how much replacement of parts before you buy a new bike?

[alecstilleyedye]

this week i've spent less than £90 replacing the following on my commuter:

jockey wheels
cassette
chain
crankset
bottom bracket
mudguards

some people would have bought a new bike if it needed all that; what's the most you'd consider replacing before deciding to replace the bike?

just for background, these replacements replace the replacement groupset (or bits of it) that replaced the original groupset on a fairly ordinary alu frame that has also had 3 replacement wheelsets in its time too (in fact, only the internal headset remains from the original purchase)

 

[fossyant]

It's wear and tear parts. My old MTB has had more parts over the years than it originally cost.

 

[Stephen Piper]

I'm riding trigger's old bike

 

[mark st1]

I'm riding trigger's old bike

You can ride his old broom if you borrow it off my mother in law

 

[DCLane]

My Secteur has had since purchase in February 2012:

- bottom bracket
- front & rear derailleurs
- many chains
- lots of cables plus outer cables
- many, many brake pads
- bar tape
- brake hoods and a shifter cover
- new wheelset x 2
- front & rear brakes
- saddle

To me it's still the same bike as the main components are the same (frame / forks). If I changed the shifters and crankset I'd still feel the same.

 

[vickster]

Only thing I've replaced are inner tubes, bartape and the odd tyre

 

[steveindenmark]

It depends how much you like your bike.

I bought my wife 2 pairs of shoes and a handbag before I divorced her. I didn't like her enough to keep buying the parts.

I still have my bike though.

 

[NorthernDave]

I start looking at new bikes when the bar tape gets grubby...

 

[tyred]

Things wear out and need replaced. Fact of life. I think people are too quick to bin things. I always keep repairing where possible.

 

[ColinJ]

I would only replace the bike after a serious crash that caused so much damage that it would not be cost-effective to repair it!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I had a mountain bike until two years ago that had 48 new chains over the years, probably 10 new pairs of tyres - maybe more, and more jockey wheels I care to think of. I changed the headset once but the second one took replaceable cartridge bearings and I replaced those plenty of times. It had one new paint job, two new suspension forks, a couple of chainrings (but the same cranks), plenty of cassettes, cables and wheel bearings. A couple of pairs of brake blocks only and one new front rim. Three spokes were replaced when the chain destroyed them after I bumped the jockey and carried on riding.

The bike now belongs to a friend who still rides it.

I know the exact number of chains because I bought a box of 50 Shimano IG chains at an auction once and used that box only my and my wife's bikes. I'm guessing but she only used up one or two chains on that bike. These were our only 8-speed bikes and I only used chains from that box on those bikes.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

some people would have bought a new bike if it needed all that

Would they? I dinnae think so. Seriously?

 

[HLaB]

I've replaced all those parts and more on my bikes over the years and so far the only one I've replaced was when the frame was broken and even that I replaced the frame only and swapped the bits off the broken frame to the new frame.

 

[vickster]

I start looking at new bikes when the bar tape gets grubby...

Not just me then

 

[Dan Morinary]

My go to bike is a 90's rigid mtb and the only original parts remaining are the frame and shifters. If I totaled the cost over the years it would make me cry. Yet I enjoy keeping it running and get more satisfaction from it than buying a new bike every couple of years boasting the latest "must have" components and tweaks.
It's each to their own, I've never had a brand new bike, but have enjoyed my cycling and fettling immensely over the years. I love the fact that my old steel beasts have been around so long that they are now considered retro chic! Will have to grow a beard and dramatically increase my tattoo ratio, the oldest hipster in town!