with a 3 ft lever after a cow pie...w

willcee wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 8:16pm ...two things of note in the last 20 years are in my mind where 'road machines' are concerned, chains are weaker, a hard club rider on 11 sp will get maybe 6 weeks out of a chain given his weekly training mileage is around150 plus...

The general consensus from various third party tests is that modern 11sp chains are at least as good (if not considerably better) than old 8/9sp chains but also that the whole care and maintenance thing is very important too. A badly kept/poorly lubed chain will wear things out very quickly no matter if it's top of the range or not.

And 6 weeks out of a chain?! Maybe if you're doing 500 miles a week but under normal conditions most chains will get 3000 miles minimum before displaying any discernable wear (again, caveats around lube notwithstanding).

One relevant question , how many club racer chains have you changed in the past 10 years??? i'm speaking from experience not some consensus .. me perhaps 100 +.. these guys arent cycling under ''normal conditions'', one local club before they get to my area are hitting my urban outskirts having drilled it for 15 miles with an ave of 23/25.. and are doing maybe 80 miles that Sunday so experience in actual handling the evidence is where i'm coming from, not from a mag or teck doc thats part funded by the chain manufacturer...w

willcee wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 8:16pm aheadsets too many, too much rubbish, and winter use with out guards is bordering on 2 a year..not to mention stuck seat posts, or pedals that Desperate Dan installed with a 3 ft lever after a cow pie...w

How long do you find parts last on bikes with full mudguards and decent mudflaps?

...stuck seat posts, stuck pedals and short lived headsets tend to be a product of a bikes being ridden in wet weather conditions, without full mudguards and decent mudflaps.... other symptoms might also include short lived bottom brackets, and increased frame corrosion....

..that not to say in this particular case its the fault of the engineers who designed this stuff... generally speaking, anything from sewing machines, through to earth mowing equipment tends not to last all that well, if while it's working, you attempt to spray water filled with grit, sand and mud into its works...
..which is why exposed vehicle parts are covered with rubber, plastic or sometimes metal housing..

....I will blame bike designers tho'... any bike designer caught designing a frame to which mudguards can not be fitted should spend the rest of their lives cleaning other people's bikes....

If you want to cut down on the cost of bike refurbishment, full mudguards and decent mudflaps are the way forward..

Reference your query on guards fitted winterised bikes i have 4 the first an Alloy MERCKX was built in 2017 and did 3 year with a motor on it its still on same guards the same ahead set, ditto a Planet X, also did 18 mths with a motor, still as i built it sans the E kit, next is my current go to E machine an Alloy Ridley built during Covid the 1st lot of that crap, And the last an Alloy Whyte gravel machine built in late 21 from memory still intact but hasnt had a lot of use in the last year..I havent had a spanner near the guards since i fitted them or the aheadsets apart for the usual quick drop and look check , and generally are in 'no crap on board' condition.. do it once and do it right is my way....W

I've kept tabs on everything I have ever spent on bike parts. Yes, every single part and the price is in a spreadsheet.

I only have one bike right now, that would cost around £2,000 to replace. About £650 of that is the Bafang motor and battery I added so without that the bike is probably worth around £1,350.

What have I spent on parts?

Spent before selling parts: £11,317
Spent after selling parts: £6,986
Parts bought: 611
Parts sold off: 130

So how have I spent almost £7,000 and ended up with a bike worth £2,000?

That's just life.

According to my spreadsheet, I stopped keeping tabs on it on 22nd July 2022 so, this doesn't include the Garmin I paid over £250 for, or the Wahoo Kickr that was another £500.

Here's the prices of some parts in the past. The biggest price hikes always seem to be on cassettes and bottom brackets:

SRAM MTB Cassette (PG830) 8-Speed 11-32t: £11.99 (in 2010) price today: £15.95
Shimano BB-UN55 Bottom Bracket: £10.99 (in 2014) price today: £25.99
Thomson Elite Layback Seatpost: £51.99 (in 2014) price today: around £75.00
Shimano Alivio M410 Rear Mech: £19.99 (in 2015) price when last in stock: £34.99
Shimano Alivio HG51 8 Speed MTB Cassette: £10.99 (in 2015) price today: around £25.00
Shimano Ultegra R780 Flat Bar Brake Levers: £22.49 (in 2015) price today: around £35.00
Shimano 105 5701 10sp Rear Derailleur: £24.99 (in 2015) price today: around £50.00
KMC X8-93 8 Speed Chain: £6.99 (in 2015) price today: £12.00
KMC X9-73 9 Speed Chain: £7.99 (in 2015) price today: £11.99
Shimano Deore XT Disc Hub Front M756: £17.99 (in 2015) price today: around £30.00
(for some reason the rear version of that same hub was £35.99 in 2015 and yet it can be found at only £40 today)
Shimano BB-ES51 Octalink Bottom Bracket: £14.88 (in 2015) price today: £22.29
Shimano Alivio FC-T4010 Crankset: £23.64 (in 2015) price today: around £60
SRAM PG850 8 Speed Cassette: £13.49 (in 2015) price today: around £22.00
Shimano Acera HG200 9 Speed Cassette: £12.49 (in 2016) price today: £24.99
Avid Speed Dial 7 Brake Levers: £12.99 (in 2016) price today: £25.00
Derailleur Hanger "Pilo D11": £6.74 (in 2016) price today: £21.99

I could go on and on... but it has to stop somewhere.

On parts like chainsets, bottom brackets, cassettes, brake levers and I suspect most other parts, they have basically doubled in the last 10 years. Some have nearly tripled. I used to always buy different cassettes trying out ratios, it was doable when cassettes were £12 but not now the same cassette is £25.

£100 in 2014 is £133 in 2024.

So in the last 10 years, inflation is 33% and yet bike parts have risen 100%.

I lack your expertise with mechanics.

Bikes are cheap.New parts and servicing expensive.I give my old bikes to a charity shop and buy brand new.I do not have a car .The money I save on MOT,servicing and insurance makes this viable.If it rains my taxi service is good.
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I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531 (and other)