How long has your commuting bike lasted?

tomilinski1

I bought a Planet X Uncle John in 2007 - which has been used for at least 3 days a week for a round trip of 26miles. It gets a wash and oil once a fortnight if lucky!

Since I bought it the wheels went quickly, i've gone through one chainset, 2 bottom brackets, 1front and 1 rear mech and a headset.
I also changed the saddle, handlebars and stem - although that was a choice rather than through breakage!

I'm now thinking that it isn't such good value!

How long have your commuting steeds lasted?

CarlosDSanchez

Wheels - 5k miles
Cassette + 3 chains 8k miles
Marathon+ tyres 10k miles
Rear mech jockey wheels 5k miles

Not that bad really and my maintenance is about the same as yours.

rolf_f

Well, I've done about 18000 miles in the last three years mainly on 4 bikes (two carbon road bikes, one vintage tourer and one MTB). Aside from some tyres and chains, I've used up some brake pads, a couple of chainrings, about 3 cassettes. The MTB did eat a BB in a short space of time but it was a Truvativ one and they are made of cheese so it was to be expected. I also used up a pair of cheap Raleigh wheels I put on my tourer when I renovated it. It has decent Spa Cycles handbuilts on now.

I keep my bikes clean though.

Try thinking of the costs in terms of tankfuls of petrol......

interpol

Oldish Mountain bike lasted 1 winter with similar useage. I try giving latest commute a quick wash and oil each time it is used. The salt will just eat away at it. Its bad enough leaving it sat all day soaked in road salt.

Extralight

I got my Merlin (titanium) Extralight in 1994 (I think) and have done many, many thousands of miles on it (despite a lay off from cycling of about 10 years - I resumed last October). I still love this bike.

The frame is still great, although maybe somewhat retro looking with it's horizontal top tube (it dates back to when Merlin was a small independent manaufacturer, and its UK retailers and customers didn't have to deal with the likes of ABG - I read with dismay the terrible experience of infoPete).

I've been through 2 Campag Record Gruppos, 1 fork, probably 5 or 6 wheelsets, and lots of chains and quite a few chainrings and cassettes.

Some of you may think it's mental riding a bike like this for commuting, or crazy to ride Record through the winters on UK (salted) roads, but:
- someone nicked my 'winter bike' and I couldn't afford to replace it
- if you have a really great bike, you want to ride it as often as possible
- when I used to compete, I felt it made sense to do my training on my race bike, and commuting was a big part of this
- it was a seriously expensive frame, but in the long run has proved itself to be great value
-similarly, buying Record rather than cheaper gruppos has also proved good value. An expensive outlay, but incredible reliability and durability (except cassettes)
- it feels good to ride!

Initialised

My current commuter is a late 90s model, when I got it it needed new wheels, BB and cranks, I've since replaced the shifters, cassette, pedals, brakes, grips and seat. So it's well into it's second decade and second set of components. I probably don't clean and lube it as often as I should and am planning to relegate it to the Winter/trails bike next year and hope to keep it going for as long as possible. Aluminium frames do corrode... very slowly.

Underscore

My commuter is about 9 years old now (owned from new) and, ignoring the wear items (chains, cassettes, brake pads, tyres) and things that I've changed through choice (handlebar, peddles, front lights), I've changed:

• 1xCrankset (when both BB and a chain-ring needed changing at the same time)
• 1xMiddle chain-ring
• 1xSeat post (the original was a bouncy one that lost it's bounce - replaced with simple Alu one)
• 1xRear mech (after a plastic bag got stuck in the original and it would never shift smoothly after that)
• 1xRear wheel (after the braking surface got too worn)
• 1xRear light

All in all, not too bad.

_

gbsahne001

my commuters a 96 model Ridgeback, most of the original parts have now been replaced and between it and the other 2 bikes I've done about 30,000 miles over the last 2.5 / 3 years with the commuter probably accounting for 20,000 of those.

redvee

My current bike has lasted as long s Trigger's Brush

Pross

20 years, albeit it used to be may race bike then had a few years off altogether and is now my winter training bike and commuter on the rare occassions I get to ride to work. In total I would say it has done about 80,000 miles. Other than the usual wear and tear items plus a respray (15 years ago) it is still the original bike.

Tusher

I have a 1983 Raleigh Wisp. I used it daily for commuting and holidays until the mid-90s and then took to a car for a massive commute and used a mountain bike for recreation. I spent £500 on the Wisp in 2006, basically only the frame, handlebars and seat remained, and the Wisp then loyally served me until January when I was unfaithful and bought a Kona Jake.
The Jake is faultless, but I prefer the Wisp.

No idea how many miles the Wisp has done.

whoof

Had my steel unbranded Italian framed commuting bike for 17 years. It's a getting a bit like Trigger's broom. the only original parts are the frame, forks and gear levers. I would estimate that I've done 35,000 miles on it.

Giraffoto

Before 2006 I was still riding my 1983 "Eclipse Countryman" (essentially an up-specced Holdsworth from Bike UK in London) every day. The chainset and front derailleur were changed in 1988, I got through numerous rims while I was at university, the shift levers failed and had to be replaced in 1990 or so and it used an unknown number of cables, tyres, tubes, chains and freewheels. Also the frame needed a couple of repairs: but when I passed it on in 2007 as well as the frame/forks it still had the original bars/stem, brakes & levers, hubs, rear derailleur, seatpost and saddle. I've still got the saddle, too

Sanderville

My Decathlon Triban Road 5 has lasted four years and two months so far. I have replaced the chain and rear sprocket once, but since it has a Shimano Nexus 7 hub gear I have never had to replace or even maintain the gears despite never washing it through three winters. A few drops of chain oil every month or so are all it needs.

I commute 50-60 miles a week through central London.

I probably buy new tyres every 18 months. I think the front brake rotor might be getting a bit worn but I can still stop. I change the brake cables every 18 months to two years but I've never changed the gear cable.

The only voluntary change that I made was fitting a Brooks saddle, which is the second best buy I made - the bike being the first at £250.

Bordersroadie

This is a great thread!

My commuter I've had new since 1986!

It's an old Raleigh Gran Tour 531 frame and was taken out of retirement this year to be my main commuter/winter trainer.

It's been my European Tourer, daily commuter and training bike for 26 years and it's really only the frame, headset and wheels that have remained. The wheels are an old set of Shimano 600 hubbed Mavic MA40s that just stay true and keep going. Rusty spoke eyelets are the only telltale to their age. I keep it well lubed, including hubs on a regular basis, but it's generally filthy.

It does a 12 mile commute, all on back roads, and is now proudly equipped with an Exposure Toro light that is worth more than the bike itself!!

There's something really special about riding a bike that's been a big part of your life for this length of time - truly like a comfy pair of old shoes!

CrackFox

I've commuted on my old rigid GT mtb for 15 years. It's been a great bike considering I only paid about GBP250 for it from new - which is the same price I've been quoted for delivery alone of a lovely new Schindelhauer, and roughly the same price I'd have to pay to get the GT repaired.

MichaelW

I put together my Trigger's Brush (steel clubman roadbike, unkown brand but very sweet) in 1997 and used it through to 2007 for about 40,000 miles, at which point it needed all new bits so I just bought a whole new bike.
My Dahon Cadenza 8 with Alfine has done about 12,000 miles and gone through 3 rear sprockets and about 4 chains. Ive upgraded the chain and sprocket to 1 1/8" for better durability .
Are modern mid-range components made of softer cheese than the older ones from 1980s/90s (ie before the big Chinese factory era)

MrChuck

tomilinski1 wrote:

I bought a Planet X Uncle John in 2007 - which has been used for at least 3 days a week for a round trip of 26miles. It gets a wash and oil once a fortnight if lucky!

Since I bought it the wheels went quickly, i've gone through one chainset, 2 bottom brackets, 1front and 1 rear mech and a headset.
I also changed the saddle, handlebars and stem - although that was a choice rather than through breakage!

I'm now thinking that it isn't such good value!

That's about 16000 miles by a conservative estimate isn't it? So I wouldn't say that's too bad for value (not counting the saddle, bars and stem). Just think how much money you'd have burnt doing that distance by car.

And did you really need to replace the mechs?

Topaxci

I have a 10 year old Dawes Giro 400 - bought 3rd had about 4 years ago for £200
I put about 3,000 miles on it per year, around 2,000 commuting.

Pretty much everything has been replaced at least once over the years, either by myself or previous owner (a mate) either due to wear, better spec (ie. carbon forks) or fatality (rear wheel vs car).

Honestly don't give it as much TLC as I should, but has given me great value for money. Think I might treat it to full service this weekend now.

tomilinski1

MrChuck wrote:

That's about 16000 miles by a conservative estimate isn't it? So I wouldn't say that's too bad for value (not counting the saddle, bars and stem). Just think how much money you'd have burnt doing that distance by car.

And did you really need to replace the mechs?

The mechs were changed due to a weird thing that happened on about its sixth ride - I shifted from small to big ring, the chain fell off and somehow got jammed and in the process ripped the rear mech apart and bent the front mech!

I was really wondering whether getting a bike through bike to work and giving it back at the end of the hire period (then starting a new bike to work hire) was better than keeping it going and spending money year on year!

anyuser

1998 Gary Fisher Utopia reached 10,000 miles today, it didn't commute for about 9 years of that time as my commute was 100miles a day (poor excuse I know ).

I have just fitted a new wheelset (2nd time) and the complete drivetrain and shifters were upgraded from 8 speed to 9 speed last year.

rolf_f

tomilinski1 wrote:

I was really wondering whether getting a bike through bike to work and giving it back at the end of the hire period (then starting a new bike to work hire) was better than keeping it going and spending money year on year!

Only if your other favourite past-time is flushing five pound notes down the toilet......

Blue Meanie

Admittedly, I only bought the Wayfarer in my sig two years ago, and it's still on a lot of it's originals.
Fixie is about 5 years old, 20k miles, new chains galore yet original brake blocks, and cheap un73!

Clarion

I usually commute on my 1995 Orbit Silver Medal. No idea how many miles have passed under those wheels. Both wheels, by the way, have been replaced inthe past year.

I have a 2009 Ridgeback World Tour Solo I bought last year for a song from Evans for commuting, to which I've fitted a dynohub and an S3X (actually, it's on the second of those, but don't ask). However, it seems to have only done about half the commuting duty.

When I feel a bit summery, I use my 1980 Woodrup Giro. Occasionally, the 1971 Dawes Super Galaxy. If I'm not well, I might use the train and the ?2006 Dahon Speed. And once last year I used my ?1990 Dawes Super Galaxy tandem, which we restored in 2009 to include STis etc.

Slurp

Got my Specialized Allez about seven years ago and use it every day to commute my 20 mile round trip. With holidays and added weekend jaunts it works out just over 4,000 miles a year.

Chains last about 1,500 miles, occasionally less and occasionally much longer: I go through about two year. Cassette gets changed every few chains. This is likely to get more difficult as 8-speeds disappear. May have to either spend a lot of money on a more modern drivetrain or spend a bit more to buy a new bike through ride-to-work.

Replaced middle front cog, jockey wheels after about four years (12,800 miles) and cranks (which cracked) after five (19,600 miles).

Also replaced bottom bracket once (probably not necessary) and wheels when the rims get thin. Have replaced tyres a few times, only once when they wore out. Usually I manage to rip large bits out of them and they become unusable before that happens.

Have to add that the bike is beginning to look the worse for wear with lots of missing paint and scratches, etc. And something somewhere is making a terrible noise when I turn the pedals. Oh oh.