Some cyclists are actually a bit mental..

[marinyork]

Anyone else know any cyclists with strange behaviour (apart from doing it in the first place)

I used to be very much like the story you describe except the bike was in better nick. I also know someone who matches the description even better than me. Nothing wrong with it really, had some great adventures on the bike, even if now I own thermals and have kit like pumps it all looks mad.

 

[downfader]

I went to the supermarket this morning and got a bit carried away. Both panniers full and two bags on each side of the handlebars. Out of curiosity I weighed the shopping when I got back.............70lbs

Have done that on foot with large format camera gear.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Being still relatively new to this cycling malarky I think some of you, especially if you're life long enthusiasts, seriously underestimate the lack of knowledge/interest re bikes amongst the uninformed.

It's very much the same as the number of cyclists who run a car in which they have no interest whatsoever.

 

[marinyork]

It's very much the same as the number of cyclists who run a car in which they have no interest whatsoever.

I was quite surprised when someone said the other day changing the front mech cable on here is dead easy. I've fiddled with a few things but that's one thing I wouldn't touch.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I knew a bloke who used to go MTBing on an old Emelle BSO which he'd bought for a tenner. This used to really annoy the serious MTBers with their flash top end bikes and their lycra kit. One day, on the edge of an old quarry, my mate was being berated by one of the serious mob for the state of his bike. "Well, it'll go down that slope faster than yours" says my mate, and promptly picks up his bike and hurls it over the edge of the quarry.

 

[BentMikey]

I was quite surprised when someone said the other day changing the front mech cable on here is dead easy. I've fiddled with a few things but that's one thing I wouldn't touch.

I'd have thought lots of people would say that's dead easy. Sheldon Brown's website and the Park Tool one are your friends.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I was quite surprised when someone said the other day changing the front mech cable on here is dead easy. I've fiddled with a few things but that's one thing I wouldn't touch.

Why not? It's a doddle. Approach it logically - take note of the cable routing before you remove the old one, and set the tension on the new cable with the front derailleur in the "granny ring" position (because that's where the cable is slackest) - and you'll be fine. You don't even need any tools, other than a 6mm Allen key. (Or a 9mm spanner if your bike is old.)

 

[marinyork]

Why not? It's a doddle. Approach it logically - take note of the cable routing before you remove the old one, and set the tension on the new cable with the front derailleur in the "granny ring" position (because that's where the cable is slackest) - and you'll be fine. You don't even need any tools, other than a 6mm Allen key. (Or a 9mm spanner if your bike is old.)

I've read plenty of sheldon brown, still wouldn't do it. I would touch tyres, tubes, adjusting brakes, spokes, freewheels, jockey wheels, train. Pretty much nothing else I'll touch. I'm just telling people my experiences as I used to do all the things in the OP apart from have it in appalling nick (although people often say I do still today out of image).

I can see why people are put off doing maintenance on bikes as all the first things you're likely to do go wrong e.g. take wheel off - won't go back on straight. Put wheel back on - brakes rub. Fiddle with anything to do with the chain, won't change gears smoothly. Fiddle more - front mech won't change. Fiddle with brakes - brakes rub more and not less or they work fine but the Vs are too far out so work fine but less efficiently. etc.

Perhaps I will give it a go next time though, or the brake cables which I go through more of.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Some of us are inveterate fiddlers. I learned how to maintain my bikes by pulling them to bits and putting them back together from an early age. When I moved on to cars I did the same with them: my first engine rebuild wasdone with no prior knowledge of how to strip and repair an engine whatever. The first time I did it, it all went horribly wrong, but that merely meant that the second time I did it, I got it right. It's how you learn.

 

[MacB]

It's very much the same as the number of cyclists who run a car in which they have no interest whatsoever.

Very true, mine's in danger of collapsing into the driveway, when we were clearing snow we made a pile behind my car

 

[potsy]

I cycled part way home with a colleague this afternoon,now he normally rides quite sedately but today was only just moving,am guessing <10mph on the flat.Asked him if he was OK and he told me that his large chainring was out of action(all the teeth were worn down flat) so was having to use the 34t ring(compact double) and small sprocket.
Had a quick look and I could only just see the cassette and chain under all the rust!!
This is a guy that has no other transport and rode all through winter on this bike,approx 10 miles a day

 

[marinyork]

Some of us are inveterate fiddlers. I learned how to maintain my bikes by pulling them to bits and putting them back together from an early age. When I moved on to cars I did the same with them: my first engine rebuild wasdone with no prior knowledge of how to strip and repair an engine whatever. The first time I did it, it all went horribly wrong, but that merely meant that the second time I did it, I got it right. It's how you learn.

I am some sort of a fiddler, but on a small scale otherwise I would never have learned even the limited maintenance I have up to now. It's a similar thing with cars. I'm just offering up an explanation as to why people don't do it. I'm not really that good at bike maintenance at all but I just know when something is wrong with it and where it is, which is still an all right skill to have. I've learnt what these bits are called now and how they work, I just can't do very much about it. Also things like screwdrivers, allen keys, and various cycle specific stuff is seen as expensive tools. I still see it like that even now.

I know quite a few people the same, some of it is how you were brought up my father is technically incompetent with any tool and some of it is when you have one bike it's viewed as more precious when you first get it, you daren't break it . After a while you get more bikes and that all changes but by then you can't be arsed to learn as much new things along those lines . If you apply how I felt about things and then put in even less effort and even less curiosity it's not really totally surprising that so many people can't/won't change a tyre. Well to me anyway. It's exactly the same sort of thing really for getting people to start cycling, they look on with horror at something costing £500.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

After cycling this week I am bonkers.
Snow on Tuesday, drenched today,
Probably frozen tomorrow !

but then thats why God invented tumble dryers !

 

[fossyant]

Bikes are really easy to sort out. I built my best bike from bits - had the frame custom built, gave the builder my headset so he could fit the cups, and I did the rest.... not exactly rocket science, and this was before internet....and the bike still works. PS it's still on the original gear cables....... you don't get Dura Ace gear cables now like you did when 7400 was made - totally over made - pre STI though.

I was 21 doing this....on what was a Pro bike....expensive if you cock up.

Simple rule, before you pull cables out etc, see where they go into. Easy....REALLY...

PS I'm happy to crawl under the bonnet of a car and change oil/filters brake pads etc.....so not exactly your typical 'office worker'......

Common scene is all that's needed.

GIVE IT A GO.............

 

[Browser]

I was lucky enough to grow up with a dad who used to work in a bike shop, so learned from him. While it meant I never had a brand new bike as I grew up I also learned you don't necessarily need one and you can build up new-to-you bikes from bits of other people's cast-offs.
As far as being a fiddler, I never did learn to play the violin