Any Bicyclists Out There?

[pappymac]

As a kid and a college student, I would buy cheap heavy steel bikes and it was ready to ride any day, any time, year round for years and years. Then when I started buying bike shop bikes, after one year, you have to get everything back into adjustment, even if you haven't ridden it but a few times. Even when I started doing the repairs and adjustments myself, it seems like they always need attention. But, even after being in storage for decades, I can pull out my WalMart Rock Hopper from college and a squirt of oil and it's ready to ride.

It is a trade off, smoothness and ease of riding, for a mandatory $150 a year to get everything back into whack. It has crossed my mind that bike shop bikes are sort of a scam.

When asked if a cheap WalMart bike is worth it... I always do this break down for them. Is the ease and weight worth an added $150 year at least. Or, just buy a $150 bike, and have it always ready to ride.

I'm going to maybe disagree with you about Walmart and other big box store bikes. The problem I have with them is you never know how experienced the person doing the assembly is. One of my daughter's ex-boyfriend worked for a company who contracted out to do assembly work for big retailers. He didn't know crap about assembling or repairing bikes, lawn mowers, gas grills, etc. He just thought he did as all you have to do is follow the simple instruction sheets.

One day he decided to work on my granddaughters bike because he thought there was a problem with the bearings. He then tried to install new bearings. Backwards. She ended up with a new bike because he couldn't get it together correctly.

On the other hand, bikes at Walmart and Academy are less expensive and they will last a long time if you take care of them and only ride them once a twice a week. My Ozone 500 Black Canyon didn't start giving me problems until I had almost 500 miles on it. Now it's at a bike shop - that only charging me about $60 to repack or replace the bearings.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm going to maybe disagree with you about Walmart and other big box store bikes. The problem I have with them is you never know how experienced the person doing the assembly is. One of my daughter's ex-boyfriend worked for a company who contracted out to do assembly work for big retailers. He didn't know crap about assembling or repairing bikes, lawn mowers, gas grills, etc. He just thought he did as all you have to do is follow the simple instruction sheets.

One day he decided to work on my granddaughters bike because he thought there was a problem with the bearings. He then tried to install new bearings. Backwards. She ended up with a new bike because he couldn't get it together correctly.

On the other hand, bikes at Walmart and Academy are less expensive and they will last a long time if you take care of them and only ride them once a twice a week. My Ozone 500 Black Canyon didn't start giving me problems until I had almost 500 miles on it. Now it's at a bike shop - that only charging me about $60 to repack or replace the bearings.

That is an argument that I hear a lot. But, if you ask for one in the box, it comes already assembled in the box. All you have to do is put the wheels and seat on and start riding. At least my kid's bikes came that way, and in asking people who worked at WalMart, all the assembly they do is put the wheels on. And, the back wheel is already on them in the box on most of them.

At times, I also don't trust the guys working at bike shops. I avoid a couple of bike shops here, because in talking to the guys in the repair side just showed me that they probably couldn't assemble a WalMart bike well.

It's probably hit or miss. But, it has always perplexed me that my RockHopper is always ready to go, even when my Specialized needs some tunning up. The only thing I have needed to do to it is replace tires a few times and brake pads. It even has the factory chain from 38 years ago.

 

[Hillcrest]

That is an argument that I hear a lot. But, if you ask for one in the box, it comes already assembled in the box. All you have to do is put the wheels and seat on and start riding. At least my kid's bikes came that way, and in asking people who worked at WalMart, all the assembly they do is put the wheels on. And, the back wheel is already on them in the box on most of them.

At times, I also don't trust the guys working at bike shops. I avoid a couple of bike shops here, because in talking to the guys in the repair side just showed me that they probably couldn't assemble a WalMart bike well.

It's probably hit or miss. But, it has always perplexed me that my RockHopper is always ready to go, even when my Specialized needs some tunning up. The only thing I have needed to do to it is replace tires a few times and brake pads. It even has the factory chain from 38 years ago.

For ride comfort its hard to beat the old chrome molybdenum butted frames ... and they can all be upgraded to more modern gear and parts. Like all collectibles some of the vintage bikes are irreplaceable in terms of quality and materials ... As for steel I have a Schwinn Contiinental (battle tank) a Fuji 10 speed, and a 1953 Royal Lion restored, with Sturmey Archer three speed and the little oil can thing on side --- that was a Montgomery Ward version made by Raleigh in Birmingham, and Trek 7.2 women's (NKA Hybrid) -- (a dangerous rocket cafe racer). As for aluminum - Trek 7.5 hybrid, and a Specialized Hybrid Mountain Bike set up for comfort rides. To have a frame like the Fuji made and imported today would cost several thousand dollars if you could get someone to make it anymore. So ... just like pipes. The beauty of bikes is that you can still find some truly great ones at tag sales for $10-$20.

 

[Hillcrest]

View attachment 390972View attachment 390973

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The Continental was my commuter through college and for my job for many years and I still get it out every once in a while. It is a heavy beast and the steel rims make breaking problematic when wet!
The 1987 Cimmaron was and still is my going to and around town bike. I'd guess I have about 2K off road miles on it since new. I've replaced just about every moving part over the years including the original Biopace chain rings.
The All City is my road bike. I'm seventy four and do at least one to two hundred miles a week ( not during PA winters).
I keep the old bikes because I can do the repairs and maintenance. New bikes a not so user friendly and the local bike shop charges $125.00 an hour for repairs. I might be a bike codger.

I still have my Continental in fairly mint condition. I inherited it from my brother who won it in a raffle his first day of high school. It still has the scratch on the lower left of the frame where he was swiped by a Cadillac and still rode home. A Real battle tank.

 

[ssjones]

I had a great shop up in MD and found a great shop down here (The Bike Path, Mandaville). My rear derailleur wouldn't shift right a few Saturdays ago. I kept adjusting it, to no avail. I called them - can they adjust it? Sure, bring it over. 15 minutes later, they find the cable nearly broken, it will never adjust. $30 for a new cable, and I'm on my ride

 

[Hillcrest]

I also don't trust the guys working at bike shops. I avoid a couple of bike shops here,

You have to ask around. We had several here too but like mechanics you have to find ones where they are serious about 'all' bikes not just the high end sellers. We have one shop here where they would charge $38.50 for one brake line (and they ridicule you if you have an old bike) and another where both brakelines were $12,50 and they specialize in restoration. Shop around.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You have to ask around. We had several here too but like mechanics you have to find ones where they are serious about 'all' bikes not just the high end sellers. We have one shop here where they would charge $38.50 for one brake line (and they ridicule you if you have an old bike) and another where both brakelines were $12,50 and they specialize in restoration. Shop around.

Of course... like pipeshops )

 

[Hillcrest]

Within the Bike Snob NYC taxonomy, I would self-identify with the Retrogrouch typeclass most closely.

https://zoboko.com/text/v084yeoj/bike-snob-systematically-mercilessly-realigning-the-world-of-cycling/9

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I own 5 bikes (road, mountain, fixed gear, touring, and townie/commuter [pictured]). The pictured one is my pride and joy. Built from scratch (including the wheels) on a custom frame I had built for me by the best lugged steel frame maker in the world, Mercian of Derby, England. Sort of a modern take on the old British path racer concept, driven by a Sturmey Archer 3-speed coaster hub. It's pretty much the only bike I ride now, unless I'm feeling sporty, and then I will dust off the fix gear.

I don't do long rides on lonely highways anymore. I'd much rather tool around town, and its outskirts, and eventually end up at a bar. The Challenger Strada Biancas 32s (best tires for ride quality, short of a full-on tubular, IMHO) will handle everything including gravel, so I've never bothered to add a gravel bike or crossbike to my stable.

 

[carlomarx]

I still have my Continental in fairly mint condition. I inherited it from my brother who won it in a raffle his first day of high school. It still has the scratch on the lower left of the frame where he was swiped by a Cadillac and still rode home. A Real battle tank.

Battle tanks for sure!! Mine is all original except the chrome fenders disappeared from my parents garage.
I'm inspired to take mine out for a cruise today.

 

[briarbuck]

To add...modern drive trains suck. Used to be that you just replaced the chain when it stretches out. Now, the entire drivetrain needs to be replaced after a few thousand miles.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Within the Bike Snob NYC taxonomy, I would self-identify with the Retrogrouch typeclass most closely.

I suspect retrogrouches and codgers have a lot in common.

 

[Hillcrest]

I suspect retrogrouches and codgers have a lot in common.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

One day I may get a fiber road bike. Years ago I had an aluminum bike. But what my heart always desires is a steel frame bike. Yeah it’s heavy but I’m not riding grand tours. I’m doing 20-60 mike rides and that steel absorbs a lot.

Steel is real folks.