How long do you keep your bikes?
Discussion
Interested in how long people tend to on their bikes before buying something else.
Im not in the C2W scheme as they won't run it at my employers. My current 2 road bikes are around 4 years old now and still going well. Aside from the trend to discs, I'm not sure how much it's moved on.
Im not in the C2W scheme as they won't run it at my employers. My current 2 road bikes are around 4 years old now and still going well. Aside from the trend to discs, I'm not sure how much it's moved on.
I still have my Roberts 753 frame from 1979 or 1980 - a time when one set of bottle cage bosses was a luxury and two was an affectation. (it was so long ago, I can't remember exactly which year I bought it). It was originally built up with classic Super Record kit which I stupidly sold in about 1996 to subsidise converting it to ergopower 8 speed.
It's currently sitting in the spare bedroom awaiting a "new old stock" Super Record groupset appearing on ebay for a tenner or less...it could be a long wait.
I also have a Sunn Xircuit Tange steel mountain bike frame from the 1990's in the garage that was my slick-shod winter hack up until last year.
Current fleet is all relatively new: Dolan ADX ti / Chorus 11 (one year old) , a Dolan Dual / Record 11 (one year old) and a Look 585 ultra / S.Record 11 (six years old), I'm expecting that lot to outlast me.
It's currently sitting in the spare bedroom awaiting a "new old stock" Super Record groupset appearing on ebay for a tenner or less...it could be a long wait.
I also have a Sunn Xircuit Tange steel mountain bike frame from the 1990's in the garage that was my slick-shod winter hack up until last year.
Current fleet is all relatively new: Dolan ADX ti / Chorus 11 (one year old) , a Dolan Dual / Record 11 (one year old) and a Look 585 ultra / S.Record 11 (six years old), I'm expecting that lot to outlast me.
Forever.
It doesn't mean that I don't buy new bikes, just that I don't like letting bikes go.
The oldest in the fleet at home now is a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike, doing good service as my "winter" bike with full mudguards and it's original downtube shifters running 14-speed gearing. Newest? I bought a Giant Anthem full suspension MTB two days ago. I now have five bikes in the garage, but two are currently not serviceable, awaiting repair.
I've only let two bikes go, ever. One was bent - the frame was twisted in an accident that cost me 2 fractured vertebrae. I sold it to a bloke who knocked the door asking about it, despite the damage, for £30. At that point I thought I might never ride again, but I regret letting that bike go even though it was broken, as there were plenty of transferable parts I could have used to build a replacement or sold for far more than the 'salvage' payment I got for it. The other was my Raleigh Record Sprint, but that has served all three of my brothers and is still in my dad's shed, so I suppose I could get it back again. I'd just joined the army and couldn't take the bike with me anyway. A third bike was nicked, but that was second-hand and I'd only had it a short time, so wasn't really attached to it.
So long as the tubes are straight and still attached to one-another, the rest of the components can be replaced, upgraded, or totally modernised over and over and again. No reason for me to dispose of a bike that fits, is comfortable, and functions as intended.
It doesn't mean that I don't buy new bikes, just that I don't like letting bikes go.
The oldest in the fleet at home now is a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike, doing good service as my "winter" bike with full mudguards and it's original downtube shifters running 14-speed gearing. Newest? I bought a Giant Anthem full suspension MTB two days ago. I now have five bikes in the garage, but two are currently not serviceable, awaiting repair.
I've only let two bikes go, ever. One was bent - the frame was twisted in an accident that cost me 2 fractured vertebrae. I sold it to a bloke who knocked the door asking about it, despite the damage, for £30. At that point I thought I might never ride again, but I regret letting that bike go even though it was broken, as there were plenty of transferable parts I could have used to build a replacement or sold for far more than the 'salvage' payment I got for it. The other was my Raleigh Record Sprint, but that has served all three of my brothers and is still in my dad's shed, so I suppose I could get it back again. I'd just joined the army and couldn't take the bike with me anyway. A third bike was nicked, but that was second-hand and I'd only had it a short time, so wasn't really attached to it.
So long as the tubes are straight and still attached to one-another, the rest of the components can be replaced, upgraded, or totally modernised over and over and again. No reason for me to dispose of a bike that fits, is comfortable, and functions as intended.
E65Ross said:
I've had my road bike for about 5 years now and can't see me buying another new one any time soon.
It has had a new saddle, stem, handlebars, pedals, drivetrain, cranks, wheels, rear mech......
Triggers broom syndrome.It has had a new saddle, stem, handlebars, pedals, drivetrain, cranks, wheels, rear mech......
Old bikes get recycled......Old bike turns into winter bike, or handed down to someone who needs it.
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