"I didn't buy a bike to oil it!"

[Bollo]

Whaaaatttttt !!! Campag C Record Carbon Looks - never greased them in 20 years - sweet. Newer stuff, XT SPD's never need touching !!

It certainly is a "feature" of the speedplays. I like them enough as pedals (two sided, wide float and crisp clip action) to put up with the occasional regrease and there's something satisfying about squeezing out the old grease. I believe they can be rebuilt as well, but not tried it myself.

<tedious_anecdote>If you don't regrease......About 2 years ago I managed to trash the little screw that covers the grease port in a minor off so that it couldn't be removed. They were ancient and running a little rough but I thought I'd ride them sans maintenance through the remainder of the summer and try to pick up replacements in the Autumn sales. On a subsequent ride the bearing seized, about six miles and 100m of climbing from home, causing the pedal to unscrew. Yay impromptu marathon single leg drill!</>

 

[Tin Pot]

Even my Fixed commuter get's lots of maintenance (well did - it's been gathering dust since I broke my spine).

Lots?

Tyre pressure, squirt of lube and occasional brake pad wear...?

 

[claudbutler]

Lots?

Tyre pressure, squirt of lube and occasional brake pad wear...?

I also give my everyday commute bike an occasional power wash with the works steam cleaner.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Lots?

Tyre pressure, squirt of lube and occasional brake pad wear...?

My fixed gets a weekly check. A check on the tyres for debris and pressure, also a check on the chain making sure the chains in tension and clean, I'll also check the bike over for any developing problems and make sure the brakes are in adjustment. My geared bike will get a similar weekly check, the only thing I don't need to do geared bike is the chain tension. Both bikes get a weekly wash and a monthly polish.

 

[glenn forger]

The bikes used there, and their condition was fascinating

Functional work-horses. Left outside in the rain all night. Fully enclosed chains (although lots of them were incredibly rusty). Heavy, puncture-resistant tyres. Either single speed or simple 3-speed hub gears.

Whereabouts were you? In the centre I noticed loads of clanky old workbeasts but if you look at the bikes being ridden they're usually a better quality. Most of the hire bikes are in good order but they're fixed wheel no brake jobbies.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was spellbound by the bikes in Copenhagen. I kept stopping and saying to my wife things like "look! another sprung Brooks saddle" or "look at that headset, that's a bit unusual don't you think" She was fascinated ... not.

I saw only two riders in Lycra on derailleur equipped bikes. That was very early on Sunday and they were probably off out to meet their club.

 

[nickyboy]

Whereabouts were you? In the centre I noticed loads of clanky old workbeasts but if you look at the bikes being ridden they're usually a better quality. Most of the hire bikes are in good order but they're fixed wheel no brake jobbies.

Stayed in a residential district but wandered all over the city. The residential district was full of commuters cycling. I'm sure there were some well maintained ones whizzing past but there were a heck of a lot of really clanky workbeasts. And of course the residential streets are full of parked up bikes; all night out in the rain etc

There just seems to be a different mindset in UK as regards what sort of bike you need. A guy I know has started commuting; 5 flattish miles. So he's bought a bike with loads of gears, derailleur etc etc. Commpletely unnecessary and he''l have to maintain it to keep it running OK. Get a Dutch clunker and I bet you could run it forever without even looking at it

 

[Tin Pot]

I also give my everyday commute bike an occasional power wash with the works steam cleaner.

Mines is geared, I'm just hoping a singlespeed/fixed would be less maintenance when I get to n=3

I'd blast mine weekly with the Kerscher power whatever, if I could be bothered to plug it in and hook the hose up.

Say what you like about bearings, meh. Just another thing to maintain.

 

[snorri]

There just seems to be a different mindset in UK as regards what sort of bike you need. A guy I know has started commuting; 5 flattish miles. So he's bought a bike with loads of gears, derailleur etc etc.

It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall listening to the dialogue with the sales staff when this guy was buying his bike. Sadly for many of the current generation of cycle sales people the concept of cycling as a mode of transport is unknown.
A bicycle with mudguards was a rare sight in cycle shops in my neck of the woods.

 

[Karlt]

The guy must have ridden thousands of miles in 2 months for the lube to run out and the chain to rust.

Not at all. I got my wet weather bike out after a couple of weeks of non-use, and the chain showed surface rust. When it's in use it gets weekly chain lube.

 

[glenn forger]

[QUOTE 4169526, member: 259"]I would be amazed if you can hire a fixie with no brakes anywhere in the Netherlands.[/QUOTE]

It's still a clanky old work horse but with back pedal brakes. Got one from Dam bikes off Damrak.

 

[snorri]

Mine both have loads of gears, derailleurs, and mudguards, and are used as a mode of transport all the time.

That's ok as long as you are happy to carry out the maintenance that these systems require, the OP was clearly not happy.

 

[glenn forger]

If you owned a clanky old work horse and everyone else did the same then you wouldn't be precious about lubing. Maybe eat some chips while looking at the bike.

 

[tyred]

Fact - oiling a bike is completely unnecessary and it will work fine without oil. Never did mine any harm

 

[fossyant]

Lots?

Tyre pressure, squirt of lube and occasional brake pad wear...?

Mickled chain, washed after every wet ride, Mr Sheened