Getting to Know You...Question #9...

I know my bike pretty well now. The only thing I have not played with is rebuilding a shock or fork and bleeding hydro brakes. I just figured out how to lace wheels:rofl:
 
I haven't had much to repair on my bike, but I plan to fix things myself when the time comes. I always took things apart as a kid, and I've got a fair amount of home auto repair experience, so I consider myself to be pretty mechanically inclined. After looking at a decent write up I'm usually confident enough to do most repairs myself (car or bike). I'll draw the line at wheels (and transmissions).
 
I will go far out of my way, and spend way too much money to avoid paying for someone to do anything for me that is within my means. Nothing on a bicycle is difficult, I have never paid for service. In my adult life I have also never paid anyone to work on my car, my home, or my computer.
I figure that these are items which I will rely on for the rest of my life, If I don't figure out how they work and how to maintain them, I will always rely on other people and I'm not comfortable with that.
I will pay someone to bring burrito's to me though :D
 
Just like everyone else, my tool collection steadily built up over the years. Every time I needed to do a particular repair or overhaul, I got the tool. Now the only things I don't do is build wheels (never tried it before, but I have a truing stand and know how to true), overhaul shocks (never tried it before) and frame cutting (it's not hard, but the tools are too damned expensive). My biggest tool-geek tool is a Chris King hub service tool. I'd love to get a Park PRS-3 someday. Maybe when I get rich. In the meantime, I'm still using an original PRS-5. Amazing how it's held up all this time.
 
I change my tubes, tires, chains and cogs. Other than that what ever was on the bike is on the bike unless I broke it off. I don't mind working on it, but to buy an expensive tool to do something once or twice isn't worth it. The only bike I'll buy a special tool for is my Panhead, and most of them I can make myself. Everything was simpler back then. Torque values like tight, moderately tight and very tight. I rebuilt the trans and when I was putting it back together saw in the manual that it might be necessary to leave a couple of needle bearings out to let it all fit in.
 
Not fond of bleeding brakes and usually like to do wheel building in a shop w/ someone more experienced nearby just in case, otherwise it's diy...........
 
Some good advice I received many moons ago:
"When you need a tool...buy it.Then you will have it the next time you need it"

I'd suggest that everyone buy some type of bike maintenance kit. Park, Pedros, Performance Bike, Nashbar, etc. all have basic kits. These will get you going. Then use my advise above from that point on.
 
i do it all myself (except fork maintenance ) because everytime my bike comes back from the shop i end up having to fix it again (with the exception of cycle works in byram)
 
Most the tools are in our shop, but do I know how to use them?? As if ? I really should know more.

I'll do tire change so mr pixy doesn't know I'm at it again.;)

Things I can handle: new tire and stans, clean chain, rubberband on SS, swap pedals, adjust rotor rub, new stem, real simple stuff. Mr pixy does most other stuff, which I guess is like a shop, except I pay with love.

Brake bleed and fork overhaul go to the LBS.
 
I TRY to do it all... simply because I love bikes...I won't quit my day job any time soon, but if I didn't work on bikes, I don't think I could make it through my day job... I'll never take the place of a good, competent LBS mechanic... but I still love to do my own repairs as much as possible... Welding, painting and fork maintenance I generally leave to the pros (although I have rebuilt a fork, and do plan to begin dabbling in welding and painting this year...). The key thing is show no fear... anything is possible to master...

Build-ups... I love creating/building bikes, mostly steel hardtails and classic retro-bikes. Between Nov 2007 and Dec 2008 I built approximately 8 bikes.

Wheel-building - This past year I got more into wheel-building, by doing a few buildups for myself, and for my friends (in return for a "no complaints, dude, it was free" policy). When the dust settled, I realized I had built 3 sets of 29er wheels, 3 sets of 26 inch wheels and 3 sets of 650B wheels, along with half a dozen individual wheels... WOW, it's not that difficult... If I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!!!

Hydraulic brakes - I don't understand the hesitation... I've built at least half a dozen sets of hydraulic brakes, including cutting hoses, connecting calipers and levers, bleeding, etc... It's really not difficult, and I personally think it's fun.

Tubeless Tires - I've converted several sets of wheels to tubeless... I'm starting to become an expert in the use of soap, water and air to getting stubborn tires to properly seat on the rims...

Franken-bike - Ah, a category of bike mechanics unto itself... Where you combine or modify components that really have no business being tweaked or used like this... For example, I reconfigured (that is, opened up and F'ed with the cable setup of) an internal geared hub... kinda like taking apart a Rapid-fire shifter... As long as you keep a cool head, there's no reason you can't explore.... I also recently put 5-6 speed friction shifters on my 9-speed Fargo (when others claimed it couldn't be done... bull....)

To me it's all about creating... building and riding that perfect bike.

Peace,
BB
 
do what i can at home, simple stuff like minor adjustments, replace a derailler, anything that brakes ont he trail i learn to fix :D, but for most stuff, (especially the stuff im not sure on) i take it to the shop so that i KNOW its done correctly
 
I just started riding so I have a lot of catching up to do.
The shop does everything for me. When I have the time I'll hang out & watch the repair. I'm considering taking a class or workshop on maintenance and I read this big book by Zinn. I learn the most by talking to "real" bikers like all of you!
 
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