Riding Time versus Fettling Time

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

With aircraft, I know sometimes there are figures quoted for hours flying versus hours in maintenance. So for every N hours flying, the aircraft requires N hours of maintenace.

Wondering if we could arrive at an approximate figure for bikes; riding time versus fettling time.

This is inspired by the sad fact I didn't get out for a long ride as hoped this weekend due how long it took to get all the bikes fettled.

 

[vickster]

I don't do any fettling unless absolutely essential (so I've replaced one punctured tube this year and pumped tyres up/put some chain oil on). So I've spent maybe max 1.5-2 hours vs nearly 60 hours cycling this year

 

[presta]

I used to service the bike about four times a year, and leave it alone in between unless it broke. In 45,744 miles from new, the average distance between repairs on my Horizon is 712 miles. Horizontal scale is odometer reading, vertical scale is distance since previous repair:

 

[scragend]

If I spent half as much time riding my bikes as I do tinkering with them, I'd be in the pro peloton.

There's not even anything wrong with them, I just like tinkering.

 

[Big John]

Since I retired I spend a lot of time cleaning the bike after every ride. I say a 'lot' of time....depends on your definition of 'lot' I suppose but I'll typically do a three hour ride and an hour cleaning/fettling the next day. In decent weather the hour becomes half an hour but for months on end, and all the crap weather we get, it can be at least an hour and a half cleaning it. I find cleaning/fettling relaxing so it's definitely not a chore. I do three rides a week therefore, on average, 9 hours riding/3 hours fettling. And one day a week I spend as a volunteer mechanic for a bike charity so I get an entire DAY to mess with bikes 🥳

 

[All uphill]

The ratios for me are, approximately,

For each 4 hour ride:

5 to 10 minutes necessary cleaning, repairs and maintenance,

1 hour unnecessary fiddling,

1 hour planning future unnecessary modifications.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'd say for a typical ride of, say, 6-8 hours it's followed up with either a 20-30 minute clean/lubricate in summer or a 30-60 minute clean/lubricate in winter. Then there are a few longer sessions dotted throughout the year (redoing cables, messing around with tyres and stuff). Anything that's going to take much more than an hour it's off to the LBS with it.

 

[roley poley]

good question as i have just fitted a new brooks flyer to my genesis my stop and tamper time to tune it in to ME has upset my average tinker time somewhat as the two seem to go together at many times in my cycle life

 

[Slick]

Honestly, I do some minor stuff but on the whole I'm a great believer about every person should stick to their own job. I could definitely do more, but it does beg the question, why?

 

[cyberknight]

I don't do any fettling unless absolutely essential (so I've replaced one punctured tube this year and pumped tyres up/put some chain oil on). So I've spent maybe max 1.5-2 hours vs nearly 60 hours cycling this year

Yes but you tend to let the lbs do your fettling, not that's there's anything wrong with it

 

[wafter]

Crikey - I'm a gear tart but do sod all regular maintenance compared to most it seems!

My bikes tend to get an initial intense flurry of attention upon arrival to get things where they should be; then they're just ridden and see attention as and when.

They get washed occasionally when this seems necessary to prevent wear / damage or if I find the muck particularly visually offensive. Chains get waxed when they start to squeak or every 300 miles. Bits tightened or adjusted when they get sloppy.. replaced when they become excessively worn.

Tbh I could do with a regular maintenance schedule for the stuff that's less obvious (such as disk brake pad wear and lubrication of more overlooked bits like derailleurs) but generally this approach serves me well.. or has done so far at least.

On the utility bikes I get maybe 150 miles or c. 12hrs of riding per waxed chain (they usually end up getting wet and sqeaking); which costs me probably 10-15 minutes of actual work per chain to re-wax.. struggling to account for the other stuff; it probably averages out to be a fair bit given the days I've sunk into each of my bikes early on..

 

[tyred]

I enjoy building up 'new' bikes but must admit I don't do huge amount of cleaning or maintenance. Only whatever is required or likely to cause problems.

I favour hub gears or single speed as they generally need less looking after.

I gave my Brompton a complete overhaul last year and it was prompted by riding alongside another Brompton rider for a few miles when I was touring on the Isle of Arran and being really aware of how silent his Brompton was in comparison to my cacophony of squeaks, clunks and rattles.

 

[vickster]

Yes but you tend to let the lbs do your fettling, not that's there's anything wrong with it

Yep but I’ve just not needed anything this year. I do have another puncture to do though!

 

[biketrailerguy]

With aircraft, I know sometimes there are figures quoted for hours flying versus hours in maintenance. So for every N hours flying, the aircraft requires N hours of maintenace.

Am no expert on this, but I doubt that it's the same time for each activity .. so, maybe N and M?
Re bikes, I only mess around / fettle with the thing when it needs it. Since my journeys are rarely more than 5miles, I'm easy walking / pushing distance away from a node if catastrophic failure occurs.

 

[Mike Ayling]

If it's not broken don't fix it.
Cleaning is a different matter.