The fallacy of "servicing" a bicycle.

[welsh dragon]

Nah. If it was built in the last 5 years or so it's probably a sealed unit.

Its 3 years old, and I know where the bonet release catch is because I put windscreen wash in my car, but to find the spark plugs you'd need a degree in mechanical engineering. I have a husband who checks the oil.

He also fettles my bike as well. I admit to being a complete luddite when it comes to things like that, so I just tell Mr WD what the problem is and he fixes it.

 

[CopperBrompton]

But I cannot comprehend how every cyclist isn't fully aware of how to adjust the slack on a brake cable (An important safety issue) or a gear cable, two jobs that take seconds and require no manual skills at all.

I believe you can't comprehend it, but it isn't true they require no skill. I assure you I once spent 20 frustrating minutes trying to correctly adjust a gear cable before giving up and taking it to a LBS.

I might find it equally incomprehensible that someone can't follow the 3-2-1 rule in backing up their data, but the reality is that different people have different skillsets.

Cycling is achieved by riding a bike. Everything else is optional.

 

[summerdays]

You are looking down the cable away from the bars. Think 'tight to the right, loose to the left' - if you are tightening (screwing up) the adjuster you are in effect making the cable casing shorter, and the cable looser. If you are loosening (unscrewing) the adjuster (to the left, anticlockwise) you are in effect making the cable casing longer, and the cable tighter - 'taking up the slack'.

Ok took my time getting around to doing it. In the end I couldn't get the barrel adjuster by the derailleur to shift, so decided to use the one on the handlebars. If I was sitting on the bike I pushed the adjuster forwards a bit would that be right? Seems ok.

 

[youngoldbloke]

If it works - yes. Straight bars? Thumb shifters? I'm not the guy to ask.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Ok took my time getting around to doing it. In the end I couldn't get the barrel adjuster by the derailleur to shift, so decided to use the one on the handlebars. If I was sitting on the bike I pushed the adjuster forwards a bit would that be right? Seems ok.

Yes, that would be tighten (on a flat bar). Works for brakes too.

 

[summerdays]

Brakes are hydraulic so don't need to adjust those, though I'm fine with adjusting V brakes.

And I'm so hopeless I ended up getting Mr Summerdays to put air in my back tyre as the valve seemed to not let air in. Of course the first time he tried there wasn't a problem. I'd already done the front one so it's not that I can't do them at all.

And yes flat bar with thumb shifters. Ah well I don't think it is adjusted perfectly but riding better than it was, ( not needing to do an over shift to get it to the right gear). Thanks for your help

 

[threebikesmcginty]

If our hypothetical cyclist/bike rider (delete to preference) just wants to ride & have someone else take care of the oily stuff, WHATEVER, as the young people say.

Actually it's just 'whatevs' now, less effort required to say it.

 

[John the Monkey]

Actually it's just 'whatevs' now, less effort required to say it.

Actually, they're saying "WEVS". Bare less effort tho, innit bruv.

I feel old.

 

[bowtomephil]

I wanted to change a belt in an old hoover, when I put it back together I had one part on the floor, no idea what it was or where it went, it cost me £50 to get it fixed.
I have done similiar things building DIY furniture with instructions, upside down, back to front etc.

My bike shop gives a free service yearly if you buy the bike from them, no brainer, I take it it, it gets fixed, I can then ride the next day. There is no guarantee if I touch it that I would be able to ride it ever again.

I like my way : )

 

[summerdays]

I wanted to change a belt in an old hoover, when I put it back together I had one part on the floor, no idea what it was or where it went, it cost me £50 to get it fixed.
I have done similiar things building DIY furniture with instructions, upside down, back to front etc.

My bike shop gives a free service yearly if you buy the bike from them, no brainer, I take it it, it gets fixed, I can then ride the next day. There is no guarantee if I touch it that I would be able to ride it ever again.

I like my way : )

Mr Summerdays, way way back in our relationship, decided that he and his mate could come round and fix the vacuum (an old cylinder one), that was smoking badly. They took all the bits out and couldn't get them all back in again. As they put it, they had stopped it smoking, though it now didn't suck either. The landlord checked it in our presence and said he would replace it since it didn't work. My eyes kept being drawn to the closed cupboard behind his head where the extra parts were hiding.

Actually he's "fixed" a number of my vacuums since, I've had quite a few, it would help if he didn't ask them to clear up after his DIY things. He's good at fixing other things but not vacuums!

 

[Smokin Joe]

What about toilets then? They're not massively complicated but a lot of people wouldn't know how to do a minor fix.

I'm not talking about "Fixing" things, but making minor tool free adjustment on bikes and checking fluid levels on cars.

 

[Stonechat]

What about toilets then? They're not massively complicated but a lot of people wouldn't know how to do a minor fix.

YEs we had a syphon go, and I changed it for one of those flap type valves, cost of the whole job about 20 instead of 60 + fpr a plumber

 

[Cyclopathic]

I'm not talking about "Fixing" things, but making minor tool free adjustment on bikes and checking fluid levels on cars.

There is a balance/valve adjuster on some ball cocks that can be adjusted as simply as any bike cable. A lot of appliances are like that in some way. Are we expected to know how to fix everything? It's obviously good if one can but not everybody has the time, know how or inclination to find out how to fix their bog, car or bike and that is absolutely ok. There are other people who can. Some people don't want to fix things.

I would also guess that, generally speaking, the sort of person who really knows nothing about fixing a minor thing on a bike is not likely to be using their bikes for very long journeys and is probably not going to be stranded miles from civilisation.

 

[Cyclopathic]

YEs we had a syphon go, and I changed it for one of those flap type valves, cost of the whole job about 20 instead of 60 + fpr a plumber

What's a syphon?

 

[Globalti]

Fixing a WC siphon or a bike or any other mechanical device is a question of being able to work out the operation of the mechanism and then deduct the reason why it's failing. Then it's a matter of having some understanding of how things are manufactured and assembled, being able to disassemble it and find a replacement part then fit that part. I accept that probably less than half the population has that ability and if they don't, it's better to pay somebody who does because a mistake can cost even more.

But my original post was on the fallacy of the idea of a one-off, cure-it-all "service" on a bicycle, which is a relatively delicate collection of systems pared down to the minimum weight. On an old roadster with rod brakes, a 3-speed hub and enclosed chain there would seldom be any need for adjustment and the bike could be ridden for hundreds of miles with no attention. However it was a very heavy bike and modern lightweight bikes have chains and cables, which are affected by dirt and water and derailleurs that need milimetre-perfect adjustment at the end of cables that stretch, running in housings that compress. So a modern bike needs frequent adjustment and attention to keep running at its best and a six-monthly or annual service isn't enough for that. Keeping a well-used bike running properly is a constant process of adjustment, replacement and cleaning and lubrication.