Was there a specific point in time...

[Racing roadkill]

When 'mainstream' cycle component manufacturers suddenly forgot how to make important components. I'm getting very tired of having to replace (insert important component) every time I dare to get one even slightly damp, or (shock horror) ride more than about 50 sodding yards. I seem to recall getting a lot more (more than about 30 seconds) use from these components in years gone by. They really seem to be made out of cheese of late..

 

[mjr]

Some still make decent workmanlike components, but don't expect to find them in bling bike shops or fit them to the latest fashion statement BSOs. I quite often buy parts from a town centre motorcycle shop (although it probably has more bicycle parts than motorcycle these days)... How many of you can say that? I think King's Lynn has more motor spares shops selling bike parts than it has sports bike shops, although I'm not sure I'd trust most of the motor spares shops to actually fit the parts!

 

[cyberknight]

When 'mainstream' cycle component manufacturers suddenly forgot how to make important components. I'm getting very tired of having to replace (insert important component) every time I dare to get one even slightly damp, or (shock horror) ride more than about 50 sodding yards. I seem to recall getting a lot more (more than about 30 seconds) use from these components in years gone by. They really seem to be made out of cheese of late..

They have realized that
a, most people ride bikes about 50 yards a year
b, they are tapping into mamil disposable income

 

[gavintc]

When 'mainstream' cycle component manufacturers suddenly forgot how to make important components. I'm getting very tired of having to replace (insert important component) every time I dare to get one even slightly damp, or (shock horror) ride more than about 50 sodding yards. I seem to recall getting a lot more (more than about 30 seconds) use from these components in years gone by. They really seem to be made out of cheese of late..

Can you be more specific. My maintenance costs are not high and I do a reasonable year round commute mileage. Indeed, I think my last component replacement was a tyre that had lasted about a year.

 

[fossyant]

Er, replace what ? No problem here

 

[Racing roadkill]

Can you be more specific. My maintenance costs are not high and I do a reasonable year round commute mileage. Indeed, I think my last component replacement was a tyre that had lasted about a year.

Mostly bottom brackets at the moment. To be fair, the better one in the Italian has taken a right pounding, and is as good as gold, but then it costs 3 times as much for a new one, if it goes. The sealed cartridges in the hybrids have been totally shocking, and the PF30 in the Boardman has had to be wet nursed to get it through the winter (it's on its last legs, despite having more attention / maintenance lavished on It than my (ex) missus). Wheel hubs and gear cable inners seem to be high on the list of 'can't make 'em for squat anymore' as well.

 

[mjr]

Would you prefer cleaning and rebuilding bottom brackets and hubs with balls and grease to all those sealed cartridges?

(I've some of each and/because I'm undecided.) I did actually snap a gear cable inner this winter, which was a first, but it's too soon for me to call it an epidemic.

 

[ayceejay]

I had to put air in my tyres again this morning, I can remember when it was of much better quality and stayed in the tyre much longer, came from China probably.

 

[vickster]

I've never replaced any component other than a tyre or inner tube***


(*** this may well be because I usually sell on a bike once it starts to look a little tired [aka dusty] )

 

[Drago]

Never seems to be a problem for me, and I'm a big fat all weather rider.

 

[BigAl68]

I ride all year round clocking up 200miles plus a week and apart from tyres and chains not much else fails apart. IMO if you keep the bike fairly clean and Mickle the chain not much needs replacing. Things need fettling and tightening but not replacing

 

[S.Giles]

Judging by some of the posts I read on here, some expensive road bikes are manufactured 'down to a weight' rather than being optimised for durability. They are no-doubt modelled on the bikes that racing-teams use, which is fine if you have a van full of mechanics and spare parts following you around everywhere you go (I don't!) and your BMI is honed to perfection (mine isn't!).

My bike has no weight-weenie parts made of exotic aerospace materials, has more than twenty spokes per wheel (sixteen more, in fact), and is robust enough to be fit-for-purpose on our wonderful roads. I'm sure the bottom-bracket isn't an expensive one, but has been working fine since I bought the bike (used, and somewhat thrashed) a year ago.

 

[screenman]

My light weight bike seldom needs parts.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Wowzers, so many super magic bikes that never need attention on here..

 

[Vapin' Joe]

They need no more attention than they did thirty or forty years back. There's a bit of rose tinted nostalgia here, the summers were hotter, everything worked perfectly, etc.