maintenance

[phil-b]

Forgive me if this has been covered before but do most people rely on bike shops for maintenance on their bikes or is the DIY option more prevalent.

I have basic tools like allen keys and spanners ect but no bike specific tools. I took my bike to a shop when I had a problem with the bottom crank and some wear on the gears. But I could have bought all the tools and parts I needed for a lot less than the service cost. I know you are also paying for the shops knowhow and time I just wondered what other people do?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I like buying tools and doing jobs myself. Nobody to blame but myself if something goes wrong.

Sometimes I even find jobs to do

 

[dan_bo]

Bit of both- I've got tools from when I was a kid and it takes time and investment to build a useful, relevant toolkit. However I can't be arsed to build wheels, for example, or fit a new headset once every Preston guild. It's just as worthwhile developing a relationship with a bike shop- the closest one is not necessarily the best one- And figuring out what you can or cant be arsed to do and what you can or can't afford.

 

[tjones]

At present the shop does all my push-bike servicing and repairs.

The daft thing is I do all the maintenance on my motorbikes.

I think this year I will invest in a cycle stand and start looking at doing my own maintenance. Will start with the simple jobs

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I only started doing my own maintenance and parts replacement about 18 months ago, and I'm glad I started it . I buy the parts online, and I've also bought various tools online. I'm still learning, though, as there are some bike parts I have yet to service and/or replace.

 

[screenman]

Like quite a few my age I imagine I started fixing bikes when I was about 11 years old 47 years on I am still doing it. I do have a mechanical background.

 

[solidthegreat]

The cost of a LBS service can be expensive especially if parts are needed. If you do it yourself it costs virtually nothing but parts. That aside the cost for tools can run up a little, however you can get cheepish bike starter tool sets for about £50 that will suffice. But the real money saver is how to do it. There are loads of videos on YouTube but if you are like me, I like to learn how to do it from someone. The best thing I have ever done is attend a british cycling mechanics course at the Manchester velodrome. The course was an advanced course and was over a full day, only 8 of us in the class and the teacher was one of the ex team Great Britain mechanics so we learned a lot from the best. How much you ask for such a course, well it only cost me £130, which some of you may be saying holy S**t, BUT if you calculate the cost of services over numerous years and work I can now do, it is not a lot at all. I can now strip a bike down to nothing and rebuild. Saved me a fortune and I now help friends out by servicing and fixing theirs.
Have a look at BC, the courses are run a couple of times a year and in a couple of locations. When you have done it, how many people can say they learned from a team GB mechanic in the Mecca of track cycling in this country.

 

[phil-b]

I guess a bit of both is a good way to go.
I never have top end bikes so there is no need for me to re build a wheel a simple replacement is the way to go. I think I do need a good working knowledge of how my bike works. I may be able to fix some problems that occur during a ride and help keep service cost down for more simple jobs. The shop is always there if things get more tricky.

I am hoping my bike will not need much work after I get it back for a while but next time I will have a look to see if I can fix the problem myself before I take it to the shop.

£50 for a tool set is still less than I am being charged for this fix. I think I will just buy tools as and when I need them to spread the cost

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Definitely learn to do it yourself and buy tools over a period of time as and when you need them. Bikes are sometimes more fiddly to repair as opposed to being difficult, it's not as though it's an F-16 Jet. Get stuck in and learn as you go.

 

[User16625]

Forgive me if this has been covered before but do most people rely on bike shops for maintenance on their bikes or is the DIY option more prevalent.

I have basic tools like allen keys and spanners ect but no bike specific tools. I took my bike to a shop when I had a problem with the bottom crank and some wear on the gears. But I could have bought all the tools and parts I needed for a lot less than the service cost. I know you are also paying for the shops knowhow and time I just wondered what other people do?

A bit of both. Simple stuff like cable tensions I can do myself but new chains and sprockets are done at a shop.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I do everything myself and have built up a collection of bike specific tools as and when I needed them. I'm fussy about my bikes being just the way I want them and like @T.M.H.N.E.T prefer that if anything goes wrong it's something I've done and I can understand where I messed up.

 

[Widge]

Always satisfying to do the job yourself if you can. Just think of bikes as 'big-boys-meccano' and check out forums and vids in advance of your job and things usually work out well.
I draw the line at BB and chainset work but have so far managed most else.
When rebuilding our 'shed' bike this winter I lost patience with the front mech and asked local bike shop to kindly sort it out for me......cost me an arm and a leg but saved what little hair I have left!

 

[youngoldbloke]

Always satisfying to do the job yourself if you can. Just think of bikes as 'big-boys-meccano' and check out forums and vids in advance of your job and things usually work out well.
I draw the line at BB and chainset work but have so far managed most else.

That's it! Trouble is many younger CCers maybe missed out on being Meccano Boys (and girls). Perhaps with push fit bottom brackets and sealed bearings we are heading more in the direction of 'big-boys-lego'. It was just what you did in the 'good old days'. I had built a top end bike from components purchased one by one by the age of 14 - second hand 531 frame, full Campag. Bottom brackets and headsets and bearings were things you took apart, serviced, and reassembled. I never built wheels however, but I did glue and repair my own tubs.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

That's it! Trouble is many younger CCers maybe missed out on being Meccano Boys (and girls). Perhaps with push fit bottom brackets and sealed bearings we are heading more in the direction of 'big-boys-lego'. It was just what you did in the 'good old days'. I had built a top end bike from components purchased one by one by the age of 14 - second hand 531 frame, full Campag. Bottom brackets and headsets and bearings were things you took apart, serviced, and reassembled. I never built wheels however, but I did glue and repair my own tubs.

Did someone mention meccano and bicycles?

 

[Old Plodder]

It definately pays to be able to fix your bike yourself, not only the financial cost, but being knowledgeable enough to know when to do adjustments & repairs.
You also get to know your bike intimately, & will be able to tell when something isn't quite right, which may save you a brakedown far from home & a long walk.