Improvisation or bin and buy the latest thing?

[PaulSB]

Isn't part of the answer, who has to buy new, who can't jerry rig, who has no common sense & doesn't know how to repair something.

Before anything is thrown away, it is examined to see if it can be repaired even if it's only kicking the eventual replacement further down the road for a few weeks/months. IMO it's the schools fault, all children these days are taught with the aim of going to university to get a degree, they are not taught to use their hands to make things, repair things like they used to be taught. Ah Sunday rant over.

This is an interesting post. I do not have to buy new, I don't have a need to, but I have no ability to jerry rig, improvise or to repair things unless the repair is straightforward. I would never throw away something until I've attempted a repair but this applies to life in general not specifically cycling. If something is wrong with one of my bikes my LBS repairs or replaces the part.

I take it from your post you would say I lack commonsense. I always have the feeling there is an element of snobbishness amongst those who can towards those who cannot or have no desire to. It's something I find hard to understand.

I'm mechanically inept and it doesn't interest me to learn. On the other hand I probably grow better vegetables and fruit than 99% of posters on here. This is something I enjoy and understand but I don't look down on those for whom it's a mystery.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

This is an interesting post. I do not have to buy new, I don't have a need to, but I have no ability to jerry rig, improvise or to repair things unless the repair is straightforward. I would never throw away something until I've attempted a repair but this applies to life in general not specifically cycling. If something is wrong with one of my bikes my LBS repairs or replaces the part.

I take it from your post you would say I lack commonsense. I always have the feeling there is an element of snobbishness amongst those who can towards those who cannot or have no desire to. It's something I find hard to understand.

I'm mechanically inept and it doesn't interest me to leaf . On the other hand I probably grow better vegetables and fruit than 99% of posters on here. This is something I enjoy and understand but I don't look down on those for whom it's a mystery.

If you have the desire to feel offended then please do so, it however was not the purpose of the post & if you were then I apologise.

 

[oldwheels]

I was brought up during the war years when getting anything new was virtually impossible.
I then went in to farming where you only cut a cord for at the knot and reused the cord as one example.
My first distillery was held together with sticking plaster and bits of wire.
I regard myself as an expert bodger and have done some bike repairs regarded as impossible because nobody told me they were impossible.

 

[lazybloke]

Improvise if I can, the rear light on my old rack doesn't stay closed anymore so is bodged like this:

I had to replace my cateye batteries last week - and the sellotape that holds the lens on.

 

[Juan Kog]

In all honesty I have seen Di2 mentioned and don't actually know what it is. I'm guessing part of gearing as it has only been spoken of in this context. I'm not a real cyclist I'm sorry.

You’ll be telling us next your not remortgaging to buy some new carbon wheels . Frankly I’m appalled ,Your obviously not a proper cyclist . .

 

[PaulSB]

After seeing the Great improvisation that @GuyBoden has done with the lagging foam I thought, I wonder who just buys new, who jerry rigs stuff, who buys the gadgets that really don't need inventing? I try to find a use for most things if they break and don't replace just because it's old. Inner tubes for luggage ties and save the valves for jewellery projects etc. What do you do?

In relation to bikes I feel your question highlights the wide church cycling has become. The interests of riders, cycling styles, approach to cycling is incredibly diverse and I see it as a great strength of the activity, I was going to say sport but that's actually the wrong word as cycling is far more than that.

For myself I buy what I feel will give me the greatest pleasure and the most bang for my buck. As an example my last new bike November 2020 I could have had Di2 and weighed up the choices. On balance I felt it wouldn't increase my enjoyment and I'd be buying it simply because Di2 is the thing to have. I stuck with mechanical gearing and invested the money in better wheels which does give me a benefit.

I have a beautiful five year old Cervelo which is the best bike I've owned. Late last year I felt I wanted a new bike for summer but estimated I'd have to spend £5-6000 to get a bike as good as my Cervelo. I also worried I wouldn't fit a replacement so well. Instead my LBS stripped the bike completely, we examined and cleaned every component and made some upgrades with the intention of having more fun. I spent £700 and fully expect to get another five years from her. She's riding like new.

From the other perspective I'd get no joy from riding a bike with pipe lagging wrapped around the bars. I admire people's ingenuity, appreciate they take pleasure in different ways to me and love to fettle their machines. This is great because we are all taking pleasure from the very broad church of cycling........which is exactly how it should be.

 

[PaulSB]

If you have the desire to feel offended then please do so, it however was not the purpose of the post & if you were then I apologise.

Interesting again. I'm not offended nor do I have a desire to be offended. I can't imagine why anyone would have a desire to be offended. Thanks for the apology but it wasn't needed.

Your post inferred those unable or uninterested in mechanics, Jerry rigging etc. lack commonsense. I just think that view should be challenged.

 

[FishFright]

In all honesty I have seen Di2 mentioned and don't actually know what it is. I'm guessing part of gearing as it has only been spoken of in this context. I'm not a real cyclist I'm sorry.

Don't worry about it , the poster knows nothing about it bar the price

 

[matticus]

In relation to bikes I feel your question highlights the wide church cycling has become. The interests of riders, cycling styles, approach to cycling is incredibly diverse and I see it as a great strength of the activity, I was going to say sport but that's actually the wrong word as cycling is far more than that.

(The only sad thing about all this diversity is that so many people are unaware - or worse unappreciateve/dismissive - of the other branches of the church )

 

[Andy in Germany]

I was brought up during the war years when getting anything new was virtually impossible.
I then went in to farming where you only cut a cord for at the knot and reused the cord as one example.
My first distillery was held together with sticking plaster and bits of wire.
I regard myself as an expert bodger and have done some bike repairs regarded as impossible because nobody told me they were impossible.

I've enjoyed moving back to a more rural area where this is normal; in the rather wealthy suburban "village" I lived before many people bought in everything.

 

[BalkanExpress]

I have lots of common sense and it tells me not to trust most things I try and fix.!

At school we had an obligation to study a practical subject; woodwork, metalwork , or engineering drawing for O Level/CSE. I was so bad at them all I was advised to take an academic subject instead as I was certain to fail any of the three.

I say this with great frustration, I’d like to be able to repair stuff and I can often see how, in theory, to do it but as soon as I am hands on it all goes horribly wrong. Same applies to art, absolutely zero aptitude.

 

[steveindenmark]

You mean like Di2? I think the answer is clear. Big companies who want your money and persuade cyclists they need to 'upgrade'.
This is illustrated very well in a recent thread where a beginner has been persuaded that he needs to upgrade his wheels on a newly purchased bike to a pair of thousand pounds ones.

I have a carbon road bike with Di2. It is my least ridden bike. I would not class Di2 as an upgrade or a necessity. Its a lavish luxury and its great to be able to whiz up and down the gears, just for the fun of it. Its what you buy when you have sod all else to spend your money on. But its fun. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Interesting again. I'm not offended nor do I have a desire to be offended. I can't imagine why anyone would have a desire to be offended. Thanks for the apology but it wasn't needed.

Your post inferred those unable or uninterested in mechanics, Jerry rigging etc. lack commonsense. I just think that view should be challenged.

You appear to be out looking for an argument, I'm sorry for what's going on with your life to make it like that, but I'm not in the mood to be the one that you are projecting onto, please move on & find another victim.

 

[kingrollo]

Cycling though has relatively low overheads. My club fees are under £20 - even a race license isn't expensive.

Contrast that with gym membership or golf membership (bro pays £1400 pa)

The kicka is its keeps you healthy - so If you want to toss £800 on a set of wheels - it's well worth it - you can recover some of the cost when u come sell etc ...

So in isolation a big layout might seem excessive - but consider the physical and mental health benefits - I don't think it is.

 

[Dogtrousers]

A pedant writes: The term for makeshift repairs is to "jury rig" not "jerry rig".