# How many people actually work on their own bikes?



## MrMetric (Jan 31, 2012)

I am curious, I was talking to a worker at a bike shop and he said that majority of biker riders don't work on their own bikes. Why is that? Is it because they would rather spend their time out on the road or just scared they will screw up their bike?


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

im afraid ill mess up my bike and itll cost more for HUGE adjustments when it only needed small adjustments lol However, i am starting to work on my bike now, in fact in a few weeks i plan to replace the chain all by myself


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## reptilezs (Aug 20, 2007)

the same reason you are not a banker, truck driver, sky diver. they don't want to


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

MrMetric said:


> I am curious, I was talking to a worker at a bike shop and he said that majority of biker riders don't work on their own bikes. Why is that? Is it because they would rather spend their time out on the road or just scared they will screw up their bike?


Your LBS guy is likely correct. We on MTBR represent a skewed sample base. In the wider scheme of things, most whom I know go to a shop. Some do a few things themselves, and go to the shop for the rest. Some go to the shop for everything.

Some just plain don't like to wrench. Nothing wrong w/that. I hate working on my car, so I pretty much always take *that* to the shop.

Some are afraid of screwing up.

Some might be capable but too busy.

All sorts of reasons. Liking to ride a bike and liking to work on a bike are really two different things. One does not necessarily need to lead to the other.


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2006)

I love working on my bike.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I do what I can. If it's something I am afraid of screwing up or I can't figure out, I'll take my bike to the shop. For instance, when the time comes to press in the headset on my new frame, I'll take it to the shop. I don't want to chance destroying a $100 headset when my shop will do it for $10 and if they break it, they pay for a replacement.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Who on here actually rides their bikes?  I'm just kidding, but reptilezs by far has the best response. So true.


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## replicant (Apr 29, 2012)

Mountain Bikes aren't cheap. Fiddling around when you got no idea what you're doing could cost you. 

Regular maintenance - tyres, chains brake wiring I'm happy to do myself. 

But it's always nice to just hop over to your local, support their business and maybe just chat a little bike talk.


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## rafdog (Jun 16, 2006)

I try....tools, patience and finesse projects tend to limit me.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Who on here actually rides their bikes?


I am a poser. But forums.poser.com doesn't seem to exist, so I come here instead.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

I haven't taken my bike to a shop in a couple years. I do most things myself. In fact, I just serviced my fork yesterday.


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## Plum (Sep 14, 2004)

I've not been serviced by a bike shop since the 1990's sometime, I'd guess. No black art here. Take your time and anything can be one.

Plum


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## natzx7 (May 30, 2007)

I do all my own work as well. Of course coming from a mechanical background doesn't hurt. I'm somewhat new to bike repair, but a few bucks on some special tools and time spent researching goes a long way. I sometimes get a little apprehensive ordering an expensive part when I'm not 100% sure it will work, but so far so good. The members here have been a great help as well.:thumbsup:


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## nov0798 (Nov 27, 2005)

I do all my own stuff. I dont trust the bike shop folks to do anything. Also, in the amount of time it takes me to go to the shop, wait for the bike, then go pick it up, I could do it myself alot faster, and know that it was done correctly.


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

I used to assemble bikes in a shop back in the 90's so I picked up a few tips from the mechanic at the time. Lack of the correct tools has been a problem since then. 

However I recently got a bicycle toolkit which has all the specialist tools like cassette tool, chain whip, crank extractors, BB tool etc.

A truing stand is on my list now.


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

Mostly scared that I'll screw it up. It's a catch-22. If I try to figure it out and mess it up the LBS gives me a dirty look because they have to fix it. If I bring it in to get looked at before messing with it, there's the same dirty look because they figure you should be able to do it yourself. I can't win.

I wish LBS could give quick lessons on the simple things instead of getting the death stare of stupidity. I'm not mechanically gifted but trying to learn as I go. I'm a visual learner so any kind of basic lesson is appreciated. Most shops don't have/don't want to take the time to do that hence the catch-22.


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## 1niceride (Jan 30, 2004)

Some people like food better when someone else cooks it. A lot of my plumbing customers are more than capable of most repairs but feel better about the repair if they spend money on it. Some are looking to screw some one out of money for the repair. 

I don't parachute but for me I would pack my own chute. Same for my bikes.


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## literocola (Dec 18, 2006)

Got my 1st shop job at 16 years old. Been working on my own bikes since then. I have always enjoyed taking things apart and understanding how they work, my father must have spent a fortune having the bikes I either rode the hell out of, or took apart to get fixed. But dad always made sure I was on 2 wheels. 

I am 30 now.


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## bob13bob (Jun 22, 2009)

lots of people who own good bikes, their time is worth more than the price they pay the shop.


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## What&son (Jan 13, 2004)

My riding buddy neither goes to the shop nor does it himself...he invites me to her house for lunch which has a nice big terrace, a bike stand and always cold beer in the fridge :thumbsup:


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

bob13bob said:


> lots of people who own good bikes, their time is worth more than the price they pay the shop.


They can probably afford good bikes because they do their own maintenance.


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## girgl (Sep 16, 2010)

I am a construction machinery mechanic and engineer but some things are just not mine:
lacing and truing is not relaxcing for me but makes me squirelly

way back in 1993 there have been no good bicycle mechanics in Germany, so one had to learn the hard way..

so this is for my friends :thumbsup: in the LBS


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## xpatenaude (Apr 19, 2009)

In most cases, you can purchase whatever tool is necessary to perform a repair or adjustment for less than what your lbs will charge you to do the same thing. And you get to keep the tool, do the next time the issue comes up, you are all set. There are limitless resources online to learn how to do things. I do all my own repairs, and taught myself everything. I'll still support my lbs when I can't wait for an online order, or I'll even buy the necessary tools there. I own 4 high end bikes that I perform about 500 dollars worth of maintenance/installs/adjustments per week on. Mostly just switching parts and experimenting with different set-ups. This would not be possible if I were to bring it to the shop each time. This is also a huge learning experience, and an even huger money saver.

PEACE!


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I don't do everything.
Most people that are into cycling that I know (as opposed to people who just ride to school or work etc) do at least some work on their bikes.

I have never:
- faced a headtube or BB shell because the tools are pretty expensive, I don't need it done often, and the LBS doesn't charge all that much for the job.
- cut a steerer tube because I let the shop install headset and fork while they have the frame for the facing.
- laced a wheel because it just seems like so many things to put together and I've found complete wheels for less than the individual parts would cost.
- bled the brakes. Don't know why.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Bethany1 said:


> Mostly scared that I'll screw it up. It's a catch-22. If I try to figure it out and mess it up the LBS gives me a dirty look because they have to fix it.


Don't even worry about that. We all make a mistake now and then. I remember once I broke two detanglers in a row while working on a BMX bike. The shop guys and I laughed about that one for a long time. I still laugh when I think about it. They were happy because they sold not one, but two(!) detanglers in just a days time.


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## golfduke (Mar 20, 2007)

I do everything myself. wheel lacing, tube facing (only if needed), whatever. I'm a tinkerer, and I love how everything works/goes together on bikes... If I didn't have to support a family, I'd be a bike mechanic simply because I enjoy doing it.


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## Slash5 (Nov 27, 2011)

Do all my own work other than I'm not equipped for facing etc and I find you can buy wheels cheaper than building. I am mechanically inclined and after all, a bicycle is a pretty simple machine.
I started working on my bikes long before the internet - now, its just way too easy with all the videos and instructions out there.
I've just finished building 3 frames up and took all of them in for the face and chase. I realized at the time that it was the first time I'd ever been to the bike shop for work.


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## IRONMAN1518 (Jul 19, 2008)

My dad did a lot of the mechanical work at home. His drive was to "save money$$", and he felt he could take the time to do things better than a mechanic did.. He taught me and my brother to work on cars; brakes, wheel bearings, water pumps, etc. I took to it, found it fun, my brother didn't. 
To me working on anything you own is an individual choice/like/dislike, and we do what we have to. Not EVERYONE does their own car work, taxes, plumbing, electrical, construction, roof repairs, oil changes, and bicycle work, etc. And the "why" is an individual choice.
I bough my first motorcycle in '81 and when the piston skirt broke I didn't have the $$$ to re-build it. I had some tools for working on my car, so I bought a shop manual for the bike and asked a LOT of people for info, ideas, suggestions and help in re-building it. I liked doing it so I really got into it, to the point of doing speed work on engines for people, for $$$.

In '82 i needed to borrow a bike for my first Tri, and a big time bicycling friend lent me a bike that was in pieces. He taught me how to put it together, which I really enjoyed. From then on I read all I could read in bike magazines about bike building and repairs and asked a lot of people for info, suggestions, etc. And started buying the needed tools. And I've always enjoyed working on my bikes. There is something to say about "pride in your own work". I've built a wheel set but THAT I feel is an art and I leave that to the "wheel artists". As they say:"Whatever works for you".


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## 4Crawler (Oct 30, 2011)

I've always worked on my bikes since I was young. We did not have a real bike shop in the town I grew up in, rather just a mechanic in the back of a local hardware store. I would hang out there and buy the parts I needed from that store, but do the work myself. I think I built my first set of wheels at 16 or 17 years old, after reading an article on wheel building in Popular Mechanics. In fact I am still riding a set of wheels I built back in the early '80s on my touring bike and I have not broken one spoke on those, likewise I built the current wheels on my road bike around the same time and still riding those wheels as well.

On my new CX bike, I am having the LBS fit it with a headset, since I have never worked with the newer headsets and lack the tools to do that myself. But I'll be assembling all the rest of that bike myself. That way I'll know how to fix anything if it goes wrong on a ride.


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## clydecrash (Apr 1, 2005)

I do the work myself, except for facing/reaming the headtube and bb shell of new frames. I even started building my own wheels. Do I enjoy wrenching on the bike. Not really, but I enjoy the work being done right (usually the first time). Unfortunately, the main reason I do most of my own work is that I do not trust the shops. Too many screw-ups by "well-respected" shops.


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## MiWolverine (Jun 15, 2009)

I work on my own bike because my LBS just plain sucks. For this reason, I have learned how to do all repairs and maintenance on my bike and I have purchased the necessary tools I need to do it. I am the type of person that likes to tinker with things and figure out how they work. I guess it's in my nature to work on things and figure out how they work. I have always been like that.


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## tomacropod (Jul 23, 2004)

I do all the work on our bikes. It would look bad otherwise, I fix other people's bikes for a living.

- Joel


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I learn out of necessity almost 35 years ago (I'm 49)and I have to say I get almost as much joy working on them as riding them, I even try to make my own frames but I suck at it so I stop after making three.

The only time I start to dislike working on bikes was working at shops, do to all the stupid politics and cheap skate bosses so I quit working on shops and now I enjoy wrenching as much as ever did even if I wish I know how to work on current suspension forks and shocks since is the first time in many years I contemplate taking the shocks to a shop to get them work on..

Ps: when I was working at shop I try to encourage/teach people as much as possible to work on their own bikes and share the of self reliance, even if the bosses and managers did not like the idea to much.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I do all of my own work. After my first crappy HT i built my next 3 MTB's with youtube videos and a couple of maintenance books. Owned a few road bikes and ended up restoring a few vintage road bikes. I like bikes. 

I now own just 1 mtb bought from a shop (giant trance x)
And 1 city commuter built up (old ross eurosport)


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

I first had my lbs to do some basic stuff when I was new to the sport, like BB cleaning, installing a chainguide, trying wheels and such. But I was always there watching how and what they did and asking questions about the process and how they do it and they were always happy to answer and teach me up. Now I've learned pretty much everything I need and which tool is required so I do it all by myself. Paid $15 to get the work done, but in exchange I learned how to do it next time and now it's free.


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## Pooch (Apr 6, 2011)

I started to do all the work on mine and my GF's bikes. At first some of the repairs / upgrades took a while but it's nice to learn things yourself. Plus, I like being independent. 
On the flip side, I have a brother that rides both road and mtb and he doesn't even change his own flats. He doesn't mind spending the $$'s and doesn't have the desire. I still haven't been able to figure that out.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Pooch said:


> On the flip side, I have a brother that rides both road and mtb and he doesn't even change his own flats. He doesn't mind spending the $$'s and doesn't have the desire. I still haven't been able to figure that out.


Nothing really wrong w/that. I used to try to do my own automotive work, but realized one day how much I hate working on cars. We've good mechanic about six blocks away, and I am happy to pay him.


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

It's fun, what else is there?


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

In the last few years I have had to visit a shop to face bottom bracket on a titanium frame.

Everything else - much faster and simpler to just do at home. Not even the $$ - but I would much rather spend them on parts and other toys.


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## Jon Richard (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm a heavy duty repairman by trade and sometimes I just get sick of wrenching. I found a nice little LBS around the corner that will answer millions of questions and really take time with you.

Mostly I'm very particular and end up doing things myself to acheive results to my liking, but if time is an issue or a task like changing my ghetto tubeless tires feels like a hassle I'm happy to thow a couple bucks to the LBS to get it handled.

Trails end bike shop Home

Don't tell anyone how good they are or they will get to busy to spend all day talking bikes with me


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## jersey0826 (Jun 4, 2009)

I do all my own work. Build my bikes from frame up, and do all wrench work except hub service. Just haven't learned how yet. 
As for how common this is; of the group of about ten guys I ride with regularly, I am the only one that does this. Most of them go to the LBS or to my garage to have work done. 
I do it for several reasons. I am curious about how things work, I like hands-on stuff, I don't trust other people with my life, and I take pride in being a do-it-yourself'er.


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## photonak (May 8, 2012)

MrMetric said:


> I am curious, I was talking to a worker at a bike shop and he said that majority of biker riders don't work on their own bikes. Why is that?


Many reasons, answers, and it depends...

1. Is there a friendly, reasonable bike shop near by, or along the routes you travel

2. Area you a person, who enjoys tinkering, or just a rider. Of course, there's some learning involved, either from books, mags or others.

3. If you're an old timer, changes are you you grew up, when people worked on things mechanical, as there were no electronic toys.

4. Many things I need done, I can do quicker, than a drive to shop, leaving it there, another trip to pick it up, maybe a follow up trip. So it's worth investing in a few tools and some knowhow, regardless how you acquire it.

...the list goes on...


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## DRILLINDK (Mar 12, 2012)

I'm not mechanical at all. I'd eventually like to learn how to take apart and put together a bike and maintenance. Not because I want to build a bike, but so I can better understand the mechanics of everything.


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## Jon Richard (Dec 20, 2011)

DRILLINDK said:


> I'm not mechanical at all. I'd eventually like to learn how to take apart and put together a bike and maintenance. Not because I want to build a bike, but so I can better understand the mechanics of everything.


That is an extremely rewarding and worthy pursuit.

It started for me when I was about 10 yrs of age. I got a beating from my father because he came home from work to discover his lawn mower torn apart. In my defense it was killing me to not understand how you could just pour in some gas, pull the string, and make power.

Good luck on your journey, just don't let curiosity kill the cat.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

I enjoy doing a much as I can on my bikes. Haven't learned to lace a wheel from scratch though...some day.
Only other things I dont do are the ones like face/chase, as the cost of tools isn't worth it for personal use.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

I've always been mechanical inclined, but when I was young (~5) i started playing around on computers and stuff. At 10 I was able to do a full computer install for both software and hardware and now I'm helping out people in school for installing softwares and learning how it works. I've started really working on bikes in early 2009 and commuting daily in summer that year. First MTB in April 2010 and since I had build up myself about 5-6 bikes and rebuild a few.

I have learned and now I can service hubs, BB, headset, forks and rear shocks, drivetrain, build wheels, setup disc brakes, true my rotors, etc. This forum has been very helpful and I like to return the favor whenever I can.

And I like to learn how things work. Still have to put back the lawn mower engine back together though.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

I do all the work on my own bikes (and my friends' bikes). I've spent the money on the needed tools, so I never have to go to a shop again. It's because having the shop do all the work would cost too much, and if I do the work I know it's been done right.


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## jjarrett79 (Mar 23, 2012)

Noob here... I would love to learn how to do basic maintenance on my bike and then work my way up to more complex things and eventually do my own build. Do you guys have any good resource suggestions for someone who is completely clueless about bicycle repair?


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## Mike87 (Apr 8, 2010)

I have to completely agree with bad mechanic. When I do the work, I know that it is done right. I am also saving tons of $$ that will be used for more tools and beer.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

jjarrett79 said:


> Noob here... I would love to learn how to do basic maintenance on my bike and then work my way up to more complex things and eventually do my own build. Do you guys have any good resource suggestions for someone who is completely clueless about bicycle repair?


Take your bike apart. Than come here to ask questions on how to put back the parts you have problem with :thumbsup:


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## Tone's (Nov 12, 2011)

myself and most of the riders i know do it themselves, just get a cheap bike toolkit n get to work, if you dont know how to do some thing just do a bit of study on the net n youll be sweet..... i live in sydney city n there are to many maggots in the local bike shops here, they'd have to pay me to let em do a **** job on my bikes.......


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## bob13bob (Jun 22, 2009)

David C said:


> Take your bike apart. Than come here to ask questions on how to put back the parts you have problem with :thumbsup:


Lol, not sure if serious bit I think learning gradually or as you go along is best.

sent from one of my 4 gold leafed iphone 4s's


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## Beerbaron (Feb 28, 2012)

I try and do what I can on my bike as there is a lot of information online.


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## golfduke (Mar 20, 2007)

I just tuned up my coworker's sons' bikes last night. It reminded me of how much I love wrenching. Taking two completely crap running 'wheels 1/2" out of true, seized chains' bikes and bringing them back to life and running smooth is awesome to me. Bonus points because it was fun working on late 90's brass again. I forgot how easy 7 speed cassettes are to tune haha...


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

+1 for Scared to mess something up. 

I enjoy working on my truck, mower, and other small engines, but a bike is delicate. a lot of the video's on parktool seem old and I cannot find something that looks like my component, I feel that I need to take it to the LBS. as an example, I have a slight creak in my BB or crank, but I'm afraid to take any of the seals off because it will take a week for my LBS to get my bike back to me if I mess it up. I wish I was more comfortable with it, but I guess that will come with time. I have only been riding for about 3 months, so I haven't been exposed to as much as all you mtbr'ers. I guess it will come with time?


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> +1 for Scared to mess something up.
> 
> I enjoy working on my truck, mower, and other small engines, but a bike is delicate.


I work on bikes all the time, and my neighbor's wife was astonished that I'd come to him for help fixing my snowblower. She wanted to know how was it that could tear a bike to bits and rebuild it, and yet I'm clueless when it comes to carburetor jets an small engines.

It's probably down to cycling being a passion and source of great enjoyment, whereas blowing snow is just a chore that must be done.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> +1 for Scared to mess something up.
> 
> I enjoy working on my truck, mower, and other small engines, but a bike is delicate. a lot of the video's on parktool seem old and I cannot find something that looks like my component, I feel that I need to take it to the LBS. as an example, I have a slight creak in my BB or crank, but I'm afraid to take any of the seals off because it will take a week for my LBS to get my bike back to me if I mess it up. I wish I was more comfortable with it, but I guess that will come with time. I have only been riding for about 3 months, so I haven't been exposed to as much as all you mtbr'ers. I guess it will come with time?


Don't be. A bike is much simpler than any of those.


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## matty1551 (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm a college student with more free time than money so I always go on YouTube or google and see if I can fix/adjust things myself first before taking my bike in.


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## tb801 (Apr 5, 2011)

I can do most of it but have trouble with setting up the shifting. Although I haven't actually sat down and read instructions while I do it, so that might contribute to that.


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

bad mechanic said:


> Don't be. A bike is much simpler than any of those.


I guess it would be easier if I was able to watch someone work on their first. Everything I have done was with the aid of YouTube. It's weird to try and adapt it to your bike when they are different components.


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## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*I like wrenching more than riding*

It's sad really. For xmas my wife sent me to wheel building school. It was maybe the best gift ever.

Sometimes it gets to be a bit much. When one of my buddies drops off a bike and I spend 45 minutes getting the pedals off, or an hour getting handlebar tape adhesive off the bars.

But when the project is done and he's got a new bike assembled, or new parts on the bike and it shifts like butter, I feel a great deal of satisfaction.

I recently rebuilt the rear wheel for my friends commuter, he'd been breaking spokes for a while and the shop had been replacing them with all different sizes. When I got that crappy rim true and evenly tensioned, it felt like I had beat Joe Frazier.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

nbwallace said:


> It's sad really. For xmas my wife sent me to wheel building school. It was maybe the best gift ever.


:thumbsup:

Too bad I can't rep your wife. What a wonderful and thoughtful gift.


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

A few years back my bikes were in the local shops having work done a lot. Since then I’ve tried to learn about the mechanics of bikes and now do as much as my tools will let me. Mistakes have been made, some really sloppy, but the successes are worth it!

Buying tools has been the biggest problem, all too often the money goes elsewhere. There are jobs I know the theory of very well and have even done in the past but still don’t have my own tools for.

It’s a long road to mechanical self sufficiency but I‘m getting there!


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## singlefin (Nov 13, 2010)

For me working on the bike is part of the passion and stoke that fuels me to ride.

With all the good info online and how to videos save your money and buy tools instead of labor. Aside from that most stuff can be done in 30-60 minutes.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I started working on my own bmx bike when I was 12. the only time I ever had a bike shop work on my bike was when I was about 14 and I had a custom wheel built around a Ukai rim and a Primo freecoaster hub. a few years later, I learned to build my own wheels. after spending countless hours working on my own bike, I started working at a bike shop and managing a bike co-op. imagine that.

with the right tools and a little patience, I think any one can learn to work on their own bike. the internet is an amazing tool where you can learn to do just about anything. it's a bit of a threat to my job security actually. however, most people seem too intimidated to try something as simple as installing new grips and are willing to pay me to do it. if someone started a special shoe-tying service, I think it would go well because people are so mechanically helpless. so I think I'll be fine.

I challenge you call to learn to build a wheel some time! take an old wheel, a front wheel for simplicity, take some photos of the lacing pattern, and take all the spokes off. read some online guides to wheel building and get started. if you don't have access to a truing stand, put the wheel in your fork and strap three zip ties on the legs near the rim so you can adjust the wheel for straightness, dish (center it over the hub), and lateral roundness (take out the hops). once you get the basic pattern down and know how to measure the right spokes (google: spocalc), it's easy.










I find wheel building to be a rewarding and relaxing experience. I often go to the co-op take old, useful rims with busted hubs and wheels with good hubs and bent rims and build new wheels out of the parts. I sit on the floor with a truing stand, a box of various spokes, home-made nipple driver (flat screwdriver with a point ground out of it), spoke wrench, a little oil for the nipples, get a beer and a movie and go to work. it usually takes me less than an hour to build a good wheel, so I can build two if I have the right parts and a good movie.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

There are some great posts in this thread.

I do everything on my bikes incl. things like rear shock damping oil changes, revalves, making stuff from carbon fiber and machining up specialist things I need. I also make all of my own specialist tools if there isn't something readily available.

The only mechanical thing I have ever had someone else do for me was wheel building.

A while back I needed a new wheelset and I dropped off new rims and hubs at my LBS. My LBS needed to order the correct spokes and build the wheels. After a couple of weeks waiting, I went down there and retrieved my wheel bits, measured and ordered some spokes and built my first set of wheels.

Since then I've been *totally* self sufficient. It's a great feeling and source of satisfaction. If you're methodical and careful in your approach its highly likely that you will do a better job with more care than anyone at your LBS will. The money you save wrenching on your own bike will easily pay for all of the tools you need, plus a truckload of spare parts that will keep you riding when others are sitting around waiting for something come in.


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## jjarrett79 (Mar 23, 2012)

I just tried to change my pedals... but no, I can't even $#$#%$% do that. How hard is it to get the GD pedals off anyways. FML


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## xpatenaude (Apr 19, 2009)

The left one has left hand thread. The drive side has regular threads.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> I guess it would be easier if I was able to watch someone work on their first. Everything I have done was with the aid of YouTube. It's weird to try and adapt it to your bike when they are different components.


Just try. It you are mechanically inclined, most stuff is self evident.

When I work on a new fork though, or rebuilding hub or pedals that I have not done before, I often take pictures now as I disassemble it. Just in case.


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## Tripp88 (Feb 12, 2012)

I tend to wrench on my bike 

2 reasons my bike goes to the shop 
- fix requires special $$$ tools
- I royally screw something up and need a bailout


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## 40er (Dec 4, 2011)

singlefin said:


> For me working on the bike is part of the passion and stoke that fuels me to ride.
> 
> With all the good info online and how to videos save your money and buy tools instead of labor. Aside from that most stuff can be done in 30-60 minutes.


I'm with you, it's a big part of the mtb passion.


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## ibadfish (Apr 22, 2012)

I decided I'd do everyhting I can myself and use the LBS as a last resort. Took the bike to the LBS for some fd adjustments. The chain kept rubbing against the deraileur in the 50t/12 and 34t/28. I took it back 3 different times and they couldn't get it right. I decided to buy the Haynes bicycle repair manual watched a few Youtube videos and started fiddling away. After not thinking I was going to be able to get the adjustment right I finally got everything shifting smooth with no chain rub. I did what the LBS mechanics couldn't get right and know how my bike works more intimately.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

ibadfish said:


> I decided I'd do everyhting I can myself and use the LBS as a last resort. Took the bike to the LBS for some fd adjustments. The chain kept rubbing against the deraileur in the 50t small cog combo and 34t big cog combo. I took it back 3 different times and they couldn't get it right. I decided to buy the Haynes bicycle repair manual watched a few Youtube videos and started fiddling away. After not thinking I was going to be able to get the adjustment right I finally got everything shifting smooth with no chain rub. I did what the LBS mechanics couldn't get right and know how my bike works more intimately.


Great start. Invest in a good toolkit and repair stand if you have not done it yet. It pays back.

...but try not to crosschain it like that. 50 to 34? Kind of an odd setup.


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## ibadfish (Apr 22, 2012)

Axe said:


> ...but try not to crosschain it like that. 50 to 34? Kind of an odd setup.


No crosschaining. The crank is on my road bike it's a compact 50/34 the combos I meant where 50/12 and 34/28.


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

Since taking up ultra-endurance racing and riding, I do 97% of my own bike work. I decided that I really didn't want to get stuck somewhere with a small problem that I could fix if I knew how. So I've learned how to fix just about everything myself. I'm even going to rebuild my rear shock next weekend!

There are so many good manuals and videos available--not to mention forums like this one--that it's really gotten easy to learns the ins and outs of even the most technical repairs.

One additional benefit of doing my own work is that it gets done right. So many bike shops seem to hire morons instead of mechanics, and they've done some stupid things to my bike in the past. Not that I don't do stupid things sometimes, but at least I learn from the mistake. There are some great mechanics out there, but most bike shops refuse to pay for them.

The one part that I'm not planning on working on is my Lefty fork. Mendon Cyclesmith is quick, affordable, and damn good.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

perttime said:


> I don't do everything.
> Most people that are into cycling that I know (as opposed to people who just ride to school or work etc) do at least some work on their bikes.
> 
> I have never:
> ...


I have never built my own wheels but I will soon. Just gonna build a stand first.

Never faced a headtube or bb shell either. But everything else there is.. I do it. like facing/squaring stems in a lathe and making my own special tools such as crank extractors. I even made a tool to face to bottom of the fork steerer where the headset ring rests. The next step for me is wheels. and finally to build and machine and weld my own titanium bike, and then I mean build everything including the fixture and learning to TIG.

My father always tell me: If you want something done correctly you have to do it yourself.


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## FireLikeIYA (Mar 15, 2009)

I have only taken my bike to the LBS 4 times since I started riding 3 years ago. My main reason for doing my own work is convienience. It really is a big pain in the butt for me to drag my bike to the LBS and wait... and wait... and wait for them to finally get to it. I even have free lifetime tuneups on one bike but it's not even worth the hassle. If I were to pay myself I feel that I would spend more in time alone going back and forth to the LBS rather than just doing it myself. I ended up purchasing a set of Park Tools and just started doing my own wrenching. I buy 90% of my parts online so when I do an upgrade and I know I don't have the correct tools I just order them as well. The only thing I have yet to do is build my own wheelset. I get a lot of help from MTBR, Youtube, Park Tools website, manufacturer's websites etc. I have even rebuilt a few forks and must say it's not too difficult (except for the FIT damper which is a little tedious). I say most anyone can do their own work without personal guidance as long as they have access to the internet.


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

FireLikeIYA said:


> I have only taken my bike to the LBS 4 times since I started riding 3 years ago. My main reason for doing my own work is convienience. It really is a big pain in the butt for me to drag my bike to the LBS and wait... and wait... and wait for them to finally get to it. I even have free lifetime tuneups on one bike but it's not even worth the hassle. If I were to pay myself I feel that I would spend more in time alone going back and forth to the LBS rather than just doing it myself. I ended up purchasing a set of Park Tools and just started doing my own wrenching. I buy 90% of my parts online so when I do an upgrade and I know I don't have the correct tools I just order them as well. The only thing I have yet to do is build my own wheelset. I get a lot of help from MTBR, Youtube, Park Tools website, manufacturer's websites etc. I have even rebuilt a few forks and must say it's not too difficult (except for the FIT damper which is a little tedious). I say most anyone can do their own work without personal guidance as long as they have access to the internet.


Is this the Link you use within ParkTool? (Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog). Some of this stuff seems very old and I wasn't sure if it still applies?


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## FireLikeIYA (Mar 15, 2009)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> Is this the Link you use within ParkTool? (Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog). Some of this stuff seems very old and I wasn't sure if it still applies?


Some of the pictures may be old but the information is current. The site is a good all encomposing source for bike repair. Obviously, it wont cover every product made by every manufacturer (i.e. the section on replacing derailleur cables is semi-generic). I usually look at the manufacturers documentation before going to the Park Tools website but the Park Tools site is a good place to go when the manufcaturer documentation isn't that great.


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

I take it in for headsets and press fit bbs. I have also never bled hydro brakes or needed it. I do have a kit waiting for when I need to learn though.


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## Space Robot (Sep 13, 2008)

I like to work on my bike. I recently had a problem with my sram crankset. Long story short, I got a warranty replacement and installed the new one myself. I'd rather buy a tool to do the repair than pay someone else. I haven't tackled building wheels or frame prepping (facing) yet, but have done most other repairs/installations.


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## pj1008 (Mar 12, 2011)

I am trying to work on my own bike, this is my first non department store bike so i actually care for this bike and I get worried the LBS won't take as much care in it as I will. I just hope i don't screw something up... I'm having one hell of a time getting my front derailer adjusted right now :madman: but ill figure it out!

And I like to know that if something goes wrong in the field i'll know what to do to fix it myself instead of having to walk back.


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

pj1008 said:


> I just hope i don't screw something up... I'm having one hell of a time getting my front derailer adjusted right now :madman: but ill figure it out!


If you don't force anything, and you probably won't screw up too much. Buy a couple of books, watch videos, and check out the Park Tools website.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

Just serviced my fork yesterday. Easy as 123.


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## RobbVII (Aug 13, 2008)

Part of the fun of riding for me is upgrading and installing new parts.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2


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## 40er (Dec 4, 2011)

RobbVII said:


> Part of the fun of riding for me is upgrading and installing new parts.
> 
> Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2


Agree


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

Bought a new fork today, installed, realized steer tube is waaaayyy too long. At the shop so they can cut it and adjust the star nut. 

That and pressfit bb/headsets are the only thing I can't do.


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## Mike T. (Dec 30, 2003)

I wouldn't let ANYONE *touch* my bike. And that hasn't changed for the 50 years I've been into hi-end bikes. I do it all.


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## 40er (Dec 4, 2011)

kikoraa said:


> Bought a new fork today, installed, realized steer tube is waaaayyy too long. At the shop so they can cut it and adjust the star nut.
> 
> That and pressfit bb/headsets are the only thing I can't do.


12 dollar pipe cutter from lowes does a perfect job to cut steer tube


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## kikoraa (Jul 25, 2011)

40er said:


> 12 dollar pipe cutter from lowes does a perfect job to cut steer tube


Damn, didn't know that. How do you move the starnut?


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

kikoraa said:


> Damn, didn't know that. How do you move the starnut?


You just punch it down. But be wise and use some piping to push it square, not like I did with a bolt and hammer.

And be sure to check the top of the tube after cutting since it may have created a lip and you'll have to filled it off not to interfere with the stem and spacers installation.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

40er said:


> 12 dollar pipe cutter from lowes does a perfect job to cut steer tube


So does a simple hacksaw.

I do not push starnuts out (trying to avoid using them altogether - with those long bolt compression thingies) but when I do I prefer to break it in place with needle-nose pliers. Usually turns out to be clean. If just moving it a little bit down - gentle tap on a bolt does the trick. Once it is installed straight, it moves down pretty straight.


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## cprambo (Jun 6, 2012)

*I do but.....*

I try to work on my own bike but I usually (as in now) end up with more trouble than I started with. I would like to be able to do it right though. If I could only get my steering to loosen up I would be great...probably headed to the bike shop HAHA


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## jrastories (Aug 2, 2008)

I love to work on bikes, They are such simple machines, I have realized that over the years working on bikes the skills I have learned are very transferable to other mechanical things. The proper tools and parts and making sure you take things apart and pay attention to what order things come off and you can take apart and rebuild just about anything. 

The thing I am amazed about is how much people are afraid of things like suspension and breaks but when you break it down they are very simple a little messy with the fluids but very simple. I realized this the first time a hayes mechanic talked me through rebuilding a hayes nine caliper. and since then I have done many different break rebuilds and replacing both lever pistons and caliper pistons.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Axe said:


> So does a simple hacksaw.


And a file to finish it up...

Even though I'm a machinist, or sado machinist  if you like, I still go for the simplest tool.
But yeah sometimes I turn my stem in a lathe :eekster::eekster:, not thats its really needed but I like it. A few hundred kilos of chippings a day keeps the doctor away.. Its quite a sweet symphony punishing that metal with 20kw. Bye bye.. if you were hearing it that is..  Which I almost never am. You hear the first kilos of it and thats it. Files and hacksaws are quite underrated tools. seriously.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

I signed up to go to UBI in Ashland, so I'll see how that goes.


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## James_spec (Jul 28, 2011)

I'm a D.I.Y kinda guy, plus i know that the work i put into the bike is specificly talored to my needs. As for expensive facing tools, i'll just take it to a shop and have them do it. No need to spend $300 of a facing tool to only use once or twice it's life time.


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## Wishful Tomcat (Mar 6, 2009)

I trust my own work more than I trust other's.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Trail6 said:


> I trust my own work more than I trust other's.


Unfortunately that is some people's first problem...

As much as I push working on your own stuff, there are still just those certain people out there who should never pick up a tool in their life.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Axe said:


> So does a simple hacksaw.
> 
> I do not push starnuts out (trying to avoid using them altogether - with those long bolt compression thingies) but when I do I prefer to break it in place with needle-nose pliers. Usually turns out to be clean. If just moving it a little bit down - gentle tap on a bolt does the trick. Once it is installed straight, it moves down pretty straight.


I am a hack with a hacksaw. Pipe cutter is so much cleaner for me.

You are right on with those long bolt things though - they work really well and are much easier to "install" than a star nut!

And I work on my own bike because:

1. A lot of shop mechanics are idiots, and;
2. Shop labor is stupidly overpriced (in my frugal opinion.)

The only time I go to a shop is when I have serious suspension issues I can't fix, or stuff that takes expensive tools (like facing/chasing tools.) Hell, I did all my own work at home even when I lived in the city and didn't have a garage.


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## always_last (Jun 7, 2012)

xpatenaude said:


> The left one has left hand thread. The drive side has regular threads.


And if it the pedals don't seem to thread on correctly, STOP! I was working in a bike shop when a guy brought his bike in to have the pedals changed. He said he had a hard time getting the old ones on. I fought with them for about 20 minutes before I realized he had put the pedals on the wrong side and cross threaded them both ALL THE WAY ON. That's a lot of work, and that's rule number one of bike mechanics- work smarter not harder. I used to hate the gorillas that would work on their own bikes and over tighten every bolt. My rule with tightening bolts on bikes with an allen wrench is that the wrench should just dent the palm of your hand- the same rule with quick release skewers. That's all you need. In 20 years of mountain biking I've never had a bolt come loose with that rule of thumb.

This is an interesting thread, I'm glad the OP started it. I've been working on my own bikes since I was a 12yo kid riding bmx. I haven't bought a complete bike since 1994. I've built every bike since then from frame up including wheels. I tend to think everyone is like me, but reading this thread has made me realize otherwise.


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## MiWolverine (Jun 15, 2009)

always_last said:


> That's a lot of work, and that's rule number one of bike mechanics- work smarter not harder. I used to hate the gorillas that would work on their own bikes and over tighten every bolt. My rule with tightening bolts on bikes with an allen wrench is that the wrench should just dent the palm of your hand- the same rule with quick release skewers. That's all you need. In 20 years of mountain biking I've never had a bolt come loose with that rule of thumb..


This is why I use a torque wrench on nearly every bolt. I also made up a list of the torque specs of all the bolts on my bikes and have them posted on my bench. This way, I don't have to hunt for, or guess, the specs every time I reassemble something. Though, working in a shop, I am sure this isn't feasible, but for people that only have a few bikes, this is the way tot go.


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## PissedOffCil (Oct 18, 2007)

I work on all my bikes and my wife's myself, from adjustment to wheelbuild or suspension maintenance. There are some weeks like the current one where it really bugs me to always have something to work on, but most of the time I like it! It's fun wrenching bikes when it's not critical (brakes and freewheel giving up 2 days before a race sucks big time!)


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

Laser4G63 said:


> This is why I use a torque wrench on nearly every bolt. I also made up a list of the torque specs of all the bolts on my bikes and have them posted on my bench. This way, I don't have to hunt for, or guess, the specs every time I reassemble something. Though, working in a shop, I am sure this isn't feasible, but for people that only have a few bikes, this is the way tot go.


I do own several torque wrenches - two beam types, click type, two preset click types. I rarely use them anymore - I found that I can tighten all bike fasteners by feel pretty darn accurately anyway.


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## Mr.Magura (Aug 11, 2010)

nov0798 said:


> I do all my own stuff. I dont trust the bike shop folks to do anything. Also, in the amount of time it takes me to go to the shop, wait for the bike, then go pick it up, I could do it myself alot faster, and know that it was done correctly.


^^^^^This

Exactly how I feel about it.

Trusting somebody else that much, without actually having any guarantees, is just not happening in my book.

The same goes for matters that are safety related on the car.

Magura


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Mr.Magura said:


> ^^^^^This
> 
> Exactly how I feel about it.
> 
> ...


You guys have the right idea. After having worked in a bike shop back in high school, I can assure you that bike mechanics can be unqualified, inexperienced, or simply lazy. Combine that with shop rates, and I'd rather do my own work any day.

Not only that, but it's really therapeutic to unwind with some bike wrenching after a long day at work!


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

jtmartino said:


> Not only that, but it's really therapeutic to unwind with some bike wrenching after a long day at work!


So true.

I'll never pay someone to work on my bike and hardly ever pay people to work on my car. I've really only made one really expensive mistake and that just cost me the 2-step air cartridge in my Lyrik, but I wanted a solo air anyways.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

jtmartino said:


> Not only that, but it's really therapeutic to unwind with some bike wrenching after a long day at work!


So true.

I'll never pay someone to work on my bike and hardly ever pay people to work on my car. I've really only made one really expensive mistake and that just cost me the 2-step air cartridge in my Lyrik, but I wanted a solo air anyways.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Laser4G63 said:


> This is why I use a torque wrench on nearly every bolt. I also made up a list of the torque specs of all the bolts on my bikes and have them posted on my bench. This way, I don't have to hunt for, or guess, the specs every time I reassemble something. Though, working in a shop, I am sure this isn't feasible, but for people that only have a few bikes, this is the way tot go.


I never use a torque wrench. We have some at work like 1200nm ones. I judge and set torque using 3 different tools, a full length hex one the long side = high torque, on the short side = very low torque (carbon low), and a screwdriver for bits = medium. For really high torque applications on a bike I use a 20cm pipe on my full lenght hexes. at work I use a 15000nm hydraulic tool. I can literally snap a 12.9 m36 bolt with this one, well at least an m30, I don't normally engage is such activities though  we count degrees with those, not newtons.

Never ever had anything brake because of this. I guess is a "use your judgement" matter. But working with steel, ti and al, I feel confident I can put in some power. Carbon I will never own, not a single part, ever, nor paper thin al. No weak **** on my bikes! so if its all metal it quite hard to destroy parts, unless maybe going the ww route I guess.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

I do _everything_ on my bike (that I have the required tools and parts for) and I've helped others with theirs, too.


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## AlaskaStinson (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm an airplane mechanic. The idea of wrenching on stuff at home lost its fun 20 years ago. 

With that said, I do have "the untimate set of tools", and all the bike specific ones. Given the time it takes to take the bike in, wait for it, then pick it up, it's faster to fix it myself. 

Unfortunatly I have 4 family members who feel the same way. Go ahead and crash it, Dad will fix it. I wish the LBS made house calls. They probably would, but not on a mechanics buget


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## jrastories (Aug 2, 2008)

AlaskaStinson said:


> I'm an airplane mechanic. The idea of wrenching on stuff at home lost its fun 20 years ago.
> 
> With that said, I do have "the untimate set of tools", and all the bike specific ones. Given the time it takes to take the bike in, wait for it, then pick it up, it's faster to fix it myself.
> 
> Unfortunatly I have 4 family members who feel the same way. Go ahead and crash it, Dad will fix it. I wish the LBS made house calls. They probably would, but not on a mechanics buget


This guy does Pedal to the People: Home you may have to move to Barrie Ontario though.


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## Vampir (Mar 15, 2012)

Last week I had a particularly nasty crash and broke a crank and screwed up my front derailleur. I decided there was no better time than then learn to wrench myself.

Between the Park repair book, YouTube, a repair stand, and some new tools, I can now say I do my own fixing. 

It was surprisingly fun to do and my bike is running as good as new when I was all done. Even better is that the money invested will continue to pay for itself.


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## dwyooaj (Dec 14, 2006)

the only thing i dont do myself is rear shock rebuild. Oh wait... now that i have a rockshox vivid coil on there, I can do that myself too! When i first started riding, i soon got a new handlebar for my bike and had the lbs install it (even though Im pretty handy, always worked on my cars, etc was just being lazy i guess). went to pick it up when they called and said it was "done" and the stem steerer bolts werent even tightened! it was at closing time, and the _owner_ was there; he tried to remedy this by cranking down on the top cap bolt when that didnt work he said, come back tomorrow and the mech will fix it. Which he did, but needless to say right then is when I decided to do all future wrenching myself. Even build my own wheels, done correctly (with antiseize, not adhesives, as spoke thread prep). The money saved buys a lot of parts...


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## esundell90 (Dec 20, 2009)

I do. Hell I built all my own bikes. I don't buy into pre-made stuff, I'm too finiky. I like stuff the way I want it setup. I try stuff, if it works, I keep it or find a way to improve a setup. If it dosen;t, ditch it and try something else.

Save for big stuff, like truing/building wheelsets (Which I have a great LBS for!) I do all my own work. Its amazing how easy it really is, and saves you a lot of $$ in the long run.


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## clarkfam3 (May 18, 2006)

When you have a wife and 3 boys and all of us with multiple bikes, it would cost me a fortune in bike maintinance fees. So being very mechanically inclined I do all of my own stuff. From complete bike builds to complete overhauls of a FS MTB. If I don't have a special tool, I just go to the LBS and "barrow" it (it helps to know the owner). With the amount of information on the internet, most peolpe, if they want to, can research on how to do something. Then take your time and doing it the right way. Just my .02


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## wespott (Dec 1, 2011)

There are so many videos and tutorials available online, I can do most things by myself.


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

to me working on and building bikes is a very important and fun thing to do.
:thumbsup:


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## cdn-dave (Jan 6, 2007)

I do for all of the typical reasons - it's relaxing/fun/typically faster, trust myself more than the LBS, I'm thrifty, love to tinker, etc etc =)

I built my first set of wheels (2x, 28 butted spokes, XTR hubs with NOS Sun Race rims - experiment in liteness - like I said, I like to tinker!), and brought them in to the LBS for final truing/verification. They were pretty quick, but I think the work intimidated them and they said it was fine, ie. they couldn't remedy the minor out-of-trueness/roundness.

Whatever, they/we survived the Pass'portes du Soleil and a tour through the Alps, so the wheels must've been ok after all!


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

do pretty much everything myself. i would hate to have to go to the bike shop everytime i need something done.


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## SlowJoeCrow (Mar 16, 2009)

I like working on my bikes because after working all week on computers on long drawn out projects I really appreciate being able to put my hands on something and finish it right away. Also I like the self sufficiency of doing most things myself. I go to the LBS for things that require special tools, or more patience and skill like suspension and wheels.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

SlowJoeCrow said:


> I like working on my bikes because after working all week on computers on long drawn out projects I really appreciate being able to put my hands on something and finish it right away.


So true.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

Just spent some time running maintenance on my bike. I always hate stabbing my fingertips on a frayed cable end, but that's what I got.


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## Ilikemtb999 (Oct 8, 2010)

I was a lead mechanic for 6 years....I work on everything myself and do plenty of work for friends/neighbors/family.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

The next step after maintaining everything yourself, is ensuring you've got all of the essential parts to keep things perfect without having to run down the LBS every fortnight.

I used to buy shift cable sets, but now just make my own up. Buying this stuff in bulk is seriously cheap. I buy the shimano SP41 housing 10m at a time, 10 packs of stainless cables and ferrules/ends buy the jar. Works out about $8.50 for complete replacement of all shifter cables. And its not just the cost savings, its the time savings of not having to run down the LBS any time you need some sort of consumable.

Other things to stock up on are:

spare spokes
derailleur hanger
brake pads
tyres


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## oldskoolwrench (Jul 12, 2012)

A couple more additions to the list:

-- Bottle of Cable Ends
-- Black Cloth handlebar tape (works great for shimming out light, rack, bottle cage
clamps, etc.)
-- Brass shim material
-- Assorted Nuts, bolts & washers in 5M x .80 and 6M x 1.0


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## Trees138 (Mar 4, 2012)

As with most things I do, being on a limited budget makes diy a necessity, I do enjoy it, but I really have to or I would have to settle for a LOT less.

it also is nice to help out others that dint know how to do something and show them that anyone can do it.


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## stapefist (Mar 31, 2010)

I fix all of my friends bikes for free... The more people I have in my arsenal to ride with me the better. I guess it's unselfishly selfish


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## tpc1 (Jun 29, 2010)

I fix almost everything on my bike. The only thing i have done for me is to true the wheels, i never bought a fixture and my bike shop does not charge me for it.


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## tahoeyeti (Oct 19, 2003)

always_last said:


> And if it the pedals don't seem to thread on correctly, STOP! I was working in a bike shop when a guy brought his bike in to have the pedals changed. He said he had a hard time getting the old ones on. I fought with them for about 20 minutes before I realized he had put the pedals on the wrong side and cross threaded them both ALL THE WAY ON. That's a lot of work, and that's rule number one of bike mechanics- work smarter not harder. I used to hate the gorillas that would work on their own bikes and over tighten every bolt. *My rule with tightening bolts on bikes with an allen wrench is that the wrench should just dent the palm of your hand- the same rule with quick release skewers. That's all you need. In 20 years of mountain biking I've never had a bolt come loose with that rule of thumb.*
> 
> This is an interesting thread, I'm glad the OP started it. I've been working on my own bikes since I was a 12yo kid riding bmx. I haven't bought a complete bike since 1994. I've built every bike since then from frame up including wheels. I tend to think everyone is like me, but reading this thread has made me realize otherwise.


I used to do that, until I had two pair of cranks get ruined from not being torqued enough (octalink and isis).


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

tahoeyeti said:


> I used to do that, until I had two pair of cranks get ruined from not being torqued enough (octalink and isis).


...now you know that this trick is NOT for crank arm bolts and BB cups...


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## tahoeyeti (Oct 19, 2003)

David C said:


> ...now you know that this trick is NOT for crank arm bolts and BB cups...


Yep. Learned that the hard way, unfortunately.


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## WordLife (Jul 15, 2012)

i do


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## danmtchl (Sep 18, 2004)

I learned to fix my bike because I hated waiting for someone to get to it. It was/is a inconveinance. I learned so much that I worked in a shop for 7 years. It was even better because I had full access to all the tool I was to cheap to buy. 

I would say at the very least to learn how to adjust you deraileurs. It is annoying to ride In the middle of nowhere and your deraileurs are out of adjustment and you can't fix them.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Former shop wrench here; always have done all my own wrenching. Have accumulated most of the common tools but would pay for things like facing, chasing, press in bearing replacement etc. It's not rocket science, but remember, most people pay for other people to all sorts of things for them.


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## SpiderWebs65 (Jul 9, 2012)

*Work it...*

Working on my bike is like making love to a beautiful woman. Not really, but close. There's a sense of satisfaction in knowing that _you _control the fate of your bike's mechanisms when riding.


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## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*Absolutely agree*

I agree with the above. There's great satisfaction in being able to get your bike setup just the way you want. I think there would be so many trips to LBS for what I end up doing it would never be worth it. Plus the money I don't spend on labor I can spend on parts.

I also work on all my buddies' bikes. I have been through upgrading all the bikes in my friend's quiver this spring. He would never have been able to have all the work done at the LBS.

I'm going to start doing wheel builds for my friends as well. I just can't stand to see them ship their parts all over the place, plus pay for wheel building. I really like wheel building.

Let me just add that for every time I get to build up a Lynskey I end up working on three crapped out commuter bikes. But those bikes leave my house working better than they have in years. That makes up for all the grease under the finger nails. That Lynskey went together like butter.

If there's one thing I don't love, it's doing brake bleeds. I've gotten pretty good at it. But I don't love it. Truing rotors and getting rub out of a set of hydros is always a chore.


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## volc0m13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Since i work in a shop I do all my own work for my bike. sometimes ill sneak my bike into work and ill get paid to work on my bike haha


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

Built a wheel for the first time today


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## dihymon (Jun 12, 2012)

I've rebuilt an almost totaled motorcycle in my garage by myself and did that without a problem. I can do a lot of autowork and even worked in a machine shop for a while. But for some unknown reason the bike gods do not appreciate me touching their bicycles and I can't even get a V-brake to work correctly. Anytime I tried all hell broke lose so I finally gave up. So when it comes to a bicycle I know my limitations and let someone else work on it. 

I'll change my own tire but that is about it.


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## char1i3 (Jul 23, 2012)

Having been quite averse to working on my bike until recently I have just built one from scratch and now I'm not sure why I was so against doing my own work. I hate setting up cable gears though. Everything else is easy and satisfying (when it goes well). Just had to take an angle grinder to a Truvativ crank and bottom bracket.

Charlie


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## Barheet (Jul 13, 2012)

I've been an avid biker for years, but only recently got into actually working on bikes. The only thing holding me back is the tools required. I buy them as I need them. I figure it's cheaper in the long run than having a bike shop do it for me every time. Plus I can adjust on the fly.


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

I may be mis-remembering, but I can't ever remember bringing a bike to a shop for service. I figure that I can buy the tool and then have it. I have some books, but in general you don't even need that since every repair is on YouTube.

It sure helps with field repairs when you do your own maintenance. Though actually, I can't remember doing any field repairs. I try to keep the bike so that it won't fail.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

i only went to a mechanic once in my first bike for adjustments and cable/hose shortening. henceforth i maintained that same bike. after a couple of years, i built my own bike from scratch, even the wheelset.

if someone is mechanically inclined, bikes are no brainer (modesty aside). i'm an IT pro by day, DIYer by weekend of literally everything i can get my hands on to the house (ie repair/maintenace). when i was still single i work with cars (ie rebuild/tune engines and suspension).

yes, there are bike specific tools that one will need, "but" take note that if you do it for your personal maintenance, you won't need a whole bunch of tools - only those that you'll be needing to maintain your rig. truing stand i built below is c/o roger musson (great book, great guy)













another thing is, some bike tools can be homemade like truing stand, headset/bb press.


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## HardLuck682 (Mar 20, 2008)

For the most part, I'll wrench it myself. If something comes along that I'm not 100% confident on, I'll check YouTube for a few videos. If I'm still not confident, to the shop it goes. Between my work stand, bike tool kit and basic auto mechanic tools, I'm at about $1000 in tools, I may as well use them instead of paying someone else for them to use their tools. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## pdxmark (Aug 7, 2013)

I build my computers and other people home networks; work on my '95 Grande Cherokee Limited v8(except transmission); modify peoples airsoft and paintball markers; maintenance my home; can do most any repair/maintenance to my bikes(learned my lesson trying to service a Sektor U-Turn, found or made massive scratch on inside right stanchion. Will now send forks for maintenance); repair everything my lady does not understand!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I build and repair my own bikes, my family's bikes, I build wheels...
Also engines, generators, boats... You name it.


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## BADDANDY (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm the only one that has ever touched my bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, jeeps, trailers, RVs, appliances, house and anything else I buy that's needs modification, maintenance and/or repair. I've amassed quite a few tools and techniques in my 55 years. The internet is a godsend in this modern era to be able to do it. It also helps that the Air Force trained me to repair jet engines and aircraft systems at the ripe age of 18! Besides having to wait for parts, I've never suffered grief from down time, crappy work, or repeat issues due to the hands of others and saved so much money doing it myself.


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## PauLCa916 (Jul 1, 2013)

I love working on my bikes.
Re built my 2012 Stump Jumper HT had the wheel set built thou.
Buying tools as I need them next is wheel building tools I've made bottom bracket presses.
Just got done building a Carbon HT.
Now re building my 1997 Rock Hopper and when that's done I have to figure out what bike I want to build next ? Maybe a Fat Bike ?
Do repairs on my friends and my son's bikes I'm always willing to work on bikes.


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## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

I replaced the swing arm myself. I had help from the mtbr'r that I bought it from. Not physical help. He told me what to do.
Here it is on the workstand:


Here it is finished:


That was the first time I did any serious work on a bike outside of simple maintenance. It was a little bit more than just a bolt on operation.


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## dietz31684 (Mar 30, 2010)

Hell yeah, nobody ever touches my bikes! I had the lbs press in a stubborn headset once. They messed it up and had to buy a new headset and pressed that one in no problem. In my opinion, the Park DAG2 is an awesome tool for people who ride technical terrain. 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk


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## pmiska (Nov 10, 2006)

All my own work, the only thing I might outsource at this point is facing a new frame, but that seems to be seldom needed these days... Learning wheel building at present, something I've always wanted to add to my skill set. 

My dad started teaching me when I was in about 5th grade, and it just took. Now it's part of the fun and I find it very relaxing. With my own kids now it is my calm zen place for daddy only. When they get older I hope to pass it on.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

I don't always work on my bike, but when I do. I make sure I do it properly so I don't have to redo soon after.


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## matuchi (Jun 9, 2008)

I can pretty much do all my repairs - I've been buying tools over the years and have a nice collection - plus I have a Park Tool maintenance book for referencing repairs.


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

I'm an aircraft mechanic & it translates well to bikes. A shock is just a small, adjustable landing gear strut. Removing & installing bushings- headsets & frame bushings. I did my first star nut perfectly just by using a screwdriver with a slightly smaller diameter than the steer tube as a drift & it was perfect. But with aircraft maintenance having to be so precise, I tend to do everything on my bike with super anal precision out of habit. My bars are EXACTLY centered in the stem clamp & my brake pads are both equal distance from the rotors. Anything that touched the frame has chafe protection on it. Hahahahah...I tend to get all Martha Stewart on my bike.

I replaced a threaded insert in one of the brake caliper attach lugs on friend's really expensive fork. He thought I was awesome.

When you do stuff like that for free (or beer), it's a good feeling for you & them.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

DaveRider said:


> ....But with aircraft maintenance having to be so precise, I tend to do everything on my bike with super anal precision out of habit.


I fly often, and the above is super encouraging to hear. :thumbsup:


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

JonathanGennick said:


> I fly often, and the above is super encouraging to hear. :thumbsup:


Well...a long time ago, I worked for a commuter airline that hired anyone with a license & a pulse. I saw some sketchy stuff.


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## matuchi (Jun 9, 2008)

DaveRider said:


> Well...a long time ago, I worked for a commuter airline that hired anyone with a license & a pulse. I saw some sketchy stuff.


Okay - back to riding the bus! :lol:


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

DaveRider said:


> Well...a long time ago, I worked for a commuter airline that hired anyone with a license & a pulse. I saw some sketchy stuff.


I once flew from DTW to FNT on a twin-engine commuter, and the fuel cap on my side was dangling by its chain the whole way. It was night, but there was moonlight and I could look out my window and watch the filler-cap bouncing around as we flew. Today I would push the call button and say something. Back then I was too reserved and shy. No fuel seemed to be leaking, so I just sucked it up and was very happy to finally land at Flint. Today I'm older and wiser and would say something.


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## xler8 (Oct 22, 2015)

I do all my own work. Not only do I enjoy it, I don't have any LBS around that I actually trust with my steeds. The time it would take for me to load my bike and drop it off, have someone work on it, then go pick it up, it's just way faster to do it myself.

Over the years I learned that the correct tool makes a huge difference between getting the job done and hoping to get the job done. Sure mistakes happen, but they only happen once and over time you gain the knowledge and confidence to tackle anything. This also comes in super handy when out on the trail\road and you need to Macgyver something.... sure beats walking.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

DaveRider said:


> I'm an aircraft mechanic & it translates well to bikes. A shock is just a small, adjustable landing gear strut. Removing & installing bushings- headsets & frame bushings. I did my first star nut perfectly just by using a screwdriver with a slightly smaller diameter than the steer tube as a drift & it was perfect. But with aircraft maintenance having to be so precise, I tend to do everything on my bike with super anal precision out of habit. My bars are EXACTLY centered in the stem clamp & my brake pads are both equal distance from the rotors. Anything that touched the frame has chafe protection on it. Hahahahah...I tend to get all Martha Stewart on my bike.
> 
> I replaced a threaded insert in one of the brake caliper attach lugs on friend's really expensive fork. He thought I was awesome.
> 
> When you do stuff like that for free (or beer), it's a good feeling for you & them.


I think I have a man crush!! Wanna be friends? I have beer ^^


JonathanGennick said:


> I once flew from DTW to FNT on a twin-engine commuter, and the fuel cap on my side was dangling by its chain the whole way. It was night, but there was moonlight and I could look out my window and watch the filler-cap bouncing around as we flew. Today I would push the call button and say something. Back then I was too reserved and shy. No fuel seemed to be leaking, so I just sucked it up and was very happy to finally land at Flint. Today I'm older and wiser and would say something.


?? What would you say...??

'Pull over, so I can put the fuel cap back in'.

o_0

PS - I'm learning to wrench my own whips.

-----------------------------------------------------------
#1 resolution... Ride it like I stole it!!


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## cannondave (Mar 3, 2014)

Yep, all my own work don't really trust lbs.
As I say if you want a job doing right you have to do it yourself.

Having the correct tools is a must because it just makes the job so much easier, the only thing I don't own yet is a facing tool of some kind and that's only because a/ they are very expensive for a quality one. b/ they are just not needed that often unless your working on a ton of bikes..

I have everything to build a complete bike from the ground up and the skills to match.
Have been known to get a bit ott on the details like cable placement ,headset alignment branding ,and the old favourite lining tires up correctly with rim decals..
So I'm happy...


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

I do all my own work and i don't enjoy it all. But if i want it to get done right I have to do it myself. Also pretty much everything on by bike is not really supposed to go toghether so much are custom solutions and so on. 

I wish nano technology would have, well, got good by now. that way i could spray my whole bike in nano anti crap spray and no dirt would ever stick on it.

I build my bikes with a strategy behind it. Get as durable parts as possible then as little wrenching as possible will be required in the future!


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

btw even if the airplanes are leaking fuel its only dangerous if the fuel is burning! dont panic.


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## Andy_K (Mar 19, 2014)

DaveRider said:


> I'm an aircraft mechanic & it translates well to bikes.


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## Druman (Jun 29, 2007)

I had my LBS do everything until I had a problem which left me stranded, and I realized that no one can maintain my bike better than my self. Unfortunately the learning curve is steep, I had to acquire tools, Zinn's maintenance for MTB, and a year+ later, I am comfortable maintaining my bike and my GF's bike. Initially it is not the cheapest option, but over time your are saving money, and more importantly IMO, riding a bike which you know is in optimal condition. There is a degree of satisfaction knowing you can solve the majority problems by yourself. Of course as you learn you will make mistakes which will cause you more $$, but over the long run you will save.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Druman said:


> ... and more importantly IMO, riding a bike which you know is in optimal condition. There is a degree of satisfaction knowing you can solve the majority problems by yourself.


Oddly enough, I find that knowing how to work on bikes leaves me comfortable riding a bike in non-optimal condition. Because I know when I need to worry about a problem *now* versus when I can just let it go and ride the bike and compensate.


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## BuickGN (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm also in the camp that no one can or maybe the word is WILL maintain my bike as well as me. Wheels are the exception. I don't build them, I don't true them, I don't have anything to do with wheels. Everything else I do myself. Even the very high end shop we have here with $1m of bikes on the floor and a great shop reputation, I've seen their work. My friend bought a bike from them that they built and once it needed a going over (brake rotors and pads, and a few upgrades), I began seeing their shortcuts and screw-ups. It was really disappointing. I talked him into upgrading to larger Icetech rotors. One rotor had excessive wear anyway (it was a smaller Icetech) so when I went to remove the caliper, before I began loosening anything, I noticed the piston on one side was all the way extended and the other side was almost flush with the body. 

They had installed the caliper so far off center that one piston was about to pop out of it's bore. Both pads were worn down about the same which is the beauty of hydraulic brakes but it was far from being centered. It was to the point that they had to know it was off. Once I noticed it, I could stand up at least 5' away from the bike and see that the caliper was off. Besides that, there were loose bolts all over the bike. The brake hoses used zip ties in places they were supposesd to use the factory clips that allow the hoses to slide near suspension pivot points. I guess they lost most of the factor hardware and substituted with whatever they had laying around. The brakes had one bolt holding the adaptor to the frame that was so short, it only caught with a couple threads. I had to chase the threads with a tap because the top couple threads were damaged from so little engagement. One on the front was too long and had bottomed out just enough that the caliper could not be fully tightened. It was snug but not tight. I could go on and on but you get the point. 

It's even worse in the automotive industry. I don't have the time to work on my cars like I used to and not that I'm older I have the money to pay people but there's no one trust worthy enough to pay. I did my timing belt on my daily driver TL on a 3 day weekend. Timing belt, tensioner pulley/bearings, idler (both the timing and serpentine belts) hydraulic tensioner, cam seals, crank seal, PCV valve, all engine and transmission mounts, all fluids (Redline only), valve adjustment, thermostat, all air filters, added a power steering cooler, spark plugs, heater water control valve, air intake hose, brake pads, topped off the AC, new power steering and radiator overflow reservoirs, all new water hoses, water pump, windshield wipers, oil pump seals, and new transmission pressure switches (replaced every 2 years because I found they are the reason for the early transmission deaths in these cars). I was quoted something stupid like $3,500 and the master tech I talked to didn't even know what the pressure switches were and said I definitely didn't need to replace them, had never done the oil pump seal, and had to call a guy in from a different shop to do the valve adjustment. They did not sound competent at all and I definitely wasn't going to pay them $3,500 to have what would have amounted to various problems for the next 5 years. I paid almost $700 out the door doing it all myself and the car has been rock solid every since I did it 2 years ago. The bike is a lot simpler and cheaper but from what I've seen of the shops' work, bikes are no different than cars in trying to find a competent mechanic that's going to know what he's doing and also give a crap about it.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

I'm a very mechanically inclined person. When I got back into riding I had to spend a lot of time researching how things are done now. Buy specialty tools when needed. Never had an issue and I trust my work over anyone elses. 14 yrs as an ASE TECH you realize how much the "experts" don't actually know about working on anything.

Hell I build my own computers as well. My last one lasted 9 yrs, took my basement flooding to finally kill the damn thing. Issue free (except software issues) the entire 9 years.

It's cheaper and better piece of mind for me to do the work myself. To support my LBS I just buy parts from them whenever I can. And my bikes have NEVER failed me on the trail. Only flats and a bent rim due to crash has forced me to hike a bike back to the car. 

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

BuickGN's thread mimics my experiences as a young man. I started fixing my own cars because of inept "mechanics". I went on to build high performance marine engines and then made a long term career in diesel generators. 
When I got heavy into bikes, I was finding factory built wheels were generally crap. 
Taught myself to build wheels and now, I'm comfortable riding anywhere on my wheels.


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2006)

I tell people that I like working on my bike almost as much as I like riding it, and it's true. The fact that I save a tremendous amount of time and money by doing it myself is icing on the cake. That said my LBS has been good to me, and I try to support them by buying parts there when I can. I've always been kind of a DIY guy, but I was little slow to start working on my bike after I started riding again. I guess I thought it was more complex than it is. It really started when I broke a rear spoke and the shop said it would be a week to get it fixed. When I said I wanted to ride the next day the the mechanic told me I could fix it myself and showed me what I needed to do, and then sold me a small tool kit with the tools I needed, along with the spoke, and sent me on my way. It's all been a learning experience from there, thanks to him for igniting the spark and forums like this one to fan the flame.

I just built my first wheel last week, which is something I've been wanting to do for quite a while. About the only part of my bikes that I haven't dug into is the rear shock. Though that time will come.


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## Jorgemonkey (Mar 10, 2004)

I almost always fix mine. The only thing I haven't done is installed a new fork/headset. I always took it to the shop for that, but next time I replace one I plan on getting the tools & doing it myself. Like others mentioned, I'm always riding it and I'm the best one to maintain it. I also realized with the $$ saved from not taking it to the shop for labor for a parts install, I could do it myself and use that $$ for post ride munchies.


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## HawkGX (May 24, 2012)

I've been riding for about 4 years now and only just started doing a little bit of my own wrenching in the past few months. Mainly because I'm the definition of anti-mechanical! I was always worried about totally screwing something up and paying the piper to fix my mistakes. Thanks to the web (Park Tools site and YouTube in particular) I'm much less intimidated than I used to be. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BuickGN (Aug 25, 2008)

tigris99 said:


> I'm a very mechanically inclined person. When I got back into riding I had to spend a lot of time researching how things are done now. Buy specialty tools when needed. Never had an issue and I trust my work over anyone elses. 14 yrs as an ASE TECH you realize how much the "experts" don't actually know about working on anything.
> 
> Hell I build my own computers as well. My last one lasted 9 yrs, took my basement flooding to finally kill the damn thing. Issue free (except software issues) the entire 9 years.
> 
> ...


That's the truth. In college I enrolled in an Advanced Computer Controls class. There were 3 classes that were supposed to be taken before it that I didn't realize I was supposed to take. The teacher let me take it with the agreement that if I was failing in the first month I was out. Lots of career dealership guys there. It was basic feedback fuel injection, computer controlled ignitions (this was the late '90s) and of course the computer side and inputs like MAF sensors, CTS, IAT, you know the drill, and outputs like IAC (before DBW) injectors, and how the 02 checked the calculations and corrected using short and long term fuel trims. All basic stuff now but somewhat new back then. It also took us for a short ride through the old Ford EEC IV (I think that's the one) with the breakout box used for diagnostics and all of that old out dated crap they used. Even had a glass running engine hooked to a dyno so you could actually see inside the combustion chamber and the effects timing and AFR had on it.

Anyway, not too terribly complicated but what I learned above all else is to understand the computer/electronic side of engines, you MUST know the mechanical side very well. At that time I had been racing for a year or two and was the only one at the track tuning with a laptop and once I had a tune down, I would just load a racegas tune with a little more timing, boost, and fuel, never needing to even pop the hood for some major changes. I had to teach myself a good bit in order to tune a turbo fuel injected car and one of the first with a coil pack so the class turned out to be extremely easy. I noticed with the career guys who had been previously formally educated and experienced, some got it and did well while the majority struggled and even failed. Again, with the biggest difference, some knew the inner workings of the engines while others did not.

The internet is frustrating because you see "experts" giving out advice that's dead wrong beyond a doubt but you can't argue with them or tell them they're wrong and they usually have a following on a forum that will turn against you in a hurry.

My biggest problem with the car and the bike is making last minute changes and having it bite me in the ass when race/ride time comes. I try hard not to make last minute changes anymore.


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## Jeffsky (Jan 12, 2016)

I am a DIY guy and enjoy working on my bike. I like knowing I can adjust or fix something on my bike after a ride, for a next day ride. But, I just got a new bike with my first hydraulic brakes. I do not have a clue how to adjust or fix hydraulic brakes - Yet.


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## BuickGN (Aug 25, 2008)

Jeffsky said:


> I am a DIY guy and enjoy working on my bike. I like knowing I can adjust or fix something on my bike after a ride, for a next day ride. But, I just got a new bike with my first hydraulic brakes. I do not have a clue how to adjust or fix hydraulic brakes - Yet.


If you can successfully set up BB7s for maximum performance (I love them, not putting them down), a set of hydros is much easier IMO to both install and to keep at peak performance. Fewer adjustments. Less to go wrong. Just change the fluid once in a while, generally more often with DOT brakes and less with mineral oil brakes. Make sure to keep the fluid free of air which is easy and generally only happens when you open the system and it's pretty much a set and forget setup.


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## Jeffsky (Jan 12, 2016)

BuickGN said:


> If you can successfully set up BB7s for maximum performance (I love them, not putting them down), a set of hydros is much easier IMO to both install and to keep at peak performance. Fewer adjustments. Less to go wrong. Just change the fluid once in a while, generally more often with DOT brakes and less with mineral oil brakes. Make sure to keep the fluid free of air which is easy and generally only happens when you open the system and it's pretty much a set and forget setup.


I am afraid that I never made it to BB7's (I had to google what they are). I am coming off XT V-Brakes, so this is a totally different technology to learn. Hopefully this means they need a lot less tweaking than V-Brakes. For example, now that I have a few rides on my new bike, i notice there is a lot of dead space when I first press the brake lever before they start grabbing. I always adjusted my XT V-Brakes to start grabbing with much less dead space. I assume this is adjustable, but I do not have a clue how. I do know that my brakes use mineral oil, since there is a sticker on them stating this .


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2006)

Jeffsky said:


> I am afraid that I never made it to BB7's (I had to google what they are). I am coming off XT V-Brakes, so this is a totally different technology to learn. Hopefully this means they need a lot less tweaking than V-Brakes. For example, now that I have a few rides on my new bike, i notice there is a lot of dead space when I first press the brake lever before they start grabbing. I always adjusted my XT V-Brakes to start grabbing with much less dead space. I assume this is adjustable, but I do not have a clue how. I do know that my brakes use mineral oil, since there is a sticker on them stating this .


Whether that is adjustable or not depends on the model of brakes you have. Depending on make the adjustment may be called different things, I think Avid calls it contact point, and with Shimano it's free stroke. This is generally only offered on upper level models, lower end stuff just has reach adjustment.

Hydraulic brakes are largely "set it and forget it", especially compared to v-brakes. Once you have them setup the way you like them, there usually isn't any further adjustment needed.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

If I have the right tools for any given task, I'll work on my bike. The most complicated thing I have done was to trim a steerer tube and install a suspension fork. Other than that, I can replace brake pads, cables, derailleurs and hangers. All easy stuff. I am installing a remote dropper post this weekend, so that should be fairly easy compared to the fork. Most difficult thing will be cutting the cable at the right length.

I don't mess with wheels. I will true a spoke from time to time when one gets banged out of whack, but I will usually leave major truing and wheel/spoke repair for the LBS. I will also leave the brake bleeding and the shock servicing to them as well.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Don't be afraid to try learn a new skill. In a worse case scenario, you can always reach out for help.


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## Impetus (Aug 10, 2014)

I do 100% of the maintenance on my Road Bike, 
100% on my SS (including my front suspension), 
and everything on my FS bike except my rear shock's yearly service. 

Honestly, the amount of work I have to do to keep my FS bike running has really reinforced my decision to take the SS for more rides. I take the FS out only when a HT is 'bringing a knife to a gunfight'.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

I can do a lot of my own work on my bike, but I generally choose not to. I have a stand and a well-stocked toolkit, but I live in a condo, so I don't have dedicated workspace. Aside from maintaining my brakes and shifting, or swapping rings/cassettes, I'll take it in. I have good mechanics at my LBS. It's not a retail shop, but rather specializes in service and custom builds. They're friends, have beer on tap, are a 10 minute walk from my home, and do a good job, so I'm content to have them do most of my work. When I buy a house with a garage, maybe I'll get back to doing more of my own, but maybe not. It seems there's nearly always a sense of superiority associated with doing your own work, ranging from implied to explicitly stated, but that's largely absent in my riding circle. Most of my friends have similar thresholds for self-service versus bringing it in. That shop is the hub of our riding community, and we hang out there frequently. A couple nights a week isn't unusual for me. As you can see, it doesn't look or feel like a typical strip-mall retail shop:


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

ARandomBiker said:


> I do 100% of the maintenance on my Road Bike,
> 100% on my SS (including my front suspension),
> and everything on my FS bike except my rear shock's yearly service.


Rear shock service is a really simply process that in my opinion, is much easier than front fork service. My rear shock service is usually nothing more than a fluid change and a quick inspection of seals and such. Take a look at some YouTube videos and take the plunge. You'll be surprised at just how elementary this task is.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

evasive said:


> It seems there's nearly always a sense of superiority associated with doing your own work, ranging from implied to explicitly stated, but that's largely absent in my riding circle.
> 
> That shop is the hub of our riding community, and we hang out there frequently. A couple nights a week isn't unusual for me. As you can see, it doesn't look or feel like a typical strip-mall retail shop:


It's unfortunate that you have observed _"a sense of superiority associated with doing your own work"._ I have not made that same observation.

You sound like you have scored big with your communal group. That is really a good thing that sounds great. Thanks for sharing your logic and experience .


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## Druman (Jun 29, 2007)

evasive said:


> They're friends, have beer on tap, are a 10 minute walk from my home, and do a good job, so I'm content to have them do most of my work. When I buy a house with a garage, maybe I'll get back to doing more of my own, but maybe not. That shop is the hub of our riding community, and we hang out there frequently. A couple nights a week isn't unusual for me. As you can see, it doesn't look or feel like a typical strip-mall retail shop:


 Sounds like you have a good thing. Lucky you! I'd bring my bike in also if I had a place like that.


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## BuickGN (Aug 25, 2008)

Cleared2land said:


> Don't be afraid to try learn a new skill. In a worse case scenario, you can always reach out for help.


I wish I could do that with wheel building. I build my own cars from the engines to the transmissions, chassis, everything. For some reason I'm afraid to attempt to build a wheel set for my bike. Don't know why it's so intimidating. Everything else I do myself.


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## Andy_K (Mar 19, 2014)

BuickGN said:


> I wish I could do that with wheel building. I build my own cars from the engines to the transmissions, chassis, everything. For some reason I'm afraid to attempt to build a wheel set for my bike. Don't know why it's so intimidating. Everything else I do myself.


You should give it a try. It's really not that hard. The biggest place you can make a mistake is in component selection. Have your LBS help you with that (especially spoke length) if you aren't confident. I remember feeling nervous the first time I built a set of wheels, but there's a definite sense of satisfaction when you see the finished product and realize that it can hold you.

I'm not exceptionally gifted mechanically, but I take my time with wheel builds and get it right. The first set probably took me in the neighborhood of 10 hours total work (slow by any measure), but they lasted 9000 trouble free miles before the rim cracked on the rear wheel. I've built about nine more sets since then. I could probably build a wheel in under an hour now.

Get Roger Musson's e-book.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

Arebee said:


> The most complicated thing I have done was to trim a steerer tube and install a suspension fork... I am installing a remote dropper post this weekend, so that should be fairly easy compared to the fork. Most difficult thing will be cutting the cable at the right length.


The dropper post install went pretty easily, and I was able to do it in about an hour last night. X-Fusion's install video on YouTube was very good. The only issue I experienced was a struggle getting the dust cap off the bottom of the HiLo. WTF?


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## SpecialCshoe (Mar 29, 2016)

MrMetric said:


> I am curious, I was talking to a worker at a bike shop and he said that majority of biker riders don't work on their own bikes. Why is that? Is it because they would rather spend their time out on the road or just scared they will screw up their bike?


I tried letting a shop work on my bike a few times for select reasons. The older shop owners/mechanics are better suited to work on anyones bike in general. The shop helpers or young guys have typically caused more problems than they solve. I work on my own bike after a couple incidents of mickey mouse inc took place. I decided its best to carry over my automotive skills and by the tools for the bike and keep it all separate. There is enough Diy info out there if you are ready and willing


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## RonSonic (Jan 8, 2005)

Cleared2land said:


> It's unfortunate that you have observed _"a sense of superiority associated with doing your own work"._ I have not made that same observation.


For me, and a bunch of others here, working on the bikes is part of the hobby. A lot of us do take pride in our work and I've got no doubt there are people who take that to the snobbish.

I would suggest that anyone riding regularly learn the self-defense stuff. One should be able to fix his own flats and such.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

RonSonic said:


> For me, and a bunch of others here, working on the bikes is part of the hobby. A lot of us do take pride in our work and I've got no doubt there are people who take that to the snobbish.
> 
> I would suggest that anyone riding regularly learn the self-defense stuff. One should be able to fix his own flats and such.


One good reason for investing in some mechanical knowledge of your bike would be (if nothing else) to avoid having to walk (or carry) your bike back to your vehicle when something goes wrong while on the trail. There have several occasions where I experienced a failure on the trail and was able to repair or correct the problem and ride out as opposed to walking 10 or 12 miles back to my vehicle.

_Everyone_ should be prepared and know how to fix a flat on the trail. I have seen folks walk a bike many miles because they were ill equipped (tools or knowledge) to fix a simple flat problem.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

Cleared2land said:


> One good reason for investing in some mechanical knowledge of your bike would be (if nothing else) to avoid having to walk (or carry) your bike back to your vehicle when something goes wrong while on the trail. There have several occasions where I experienced a failure on the trail and was able to repair or correct the problem and ride out as opposed to walking 10 or 12 miles back to my vehicle.


Good point! I take pride in being the guy my co-riders look to when somebody has a mechanical on the trail. I snapped a derailleur hanger 20 mins into one ride, pulled a new one out of my backpack, and was back on my bike in 15 mins shifting better than before. Everyone in my group went out and bought a spare after that ride.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I carried a spare derailleur hanger for years and never needing it and at one point thought of removing it from my tool bag. 

However, there came a day...

cruising along about 9 miles from my vehicle, I ran over a stick about the size of you index finger and it flicked up and went into the rear wheel directly behind the rear derailleur. The hanger broke and the rear derailleur wrapped around and into the spokes resulting in an immediate locking up of the rear wheel. It broke two spokes, but that wasn't too concerning. I can make it back with that problem.

Fortunately I had a spare hanger and in about 15 minutes, I was back on the bike and continued on a good ride that for many, would have resulted in a long walk. Day saved. 

While having a little elementary knowledge assisted in this fix, having a spare derailleur hanger is really what saved the day.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

Cleared2land said:


> While having a little elementary knowledge assisted in this fix, having a spare derailleur hanger is really what saved the day.


Agreed. I had to ride 3 miles out one day as a single speeder with my derailleur tied up to my seat. I always had a hanger in my pack after that.


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## RonSonic (Jan 8, 2005)

The two times I've lost a der, there were enough other problems that a spare wouldn't have saved me from needing to flintstone back to civilization.


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## Rocksuperstar (Mar 26, 2010)

After a couple of years of not getting to ride (for so many reasons, none of which are "because i was having too much fun" unfortunately), my bike had gathered a plentiful layer of dust by the time i moved to a new flat, where i decided to put some effort into getting clued up on fixing the thing myself, rather than clog up my local with time wasting repairs that, frankly, i am old enough that i should be on top of.

Got into dismantling the wheels, resetting/replacing barings and all that and generally, mechanically, i am becoming more confident with everything i do. Thus, the tool bag gets heavier and i find myself spending less time looking at components and far more time browsing tools with every job i try to take on. Youtube can be as misleading as it can helpful, but over the last twelve months i've progressed to the point of wondering where i could store a 2nd hand workshop stand a friend of mine has pointed me in the direction of.

Went to my folder of "paper stuff" the other day to find the spec sheet for the ride i'm working on and it's not there. Not so bad, we have t'interwebb etc. but, on searching around, i appear to own a bike that is only mentioned on a couple of random eastern european websites, which seems proper weird.

It's a 2005 GT Ruckus 1.0 hardtail and while i can identify a lot of parts by sight and a bit of research, can't figure out the bottom bracket. That has become second on my list of concerns, now i am curious why my bike has become such a phantom?


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## Andy_K (Mar 19, 2014)

Rocksuperstar said:


> It's a 2005 GT Ruckus 1.0 hardtail and while i can identify a lot of parts by sight and a bit of research, can't figure out the bottom bracket. That has become second on my list of concerns, now i am curious why my bike has become such a phantom?


According to Bikepedia, the 2005 Ruckus 2.0 and 3.0, as well as the 2004 Ruckus 1.0, came with an ISIS bottom bracket, so there's a good chance that's what you have. (As you say, Bikepedia doesn't know anything about a 2005 Ruckus 1.0.) You should be able to confirm by removing the cranks.


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## Rocksuperstar (Mar 26, 2010)

Andy_K said:


> According to Bikepedia, the 2005 Ruckus 2.0 and 3.0, as well as the 2004 Ruckus 1.0, came with an ISIS bottom bracket, so there's a good chance that's what you have. (As you say, Bikepedia doesn't know anything about a 2005 Ruckus 1.0.) You should be able to confirm by removing the cranks.


That's funny, i have literally just closed the bikepedia page after browsing a few of the GT models for the year - not sure why i hadn't thought of doing that before.

I've not removed the cranks for the time being as i'm waiting to get my decent alan keys back from my pa - the set i have are so worn out most of them are all but a metal rod on one end. I suppose, once they're off, it'll be a doddle to identify it, but where else do people turn when their bike appears to have been erased from history?

I owned a 2010 GT Zaskar Elite for a while too, a model available in the UK but not the US apparently (Another that doesn't appear on bikepedia, i think it's US equivalent was the Zaskar Expert?) - until then, i had no idea that GT models were marketed to specific countries.

Thanks for the input though, gives me somewhere to start, and erases a lot of the self doubt.


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