The fallacy of "servicing" a bicycle.

[Globalti]

If you can't adjust your brake/gear barrel adjusters on the fly (ie whilst still riding) you should have your cyclist badge removed forcibly.....eg "Oooo...gear change sounds a bit clicky...time to tweak before the next hill"

Er.... this attempt at sarcasm fails because if you've got in-lne cable adjusters it's perfectly possible to adjust your gears on the fly. Anybody can do this if they've a feel for the gears and an ear for the noise they make. And with a bit of an effort you can also adjust your brakes if you really want.

 

[Andy_R]

Er.... this attempt at sarcasm fails because if you've got in-lne cable adjusters it's perfectly possible to adjust your gears on the fly. Anybody can do this if they've a feel for the gears and an ear for the noise they make. And with a bit of an effort you can also adjust your brakes if you really want.

It's not an attempt at sarcasm..it's a valid (from my point of view anyway) point. Bikes are meant to be easily adjusted and anyone who doesn't take the time to learn how to adjust them -- well perhaps they should start walking.

 

[keithmac]

I used to adjust gears on the fly, the best way imho as you can dial it in properly as you ride

I have a single speed now and a Nuvinci hubbed bike so that's one less thing to worry about!.

 

[CopperBrompton]

If you can't adjust your brake/gear barrel adjusters on the fly (ie whilst still riding) you should have your cyclist badge removed forcibly.....eg "Oooo...gear change sounds a bit clicky...time to tweak before the next hill"

You're not a Real Cyclist unless you can fix a puncture in your rear tyre while still riding.

 

[summerdays]

You're not a Real Cyclist unless you can fix a puncture in your rear tyre while still riding.

And in a marathon plus tyre too

 

[Dogtrousers]

Adjusting gears on the fly? Isn't that what friction shifters do?

Adjusting brakes on the fly? I do that too. Squeeze gently. Squeeze hard.

 

[MarquisMatsugae]

I used to adjust gears on the fly, the best way imho as you can dial it in properly as you ride

I have a single speed now and a Nuvinci hubbed bike so that's one less thing to worry about!.

Nice.
Pictures or you don't have one !!!!

 

[Blue Hills]

I think there is a lot of sense in the original post.

Bikes can start to run out of adjustment soon after a "service". What do you do then? - take it in for another one?

Donkeys years ago I was one to possibly take a bike into the bikeshop if the gears weren't indexing properly. I well remember taking it in once. After one service things were just as bad. Called the bike shop and asked if they had actually given it a test ride after their "adjustment". Had a closer look and discovered for myself why the front changer wasn't working properly - bottle cage had broken at a metal join, pushing against the mech! No way would it have worked.

 

[keithmac]

Nice.
Pictures or you don't have one !!!!

Gtech single speed Carbon Drive,

Carrera Nuvinci Hubbed Mid drive under construction,

Both eBikes unfortunately..

 

[Bollo]

If you can't adjust your brake/gear barrel adjusters on the fly (ie whilst still riding) you should have your cyclist badge removed forcibly.....eg "Oooo...gear change sounds a bit clicky...time to tweak before the next hill"

I tried adjusting my gears on the fly but the laptop kept slipping off the handlebars.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Using the DT adjusters on the move can be a bit dangerous to the fingernails if the guides are set low on the tube.

Don't ask me how I know

 

[MarquisMatsugae]

Gtech single speed Carbon Drive,

Carrera Nuvinci Hubbed Mid drive under construction,

Both eBikes unfortunately..

Nothing wrong with that friend,as long as you are out on a bike,it's all good .
I'm loving the stout fork on the G-Tech,and the second one has what looks like a Sektor fork(which I use)

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think the OP is a classic example of "I do things this way, and it works" (perfectly reasonable) "therefore it is the one true way" (somewhat less reasonable).

We see it all the time, often very well-intentioned, "you should do/wear/use this" from people who quite successfully do/wear/use "this" but have never considered that there might be other quite successful ways of going about things.

 

[CopperBrompton]

It's really quite simple: everyone should just do things exactly the way I do.

 

[smutchin]

I get @Globalti's point - keeping your gears and brakes well adjusted is routine maintenance in much the same way as topping up your windscreen washer reservoir. But I think of 'servicing' as being more of an overhaul, replacing worn out parts such as chains, cassettes, brake blocks, cables, bottom brackets. For people who don't do their own regular maintenance (whatever the reason), getting an annual service of this kind might not be such a bad idea.

For anyone who finds keeping their gears well adjusted a challenge, there's a new device that uses an iPhone app to help you adjust your rear mech alignment. I've used it and it's actually pretty good - I've always managed fine without such a device but for those who are less confident, it might be worth trying.
http://ottodesignworks.com/