New Bike or Old?

Winter is not kind to bicycles. The dirty, salty water that gets splashed all over them at that time of year turns clean bikes into ones that looks like filthy, derelict wrecks. Every spring, when I take my bike in to the shop for general maintenance, I’m given a list of parts that need to be replaced after the winter. And often it is suggested to me that I might as well buy a new bike because the repair costs are so high. As much as I’d enjoy having a new bicycle, I don’t think this is a good financial strategy.

I quite like my bike. It has served me well over the years. But aside from the frame, it doesn’t have many of its original parts left. If I were to tally the cost of all the replacement parts I have ever put on it, I would end up with an amount that would more than cover the cost of a new bike. The people at the bike shop suggest I get a new bike in part because they don’t think it is wise to spend so much on an old bike. They are also thinking of all the money I have already put into it. (And of course they’d like to sell me a bike...)

But that is applying old-car thinking to old bicycles. Car owners know that when a car reaches a certain age, a decision will have to be made about whether to pay for an expensive repair or sell the car. With old cars, selling rather than repairing often makes financial sense. Do you want to replace the transmission of an older car when the car’s resale value is plummeting?

With bikes there are no hugely expensive repairs looming in the future that might persuade someone to buy a new bike to avoid having to pay for those repairs. A well-maintained and newly repaired older bike is almost like having a new one. So, for an annual maintenance expense that isn’t really all that much, I can have a bike that is almost like new. If I were to buy a new bike to avoid having to pay for repairs on my old one, those repairs would still have to be made after the same amount of time on the new bike. The end result would be that I would have a bike in the same condition as my old bike, generally, but would have pointlessly put out a large amount of money.

Of course there are other reasons for buying a new bike. I wouldn’t mind getting a lighter bike, or one with narrower tires. But repair costs won’t motivate me to buy a new bike.

A Bike in Winter

I had a debate with myself the other day before going out on an errand. This was a debate I often have: should I take the subway or ride my bike? This time my indecision came not from trying to decide if I would rather read or exercise. I was undecided because although I felt like getting some exercise on my bike, I wasn’t looking forward to how filthy my bike would get if I took it out that day.

You see, we’ve had some snow in Toronto this winter. Snow has in recent years become somewhat of a novelty in this city. I don’t think we had even one snowfall worth the name all last winter. But this winter has proven different, with two decent snowfalls already. In fact, it is snowing as I type!

For cyclists, one of several problems that come with snow is that on city streets snow rapidly changes from a beautiful white blanket to a filthy, slushy, salty mess. And this slush tends to stick to the gears, sprockets, and so forth on the underside of your bike, causing them to rust. For example, if I’m riding in wet, slushy conditions, my chain will rust to the point of unusability after only two or three trips.

Of course you can bring a chain back to working order by applying oil, and spraying WD-40 on the other moving parts will help keep them clean and functional. And if temperatures get milder, and you have the time and energy, giving your bike a wash with warm, soapy water will always help. But the constant application of salt and grime in a snowy winter will definitely shorten the life of these components of your bike.

Many cyclists use a designated junker during the winter. This is a good idea if you don’t want to subject your expensive bike to winter conditions. But whichever bike you use, the winter will be hard on it and will eventually cause you to have to pay a visit to your bike repair shop.

A Bike Should Be a Well-Oiled Machine

I recently had to take my bike to the shop because one of the brakes had seized. My brakes are of the side-pull variety, and rust and dirt had gotten into the anchor bolt, which attaches the brake mechanism to one of the side stays. The mechanic who worked on my bike suggested that I should regularly spray WD-40 on this bolt. I've since gotten in the habit of doing this, and my brakes have worked a treat ever since. I just have to be careful to not get any WD-40 on the brake pads or on the tire rim, which are both near to the anchor bolt.

I make it a habit to keep the works of my bike well lubricated. Before every ride, I'll examine the chain and sprockets; if the chain has any rust showing or appears dry, I'll take the time to apply oil. Oil on the chains will also help with any rust that has developed on the sprockets, but to really keep the sprockets rust free, I spray them with WD-40. This is a great product for bikes; it is quick and effective. I periodically apply WD-40 to the gear mechanisms, as well.

One issue with applying a lot of chain oil and WD-40 is that they soon build up on nearby sections of the frame, especially on the chain stays, the parts of the frame which run parallel to the chain. As a result, I need to wash these areas regularly, using hot soapy water, a stiff brush, and rags. If I don't regularly clean these areas, they soon become coated in a thick layer of oily dirt.

All of the above-mentioned parts of the bike are exposed to the elements, but the wheel hubs have ball bearings that are enclosed. I have yet to open the hubs of my wheels to clean and grease the ball bearings myself, but I do make a point to take my bike to the shop a couple of times a year to have this done.

Because I keep all these parts well lubricated, they will last longer and run easier. As well, I don't have to worry that a moving part, like one of the brakes, say, will seize at an inpportune moment.