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Spending $2k per year maintaining a bicycle is absurd. Could you not just buy a new bike every year (keep the saddle)? That's obviously a waste, so buy some too

Spending $2k per year maintaining a bicycle is absurd. Could you not just buy a new bike every year (keep the saddle)? That's obviously a waste, so buy some tools online and DIY. The hardest part about bicycle DIY is bleeding hydraulic disk brakes if you have them, but even then that only needs to be done max twice per year.

0xfaded 6y ago
I conciously decided that I didn't want to do my own bike maintenance, I do enough stuff as it is. Every three months I replace the tires, breaks and chain, and have the bike shop do a complete tune up and clean. My last service cost about $400. Then there's inner tubes, clothing, handle bar tape, other replacements, etc that also add up. My bike is my primary form of transport, and I average about 8000km per year. That's not far off what people put on a car.
- secondcoming 6y ago
  If you're happy doing that then fine. I will add though that replacing a chain every 3 months only makes sense if you're a pro. Make sure you also replace the cassette and chainrings at the same time or else you'll just wear your new chain down very quickly. They should all be replaced at the same time. If your cassette and chainrings aren't worn then your chain isn't either. A chain-splitting tool costs about $20. Entire brakes or just the pads? I hope it's just the pads.
  - 0xfaded 6y ago
    No I appreciate the advice, and at risk of turning HN into a bike forum, I have to ask, how long do you run a chain for? I was told that frequently replacing the chain prevents the cassette from wearing down because you replace the chain before it becomes too stretched and mismatched to the cassette.
    - secondcoming 6y ago
      It really depends, there are cheap tools that can measure chain stretch. A decent chain should last a year or more unless you're climbing up the Alps every day. The chain, cassette and chainrings are a combo. If your chain is worn then they are too. Check their teeth. A sign of a worn chain can be gears slipping. It takes some really intense power to wear out a bicycle chain every 3 months. Cassettes aren't that expensive unless you're going for elite titanium ones. But if you're at that level you should have your own tools in case something breaks on your 100km regular ride!
      - andor 6y ago
        The chain, cassette and chainrings are a combo. If your chain is worn then they are too. That's not true. If you change the chain early enough, cassette and chainrings will last for a couple of chains. If you ride with a worn chain, the other components wear at an accelerated rate.
        Mediterraneo10 6y ago
        Chainrings will last for more than "a couple of chains". In the touring world, one is usually advised to replace the chain every 2500 km or so. A steel chainring, however, should easily give you 20,000 km of life.
        Matthias247 6y ago
        Right. My rule of thumb is about 3 chains for 1 cassette and set of chainrings. Where one chain was about 2500km.
    - andor 6y ago
      That depends on initial manufacturing tolerances and how it's used. The better you keep it clean and well-lubricated, the longer it will last. Some people get 15,000km out of their chains, I'm hoping for 5000km or more. I ride about the same distance as you and according to my chain checker the chain is still good enough after 4.5 months ("0.25% wear", change at 0.5%-0.75%).
    - 6y ago
- theCodeStig 6y ago
  Even at 8000 km per year, I highly doubt that you need a new chain every three months.

0xfaded 6y ago

I conciously decided that I didn't want to do my own bike maintenance, I do enough stuff as it is. Every three months I replace the tires, breaks and chain, and have the bike shop do a complete tune up and clean. My last service cost about $400. Then there's inner tubes, clothing, handle bar tape, other replacements, etc that also add up. My bike is my primary form of transport, and I average about 8000km per year. That's not far off what people put on a car.

secondcoming 6y ago
If you're happy doing that then fine. I will add though that replacing a chain every 3 months only makes sense if you're a pro. Make sure you also replace the cassette and chainrings at the same time or else you'll just wear your new chain down very quickly. They should all be replaced at the same time. If your cassette and chainrings aren't worn then your chain isn't either. A chain-splitting tool costs about $20. Entire brakes or just the pads? I hope it's just the pads.
- 0xfaded 6y ago
  No I appreciate the advice, and at risk of turning HN into a bike forum, I have to ask, how long do you run a chain for? I was told that frequently replacing the chain prevents the cassette from wearing down because you replace the chain before it becomes too stretched and mismatched to the cassette.
  - secondcoming 6y ago
    It really depends, there are cheap tools that can measure chain stretch. A decent chain should last a year or more unless you're climbing up the Alps every day. The chain, cassette and chainrings are a combo. If your chain is worn then they are too. Check their teeth. A sign of a worn chain can be gears slipping. It takes some really intense power to wear out a bicycle chain every 3 months. Cassettes aren't that expensive unless you're going for elite titanium ones. But if you're at that level you should have your own tools in case something breaks on your 100km regular ride!
    - andor 6y ago
      The chain, cassette and chainrings are a combo. If your chain is worn then they are too. That's not true. If you change the chain early enough, cassette and chainrings will last for a couple of chains. If you ride with a worn chain, the other components wear at an accelerated rate.
      - Mediterraneo10 6y ago
        Chainrings will last for more than "a couple of chains". In the touring world, one is usually advised to replace the chain every 2500 km or so. A steel chainring, however, should easily give you 20,000 km of life.
      - Matthias247 6y ago
        Right. My rule of thumb is about 3 chains for 1 cassette and set of chainrings. Where one chain was about 2500km.
  - andor 6y ago
    That depends on initial manufacturing tolerances and how it's used. The better you keep it clean and well-lubricated, the longer it will last. Some people get 15,000km out of their chains, I'm hoping for 5000km or more. I ride about the same distance as you and according to my chain checker the chain is still good enough after 4.5 months ("0.25% wear", change at 0.5%-0.75%).
  - 6y ago
theCodeStig 6y ago
Even at 8000 km per year, I highly doubt that you need a new chain every three months.