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The down side of the bike industry moving on has been the explosion of tools you need. Once there were two standards for bottom brackets and largely common too

The down side of the bike industry moving on has been the explosion of tools you need. Once there were two standards for bottom brackets and largely common tools for dismantling them. Now you need a specific tool for your bearing housing and good luck if it is press fit instead of threaded. Fork bearings are almost as bad. Traditional steel frames with the old standards are almost infinitely serviceable but the modern bikes seem deliberately designed to be thrown away when something wears out. Is your through axle frame mount worn to the point where the wheel won't stay centred? Chuck it because it can't be repaired. The old slots and skewers will work despite wear and tear. Did your fork bearing fail? You can try hammering out the press fit bearing but oh sorry frame is now cracked, throw it away. The old style quill bearing system doesn't require destructive force to fix.

doubled112 5y ago
It never seemed this bad in my experience. I've been out of it almost completely for a few years, so maybe it took a sudden turn for the worse. > explosion of tools you need I only have tools for my bikes, and so far, they've all needed the same tools, and I like to tinker. Maybe the low end in brand name bikes doesn't change much. > the press fit bearing You must mean the headset? I've put what must be (maybe tens of) 1000s of KMs on a low end aluminum Trek frame from 2010 and it's still fine. That includes quite a few complete Ontario, Canada winters. It should be replaceable with the correct tools, although I do agree pressing it out might not be the perfect solution. Lots of automotive parts are pressed in and out, though, and somehow they do it without breaking anything and throwing it out. You have to be careful. One thing we definitely lost with the fork and handlebars was the ability to adjust it a bit. Now if you want it higher, you need spacers instead of just raising it up. Except then your fork is cut and it's too late anyway. The modern headset should probably be stronger, so it's got that going for it.
- smackeyacky 5y ago
  I have two modern-ish road bikes, the good one has headset bearings in a race that is interference fit in the carbon frame. Easy to service. The other one has bearings interference fitted to the frame itself, no good if yoy ask me. Sure it looks neater but replacing them is not easy. Neither bike has a matching bottom bracket tool, the cups are different sizes. The mountain bike i have is different again. So thats three different tools. It drives me nuts!

doubled112 5y ago

It never seemed this bad in my experience. I've been out of it almost completely for a few years, so maybe it took a sudden turn for the worse. > explosion of tools you need I only have tools for my bikes, and so far, they've all needed the same tools, and I like to tinker. Maybe the low end in brand name bikes doesn't change much. > the press fit bearing You must mean the headset? I've put what must be (maybe tens of) 1000s of KMs on a low end aluminum Trek frame from 2010 and it's still fine. That includes quite a few complete Ontario, Canada winters. It should be replaceable with the correct tools, although I do agree pressing it out might not be the perfect solution. Lots of automotive parts are pressed in and out, though, and somehow they do it without breaking anything and throwing it out. You have to be careful. One thing we definitely lost with the fork and handlebars was the ability to adjust it a bit. Now if you want it higher, you need spacers instead of just raising it up. Except then your fork is cut and it's too late anyway. The modern headset should probably be stronger, so it's got that going for it.

smackeyacky 5y ago
I have two modern-ish road bikes, the good one has headset bearings in a race that is interference fit in the carbon frame. Easy to service. The other one has bearings interference fitted to the frame itself, no good if yoy ask me. Sure it looks neater but replacing them is not easy. Neither bike has a matching bottom bracket tool, the cups are different sizes. The mountain bike i have is different again. So thats three different tools. It drives me nuts!