Partlife!

[dhd.evans]

I commute some 18-20 miles a day on my Triban 3a - I average about 60-80 miles a week these days, so my bike gets a fair bit of use. I keep the thing clean, and i have a tendency to clean the chain and cassette every few days. Now, i've taken to replacing parts as and when they seem to run out of life but I don't know how to anticipate when a part is about to give out, rather only when it actually gives up the ghost which is usually mid-ride.

So, I wonder if CycleChat could help me out with determining what parts might be on their way out and what warning signs to look out for:

 

[Drago]

Forks. Warning sign - unwanted interface between teeth and tarmac.

Seatpost. Warning sign - stress cracks if you're lucky. Arse on rear wheel, testicles dragged under the caliper by the moving tyre if your not.

Brifters. Warning sign - probably nothing. They'll likely just cease to work with little warning

Front mech. Warning sign - excessive wear on the inner cage faces.

 

[The Horse's Mouth]

bike makes funny noises. find noisy part & oil. if still making noise replace.
bike not working properly, fix part not working. if cant fix replace.
bike falls to pieces. replace bike.

 

[Diggs]

Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as......

Oh sorry.....PARTlife

 

[chewa]

Only bits that wore out on my bike (5-6000 miles a year) were:
Rims - replaced every second winter. Keep an eye on rim warning marks
Cassette - new one every year (with chain). Always started to slip a bit
Chainrings - every second year for the middle and outer. When they look like nunchukkas
Tyres - as and when needed (i.e became shiny enough when wet to use as a shaving mirror)
Brake blocks - in winter every 6 weeks !
BB - when started to click or play up - they lasted several years at a time.
Also right hand erfos tend to go silent and lose their feel.

I just kept an eye on stuff. You aren't an aero engineer by any chance are you

I don't like to think of fork failure - my commuting/audax/touring frame (built in 1984) has well over 100k on it.

 

[Jenkins]

I have an original red Triban 3 that is 4 years old and has covered 10,000 miles so far. The forks, left brifter, bottom bracket, cranks, front dérailleur, seatpost, bar & stem are all original which should give you some idea of how long they last.

The other non-consumables that you've upgraded should last for many years while brake pads & chains are usually once a year and the Marathon Plus tyres should see you through a nuclear holocaust!

 

[jonny jeez]

I heard triban's tend to suffer dry bottom brackets, and the wheel bearings go the same way. Clearly the French don't like grease.

Other than that, after 5 years of commuting I am still trying to figure this question out myself.

 

[CopperBrompton]

bike makes funny noises. find noisy part & oil. if still making noise replace.
bike not working properly, fix part not working. if cant fix replace.
bike falls to pieces. replace bike.

If it doesn't move and it should, WD40.
If it moves and it shouldn't, gaffa tape.