New commuting bike or stick with knackered steed?

[KnackeredBike]

So, currently I commute to work on a knackered Carrera alu road bike that I bought in a strop when someone nicked my one day old expensive road bike.

It doesn't owe me anything, it's survived commuting tens of thousands of miles eleven miles x2 5+ days a week through rain, shine, snow and everything in between.

All it's had in that time is a new back wheel (because some knob van driver kicked it), a wheel true, new rear sprocket and chain, and a bit of chain oil if it's lucky. It's even on the original Gatorskin tyres. tl;dr it doesn't owe me anything.

It's getting to the "spend money on it" stage, both wheels are coming out of true and the front bearing are starting to go. It's getting a bit twitchy going round corners. Any new bike has to survive being locked (with a thick chain) by a quiet work entrance at all hours.

So, spend money on the Halfrauds pile of crap that's done so well? Or get something a bit nicer? I do have the money to spend if it's going to make overtaking the big queue of cars on my commute more fun.

 

[KneesUp]

Buy a set of cheap wheels and a cassette and chain - this bike does the job. A nicer one may attract the same attention as the old road bike and disappear. If you want a 'nicer' bike then get one of those for non-commuting duties. The one you have sounds perfect for the job of commuting.

 

[vickster]

Might need the headset servicing too?

 

[keithmac]

I treated myself to a new commuter bike last year and it's the best money I've spent in a long time! (old bike needed a lot of work and parts).

I'm lucky enough not to have to lock it up outside but if I did may have just repaired the old one.

 

[MichaelW2]

You can upgrade to useful all-weather commuter features such as more tyre clearance, bolt on mudguard fittings and disk brakes. Modern CX styke bikes make excellent commuters esp the more tourable versions with rack mou ts.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Have you thought about a good used hybrid from a better manufacturer? You can find lots of nice condition 1 or 2 year old hybrids on the usual sites for about half the cost of a new one. Many people buy bikes with the best intentions, and then wonder why they bothered a year later. A quick service and Bob's your uncle, you've got a nearly new bike.

 

[biggs682]

@KnackeredBike if you like the old one why not just do whats needed and carry on , and save somemoney

 

[mjr]

Might need the headset servicing too?

Yeah, whaddyamean "getting a bit twitchy going round corners"?

Two tests for headset adjustment are: to turn the bars side-to-side with the front wheel lifted off the ground and see if you can feel anything odd; and to brake the front wheel so it locks up and push the bars forwards and release and see if it clunks or anything moves visibly. Any others that people would like to tip?

 

[cyberknight]

If you can afford it then why not but if the rest of the bike is ok then it might be worth keeping .

I ride a carrera vanquish i built up as a commuter/winter bike and although i hanker after a nicer bike i realize it does the job and if some tealeaf comes along to the bike sheds there are a lot of nicer looking bikes that are barely locked so it has less chance of being nicked even if its mechanically better looked after than most of the bikes there.Most repairs are easy enough to do once you have a basic toolkit and you can save a lot of money doing it yourself.

 

[cyberknight]

Yeah, whaddyamean "getting a bit twitchy going round corners"?

Two tests for headset adjustment are: to turn the bars side-to-side with the front wheel lifted off the ground and see if you can feel anything odd; and to brake the front wheel so it locks up and push the bars forwards and release and see if it clunks or anything moves visibly. Any others that people would like to tip?

and gatorskins are not the best on corners even new.

 

[KnackeredBike]

and gatorskins are not the best on corners even new.

Thank you all for your advice, guess it is a case of "grass is greener". Maybe I might treat the bike to it's second ever wash .

The headset touch wood is fine (no clunks) - as you say my impression is that Gatorskins are quite twitchy as tyres anyway and I'm more cautious after plenty of movie-style sideways slides across the tarmac when younger! Still I would put up with them being made of ice for the lack of p**ctures!

 

[User16625]

Yeah, whaddyamean "getting a bit twitchy going round corners"?

Two tests for headset adjustment are: to turn the bars side-to-side with the front wheel lifted off the ground and see if you can feel anything odd; and to brake the front wheel so it locks up and push the bars forwards and release and see if it clunks or anything moves visibly. Any others that people would like to tip?

Lick the headset tension bolt to check if it tastes funny.

 

[Milkfloat]

Unless 'tens of thousands of miles' is an exaggeration those tyres will be well and truly dead.

 

[Drago]

True the wheels, lube and adjust the bearings... even new bearings are liable to be only pennies and an hour of your time.

 

[cyberknight]

True the wheels, lube and adjust the bearings... even new bearings are liable to be only pennies and an hour of your time.

About £3 including a tube of grease it cost me for mine .