The sophisticated bicycle has attracted fans in Europe and the U.S., but repairs under warranty have bled the company of money.
The sophisticated bicycle has attracted fans in Europe and the U.S., but repairs under warranty have bled the company of money.
Well there we go, nothing to add that.
Removed by mod
Bikes are mostly easy to maintain but there are some things like adjusting the spokes or the derailleur that a shop will get done much faster.
I don’t agree that much about the tools, unless you consider Allen keys to be a normal tool and you exclude the drivetrain or the headset, which need all kinds of specialized ones. Brakes can also need some less common stuff.
I absolutely consider Allen keys a normal tool. One of the absolute must haves for any household.
What do you guys use them for? I have never seen hex screws on anything other than Ikea furniture and bicycles.
3D printers, furniture, sim racing setup, camera gear, electronics.
Seriously, a set of allan keys and some torx bits are basic tools.
Allan keys (hex wrenches) are absolutely a normal tool, heck, if you’ve bought IKEA furniture, you may even have one already!
One won’t cut it, you need one of every size.
Not really. About 3 sizes are enough for maintenance and most basic repairs.
I’m seeing 4-5 different sizes at a glance on my bike.
Even if there were only 3, my point was that you can’t rely on a random key you got from Ikea, and you’re not always going to run into the same 3 sizes on every bike. Sooner or later you’ll have to buy a full set with 6 or 7 sizes, plus a large key for the stand screw (if you have a stand).
I looked on Amazon and you can get a set of 14 for £4. There’s no need to act like this is unobtainably complex.
Yeah so you get one of these thingies that has like 20 in different sizes. Costs like €5.
Removed by mod
I seem to remember needing several special tools for changing my bottom bracket, not sure how common that is though.
And the most fashionable style where I’m from is the fixie, whose fans specifically value the mechanical simplicity (no derailleur!).
Granted, there’s a big untapped market of people who have absolutely no interest in maintaining or understanding their mode of transport, and have a consumerist/maximalist philosophy. There are also lots of people who treat bikes as disposable, as evidenced by the huge number of abandoned and rusted bikes you can see in any college town. So I see why someone might think that’s a path to success.
For me personally, I do not want a computer in my bike. I want every bit of technology — electronic or mechanical — to earn its place. Because complexity comes at a cost. It means more time, energy, and money spent maintaining it. My derailleurs easily add enough value (for me personally) to justify the added complexity. Disc brakes, honestly, don’t. A built-in computer? Helllllll no.
Removed by mod
If I rode hard trails I’m sure I’d see more value in disc brakes. I’ve never worn out a rim in my life. I’m currently running low-end mechanical disc brakes and I find them to be much more trouble than they’re worth compared to my old bargain-basement rim brakes.
I’m curious about hydraulic brakes but I fear the maintenance cost (in time and hassle as well as money) will be too high. Kind of a nonissue for me at the moment, since I won’t likely buy a new bike for many more years.
Removed by mod
Yeah, I’ve watched some YouTube videos (shoutout to Syd Fixes Bikes!) and it seems like bleeding isn’t overly difficult if you know what you’re doing. I still worry about on-the-road maintenance, though.
Removed by mod
Good riddance
IToddlers btfod