Help, partners bike broke before 100 this weekend!

[Yazzoo]

So my partner has entered his first century this Sunday, this morning comes back from his ride and says bottom bracket is creaking. Take it to shop, they confirm bottom bracket is dead and needs replacing, trouble is his trusty steed is a Trek 1200 from 2006 which is now discontinued.

Shop say to replace bottom bracket would also involve new chain and chain rings etc and looking at £150 with only a possibility of having it ready for Sunday.

My dilemma - do I just pay the £150 and try and get it fixed? Or is it not worth spending what is arguably as much as the bike is worth and get him something else, hopefully in time for Sunday?

Would you pay it and nurse it along for £150? Or pay a bit more for a new cheap road bike? I've had a look on eBay and gumtree and there's nothing much near me I'm thinking if I get him a new one it may have to be Carrera-ish. He is currently saving up to buy a proper nice bike next year but not in the position to do that at the moment.

Advice please? I'm going round in circles!

 

[ColinJ]

Hire or borrow a bike for the ride?

 

[Milkfloat]

Try another LBS, they could be trying an upsell.

 

[KneesUp]

As @Milkfloat says - if there is nothing wrong apart from the bottom bracket, just change that. Whether or not they still make the bike is irrelevant. My daily is 25 years old and uses such arcane and old-fashioned thing as a 1" quill stem, but you can still get parts for it.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Just get the BB changed, then try it out. You could order the other parts today and have them for Thursday, and fit them yourself. If need be.

BB = £15 or less
Chain = £10
Cassette = £15
Front Chainring - not sure, but probably £40 - £60

 

[Yazzoo]

Thanks for your quick replies

Hire or borrow a bike for the ride?

He has been offered a friends Tarmac to ride but is a bit worried about accidentally scuffing his pride and joy etc - don't know of anywhere round here that hires road bikes - will have a google - but long term solution still would you fix it or buy a cheap replacement?

Try another LBS, they could be trying an upsell.

I don't *think* they are tbh, we've had a lot of dealings with them and they do a lot for our local club so am hoping they wouldn't be doing anything underhand!

 

[Yazzoo]

As @Milkfloat says - if there is nothing wrong apart from the bottom bracket, just change that. Whether or not they still make the bike is irrelevant. My daily is 25 years old and uses such arcane and old-fashioned thing as a 1" quill stem, but you can still get parts for it.

Just get the BB changed, then try it out. You could order the other parts today and have them for Thursday, and fit them yourself. If need be.

This is where I wish I was more technically minded! It was put to me that because the bottom bracket is whatever it is (helpful I know!) replacing that would mean the chain and rings would have to change as well - is this not the case then?

Ordering the parts and fitting myself sounds great, except I've no idea what parts to order or what to do with them etc

 

[KneesUp]

This is where I wish I was more technically minded! It was put to me that because the bottom bracket is whatever it is (helpful I know!) replacing that would mean the chain and rings would have to change as well - is this not the case then?

Ordering the parts and fitting myself sounds great, except I've no idea what parts to order or what to do with them etc

Not the case at all - the bottom bracket is just the axle that the chain wheels attach to.

It's the equivalent of saying that you need new wheels and tyres on your car because you've changed the wheel bearings (if that analogy helps!)

 

[vickster]

N+1. 500se is £300 in decathlon sale

 

[Deleted member 35268]

The Bottom Bracket is an entirely separate bit of the bike and can be changed anytime. Signs of wear are creaks and movement - or if it fails it will kind of stop the cranks turning somewhat.

Yes, the chainring will need to be removed, but the chain does not need to be broken or removed or changed.

Replacing a BB is a 10 minute job, with the right tools.

 

[jefmcg]

My bottom bracket failed on a ride. I took it in to a bike store and walked out 10 minutes later, right as rain. That was a brand specific shop, and an more recent bike so they had the part in stock.

4 days should be plenty of time to sort it out. Definitely don't take it in there if they can't promise it will be fixed; you could be £150 out of pocket and still bike less. I'd try another shop and see if they can do better.

 

[KneesUp]

N+1. 500se is £300 in decathlon sale

I understand the bike owner is already saving for a new bike - seems daft to spend money on 'not the bike (s)he wants' for the sake of a £10 bottom bracket, no?

 

[MisterStan]

A short run of googling tells me that it uses an 118mm ISIS BB - such as this one from CRC

 

[Yazzoo]

I think I may have to take an evening class or something - I hate feeling like I'm being taken advantage of cause I don't understand!

For clarity's sake I am female, my partner is male.

Maybe I need to go and get the bike and try elsewhere - I left it with them on my way to work this morning for them to investigate so it's still there at the moment

 

[MichaelW2]

2006 Trek 1200 has an own-label "Bontranger" chainset. The style of bottom bracket is not specified, but is probably japanese (Shimano style) square taper. This was the bog standard style and is widely available as a cartridge unit that screws into the frame using special tools. You need the correct length of spindle, so let a bike shop figure that out. Almost any brand of BB cartridge will work, but Shimano and Tange are best.

ISIS bottom bracket is a different style, made by FSA, still a replaceble cartride unit.

If the chain-rings, chain and rear cassette cogs are worn, this is a totally separate issue and you can deal with it later.

The bike is worth fixing. modern equiv would be about £800-£1000.