Fix the old bike or buy a new one?

[fossyant]

Chain and freewheel/cassette are consumable parts. I got about 6 - 8 months out of a chain/cassette on the old commuter

 

[knonist]

Good components last longer than cheap ones so treat every replacement as an upgrade and you'll eventually have a bike which won't need constant repairs.
Keep riding until as long as you can into the Winter, 'though it's a good idea to stay off the road the week after the clocks go back because thats the week when the most accidents happen. If the weather turns really nasty you can use the train but there are plenty of fine days in Winter when cycling is no problem. Just make sure that you have lights for the ride home.

Thanks for the advice! I will definity remember to stay off the road in October.
My LBS keep selling me the cheap stuff as they suggested that it is no point putting expenive stuff on a cheap bike, is that correct?

 

[knonist]

Chain and freewheel/cassette are consumable parts. I got about 6 - 8 months out of a chain/cassette on the old commuter

my LBS quoted me £50 for a new chain and a "cheap" free wheel....

 

[fossyant]

my LBS quoted me £50 for a new chain and a "cheap" free wheel....

Freewheel or cassette - say £20.
Chain - £10
Fitting £20

Ouch !

 

[knonist]

Freewheel or cassette - say £20.
Chain - £10
Fitting £20

Ouch !

thus I wanted a bike that is relibable and if it required serviceing, it is easy enough to do it myself.

 

[dondare]

Thanks for the advice! I will definity remember to stay off the road in October.
My LBS keep selling me the cheap stuff as they suggested that it is no point putting expensive stuff on a cheap bike, is that correct?

There is certainly no point in running a cheap bike with cheap components because then you'll never stop having problems with it. However, if the frame is cheap then the bike will always be heavy even when the wheels, chainset and so on have been replaced with good ones. (And a heavy bike is not much fun for a long commute during the Winter months.) Buy a good bike now and it'll have a light frame and durable, reliable components and save you money in the longer run.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

A "good enough" chain is £4 in Asda, and a "good enough" freewheel will be around a tenner from eBay. Even if you have to buy them, a freewheel remover is a fiver or so, so is a chain splitter and once you've bought them you've got them forever.

I'd say £50 sounds a lot if you can do it yourself instead.

 

[knonist]

There is certainly no point in running a cheap bike with cheap components because then you'll never stop having problems with it. However, if the frame is cheap then the bike will always be heavy even when the wheels, chainset and so on have been replaced with good ones. (And a heavy bike is not much fun for a long commute during the Winter months.) Buy a good bike now and it'll have a light frame and durable, reliable components and save you money in the longer run.

This is the main reason why I wanted to get a new one...
apart from the trek 7.3fx, anyone has other suggestions?

 

[knonist]

saw a trek 7300 -2009 for £100, should I go for it?
i think it is too heavy..... but it is cheap