"I didn't buy a bike to oil it!"

[winjim]

Probably sense in saying "pump tyres and oil occasionally, but I suspect the seed would have fallen on stony ground in this instance as the guy was way.beyond normal stupidity

In this particular case, I expect so.

 

[gbb]

I worked with a guy who had a reasonable quality MTB for commuting every day. I noticed his drive train was filthy when I was fixing a puncture for him in our workshop (something I happily did for most colleagues)...I mentioned some oil and aclean would extend the drivetrains life a lot...nahhhh he said, I'm not getting dirty doing that, I'll just replace the lot as and when neccessary. But thats expensive I said...still a lot cheaper than bus fares he said.
He was happy..and clean.

 

[Profpointy]

i would say oiling the chain is vastly more important than.cleaning, at least for road use anyway. A colleague, a very keen and fit cyclist commented "your bike's a disgrace, but there's no rust on it". His own meticulously cleaned chain had rusted.

 

[but goody]

Would they buy a new car and expect to never have to check the tyre pressure, oil and water levels?

YES. People buy cars now and never check anything. And no harm comes of it generally. This is exactly why they expect the same from a bike. If the OP had not lectured the customer about oiling, but spent 20 minutes adjusting and oiling for him, everyone would have been happy.

Then next year sell him a bike with a toothed rubber belt drive and hub gears.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Well done to you for keeping calm and professional when faced by such an arse. Would they buy a new car and expect to never have to check the tyre pressure, oil and water levels? (Sorry for mentioning the 'C' word on a cycling forum!) He is probably now getting a kick out of telling other arses how he put you in your place!

Unfortunately from experience in the trade I can say that there are plenty of people who do expect exactly that and also don't bother looking at the handbook to understand what all the pretty lights on their dashboard mean.

It can get quite heated telling someone that they (or their company) aren't going to get the repair under warranty because they carried on driving with no oil or water in the engine.

 

[summerdays]

I've learnt the hard way about maintenance of several components. I don't think you take everything in when you are standing in the shop with your bike in touching distance being talked through gears etc.

So things I learnt the hard way.... Brake blocks make grinding paste (new wheels), disk brakes rotors could be cleaned occasionally (new rotor), chains to be oiled, check your tyres for bits of glass occasionally etc but my LBS usually then explains where I went wrong and I've improved that aspect in future. Yes I could have been told it all at first, but I've learnt lots more along the way as he is usually happy to add in a bit of explanation each time. I'm not technically minded, but each time I've not blamed the LBS or the bike, just my lack of knowledge.

 

[Bollo]

at the kitchen shop they didn't explain I should hold the knife I just bought by the handle, rather than the flat bit. Cut myself quite badly. Really irresponsible of them

You'd do better living in the USA. Cars there come with a handbook full of big yellow triangles with warnings like: "WARNING! Driving this vehicle into an object at 60 mph to test the airbags is likely to cause serious injury or death!" or: "WARNING! Ensure pedestrians are clear from in front of this vehicle before engaging gear and driving off. Serious injury can result from an impact!"

That's just reminded me of the booklet that comes with speedplay pedals, which is obviously for the 'merkin market. About the only thing they didn't warn you about was that the pedals might be a choking hazard if swallowed.

 

[winjim]

That's just reminded me of the booklet that comes with speedplay pedals, which is obviously for the 'merkin market. About the only thing they didn't warn you about was that the pedals might be a choking hazard if swallowed.

Ever read a Campagnolo instruction manual? They are at great pains to remind you that anything you do that's slightly out of spec will result in CERTAIN DEATH. If you believed them you'd never ride a bike, you'd be too terrified.

 

[Sim2003]

I have many people at work who's bikes are awfully maintained, rusted and squeaky. Some even go to the hassle of getting a taxi home if they get a puncture.

At the moment though my bike looks like its been neglected. Even had one of the lads tell me I needed to get it shiny again

Gritted wet roads and many mud patches due to demolition work going on means that It gets caked in crud everyday. When it starts feeling off or shifting badly I will give it a proper clean. Beauty of me buying the touring bike is that its made to do the miles with low maintenance.

 

[JPBoothy]

YES. People buy cars now and never check anything. And no harm comes of it generally. This is exactly why they expect the same from a bike. If the OP had not lectured the customer about oiling, but spent 20 minutes adjusting and oiling for him, everyone would have been happy.

Then next year sell him a bike with a toothed rubber belt drive and hub gears.

Yes, I like the idea of those too. A Single Speed version would be a very clean and maintainence free way to ride I would imagine.

 

[Profpointy]

I've learnt the hard way about maintenance of several components. I don't think you take everything in when you are standing in the shop with your bike in touching distance being talked through gears etc.

So things I learnt the hard way.... Brake blocks make grinding paste (new wheels), disk brakes rotors could be cleaned occasionally (new rotor), chains to be oiled, check your tyres for bits of glass occasionally etc but my LBS usually then explains where I went wrong and I've improved that aspect in future. Yes I could have been told it all at first, but I've learnt lots more along the way as he is usually happy to add in a bit of explanation each time. I'm not technically minded, but each time I've not blamed the LBS or the bike, just my lack of knowledge.

nice summary illustrating the difference between ignorance and stupidity

 

[snorri]

you're trying to blame the seller for the buyer being a muppet... you're on your own (unless i've missed all the posts supporting you)

Assuming the buyer was used to driving a modern car which would require nothing more than checking the fuel gauge now and again I would doubt if day to day maintenance had ever entered his head.
When comparing cars and bicycles the maintenance effort required on many modern bicycles is way out of proportion to the mechanical complexity of each machine.

Edit but goody made my point before I had finished typing

 

[but goody]

Assuming the buyer was used to driving a modern car which would require nothing more than checking the fuel gauge now and again...

No need to check the fuel gauge on a car. Drive till the warning light comes on and the sat nav will take you to the nearest petrol station.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

OP, when you sell someone a bike, do you talk to them about the maintenance regime required? Do you tell them what they need to lube, what they may need to adjust, which parts will wear and need replacing, when to bring it back to have a proper mechanic look at it? Because if you don't, how are they supposed to know?

Generally, the free first service is the ideal point to go through that, I find, rather than bamboozling people who are more focussed on getting a new shiny thing. You get a feel then for if the bike is used occasionally or daily, in all weathers or on dry sunny days, kept indoors, garaged or tied with a piece of string to the drainpipe, and can advise accordingly.

Lube is generally suggested along with the other accessories but when people are adding up cost of lights, lock (bizarrely the lock is when they start to skimp, after spending on the other things that will get stolen without a decent lock), there tends to be a "stop trying to sell me more things" line.

But..come to think of it, I wonder if producing a little maintenance leaflet and giving a "free maintenance kit" with a little brush and some lube might not be a bad idea...

Although I get the feeling in this case, that it would have gone in the bin. I'm not bothered, I'm not the one who still has a squeaky wobbly bike..

 

[Bollo]

Ever read a Campagnolo instruction manual? They are at great pains to remind you that anything you do that's slightly out of spec will result in CERTAIN DEATH. If you believed them you'd never ride a bike, you'd be too terrified.

Campag? Wow, they still make that?