Bike Tuneup Irony

[Catrin]

I have to laugh at this...

In January I took my Jamis Dakar XC Comp in for it's pre-season tuneup. I figured that it needed the "major" tuneup rather than the normal because it fell over on the mtb trails last summer....a LOT. This tuneup isn't the most expensive, it is the second of three tuneup levels available at my LBS.

Come to find out, even with all of those crashes, nothing was really needed outside of a really good cleaning - not even an RD adjustment - and I do tend to fall on that side of the bike on the trails. The entire drive-train was removed and cleaned in a ultra-sonic cleaner which I do like. It is ready to rock and roll as soon as my neck is and the trails dry

This month I took my beloved custom Gunnar in for her tuneup. I figured the most basic form of tuneup is all that was needed...but come to find out the RD and hanger were messed up and also needed new cable and housing for the rear - so I really needed a major tuneup. I fell a total of twice on that bike last year...guess that just goes to show that my Jamis is far more forgiving on falls than the Gunnar. That is not a surprise, after all, a mountain bike is far more sturdy and made to withstand much more than a bike built for road use, but I found that difference interesting.

I've weak hands/grip (even after working out for 2.5 years) and am not all that mechanically inclined so right now would rather pay an expert that I trust to tune my bikes than to try it myself.

[Becky]

I find that my road bikes in general require more "stuff" than my mountain bikes do. There's something about that oily road grit that trashes a bike worse than plain old dirt does. We won't even talk about the amount of maintenance and cleaning that my commuter needs

Thanks for the reminder...my road bikes need a cleaning, and it's probably time for new cables too...

[AppleTree]

Goodness. With all that falling, at least it is just the BIKES that need the tune up!

[Owlie]

I don't do a lot of actual road riding, just paved trails so there isn't as much typical "road grime." My roadie's parts, though, are just pickier...the number of times I've had my front derailleur adjusted is absurd.

Actually, she does need a full-on tuneup this year (it's been basics)...

[Melalvai]

I've weak hands/grip (even after working out for 2.5 years) and am not all that mechanically inclined so right now would rather pay an expert that I trust to tune my bikes than to try it myself.

There is nothing wrong with paying someone to maintain your bike! I do some maintenance myself but I know my limits. I hardly touch my brakes, for example. I just know better. Besides, I have free tuneups for life at the bike shop where I bought my bike. For all that it's 90 miles away, it's still the closest bike shop!