How much should bike maintenance cost per year?

[lauraelmore1033]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess it's good to get an idea what every body else does and to see that my experience is so different.

As far as replacing the chain goes, I've been told that you should change it every 1000 miles, and have come to believe this to be true since I usually start to get a hint of shifting troubles (chattering, grumbling, skipping) after about 900 miles. The troubles will get worse, and when I bring it in to the shop, a check with the chain check tool confirms that the chain is stretched. I am aware that road grit (and too much lube) can cause excess wear to the drive train, so I do take pains to clean, lube and wipe the chain after pretty much every ride. I suspect that the problem in this area has to do with being a heavier than average rider on hillier than average terrain.

This would also apply to brake wear. I can testify that the brake pads were worn down to the nubs at the times they were replaced. I think they are probably softer pads than I had on my other bike (which didn't need to have the pads replaced), but these brakes work soooo much better; I had to resort to the "flinstones" method of braking (with the feet on the ground) in order to fully stop with the others.

As for the cassette, I've also been told (from sources independent from my LBS) that after 3 chain changes, it should be replaced. I believe that as well, since I was experiencing chain slippage and shifting troubles in certain (favorite)gears. The mechanic wasn't sure if the front rings actually needed to be replaced, so the estimate to replace them was a "worst cast scenario".

It's possible I've over estimated some costs like tubes (and yes, SK, I could patch them since I still have them) and have forgotten yet other things I spend money on. I don't think my LBS is taking advantage of me. I'm guessing some of the extra expense is just the cost of being an extra heavy rider...

[lauraelmore1033]

yean, Grog, that $65 tune up did seem excessive. It did include truing both wheels and replacing the chain, and did fix the skipping gear problem I was having so I was just happy to have everything running smoothly again.

[OakLeaf]

I don't know - a tuneup at my Ohio LBS is $100, which includes truing the wheels, fresh grease, cable adjustments and inspection. It's got to be at least an hour and a half work, even with sealed bearings. I get that the sealed-bearing crowd are subsidizing the ball-bearing types with a flat rate, and I do my own cable adjustments, but I still consider that very reasonable.

(On the other end of the spectrum is the Florida LBS where I bought my bike, where you get lifetime free "tune-ups" with a bike purchase, but they're limited to cable adjustments and IMO are just a way to keep the customers ignorant of maintenance and get them in the door.)

[Irulan]

at minimum, you can invest in a chain checker tool, about $12-25 and you can check your own chain wear.

[lauraelmore1033]

at minimum, you can invest in a chain checker tool, about $12-25 and you can check your own chain wear.

Yeah, I've been meaning to do that. And the replacement chain might be cheaper from Performance too. I'll have to check.

[Grog]

On the "bike cleaning" front...

For some reason this past winter my dear, sweet partner started cleaning his winter bike's drivetrain after every ride. Okay, the bike is perhaps past its prime ((with over 50,000 winter kilometers on it and countless summer kilometers) but I think that the near-daily cleaning has totally ruined the bike. Basically what it did was throw a lot more grit into the moving parts.

I am hesitant on the course of action to recommend, but it would definitely involve only wiping off the bike and parts after every ride, and waiting until it's dry to apply lube, and probably a bit less often than you'd be tempted to.

Maybe if your drivetrain starts complaining after 900 miles it needs a good clean and a tuneup, but a whole new chain? I find it really hard to believe, no matter how heavy you are... Perhaps you could consider examining your riding habits, too? (Having your chain crossed over the gears, shifting under load, etc...) I don't get it!

[lauraelmore1033]

Perhaps you could consider examining your riding habits, too? (Having your chain crossed over the gears, shifting under load, etc...) I don't get it!

Hmmm. I don't really cross chain but dh HAS criticized me for sometimes making "hard shifts".
but...
I've noticed on group training rides and organized rides that I don't make as many nasty grindy shifts as the riders around me...

[aicabsolut]

What lube do you use? I find that, depending on the conditions, a lube that is too wet or too dry or too whatever will affect how the drivetrain feels. It will sound and feel like it's skipping, but really it's not. For example: I liked using ProLink because it seemed to get the chain cleaner easier (I don't use a cleaner/degreaser generally, just a cleaning lube, and when in sandy climates, I'll occasionally use mild pressure from a hose). However, in cold dry weather, ProLink worked pretty well. Any other time, the drivetrain felt like crap. A waxier cleaning lube, Rockn'Roll Gold is now my favorite, though it will take a few applications to get the chain very clean. It is thin--much thinner than something like White Lightning, so I do have to use more of it and take care of my chain more often. In addition to wiping down and relubing the chain after most rides, I will take a brush to the cassette and be sure to wipe grit off the rings as more goo gets shed from the chain. I am a lighter weight rider, but I do a variety of shifting over rolling terrain, in traffic, and in races. With this approach, the only skipping or grinding I'll feel is when I need to make a slight cable adjustment or when the chain has gotten noticeably dirty. In fact, I got into my obsessive compulsive drivetrain maintenance after locking up the chainrings a couple of times (chain got wedged) with a mildly dirty chain. I just love how much more smoothly the bike runs. I don't think that proper regular maintenance will destroy your chain. Daily degreasing and using harsher cleaners? Maybe. A cleaning lube? Doubtful. It may appear that more grit is flying around, but really, it's the chain shedding all the grit. Like I said, my chain has survived over 5k miles. I'm getting nervous about it now, but the shop (and my ruler) keep telling me it's ok.

What chain are you using? SRAM makes pretty durable chains. 105 or Ultegra level Shimano chains are also good (what I have). DA ones can be a little more fragile. I just have a hard time believing that your chains are getting that bad after only 1000 miles. I can see that by chain #3 you are starting to do some damage to a couple of cogs in the cassette. But damn, that still seems excessive. I mean, there are plenty of heavy guys out there in the mountains getting a few thousand miles out of their chains.

[KnottedYet]

Boeshield works nicely here in the soggy PNW.

[lauraelmore1033]

What lube do you use? I find that, depending on the conditions, a lube that is too wet or too dry or too whatever will affect how the drivetrain feels. It will sound and feel like it's skipping, but really it's not. For example: I liked using ProLink because it seemed to get the chain cleaner easier (I don't use a cleaner/degreaser generally, just a cleaning lube, and when in sandy climates, I'll occasionally use mild pressure from a hose). However, in cold dry weather, ProLink worked pretty well. Any other time, the drivetrain felt like crap. A waxier cleaning lube, Rockn'Roll Gold is now my favorite, though it will take a few applications to get the chain very clean. It is thin--much thinner than something like White Lightning, so I do have to use more of it and take care of my chain more often. In addition to wiping down and relubing the chain after most rides, I will take a brush to the cassette and be sure to wipe grit off the rings as more goo gets shed from the chain. I am a lighter weight rider, but I do a variety of shifting over rolling terrain, in traffic, and in races. With this approach, the only skipping or grinding I'll feel is when I need to make a slight cable adjustment or when the chain has gotten noticeably dirty. In fact, I got into my obsessive compulsive drivetrain maintenance after locking up the chainrings a couple of times (chain got wedged) with a mildly dirty chain. I just love how much more smoothly the bike runs. I don't think that proper regular maintenance will destroy your chain. Daily degreasing and using harsher cleaners? Maybe. A cleaning lube? Doubtful. It may appear that more grit is flying around, but really, it's the chain shedding all the grit. Like I said, my chain has survived over 5k miles. I'm getting nervous about it now, but the shop (and my ruler) keep telling me it's ok.

What chain are you using? SRAM makes pretty durable chains. 105 or Ultegra level Shimano chains are also good (what I have). DA ones can be a little more fragile. I just have a hard time believing that your chains are getting that bad after only 1000 miles. I can see that by chain #3 you are starting to do some damage to a couple of cogs in the cassette. But damn, that still seems excessive. I mean, there are plenty of heavy guys out there in the mountains getting a few thousand miles out of their chains.

I've been using Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube for a long time. Probably since it is the most commonly available lube. I guess my track record with chain wear doesn't recommend it. But then again, dh uses it as well, and doesn't experience the same kind of chain wear that I do (he's also at least 70 pounds lighter...). I think the chains I've been using were SRAM (At least, the time I asked them to send me home with a chain, that's what I was given). I suppose I could have erred on the side of over cleaning with this bike, but dang, over the winter, the average ride left a very thick layer of heavy sand and grit over every inch of the bike and nside each chain link --which would not budge with even my most concerted efforts to wipe it off. I did use degreaser (the neon pink bike wash somebody here was just talking about) about once a week.

I'll have to look into the cleaning lube.