The sophisticated bicycle has attracted fans in Europe and the U.S., but repairs under warranty have bled the company of money.

  • GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    21·
    1 year ago

    One of the nice things about bicycles is that they’re so piss easy to maintain by yourself even

    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.

      • GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        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.