How long should you keep a bike (specifically the best one)

DonDaddyD

I bought my Kharma in 2009, now I'll freely admit I haven't ridden it as much as I'd like nor has it ever seen or felt winter. All in all my Kharma is in the kind of condition you'd expect a very young, but ridden, bike to be in. I can't even remember if it's ever had or needed the original brake pads changed let alone the chainset ring or chain.

But it was bought May 2009. It's 2012. I can't even remember what mobile phone I had in 2009, back then bankers weren't even 'the enemy'. I mean I replaced my car last year and that was bought in 2009.

I don't want to sell my Kharma though there was a dark period in my life where it looked like I would be forced to sell it. We don't talk about that, I call it the' time of shadows'. I just sort of fancy the greener grass over yonder.

So I guess what I'm getting at is what is the longest period you've kept a bike? How long would you keep your best bike for?

[Grumble bum disclaimer] I know I don't need a new bike and there is nothing wrong with my current bike/s I guess I'm just being spoiled[/Grumble bum disclaimer]

rick_chasey

still have and use the bike I got in 2001, and my roadie's from '05.

Bikes don't go off.

bigmat

MTB - 16th birthday present (I'm 35 next month).
Prorace - 6 years old this month
Viner - 3 and a bit years old I think

Unless there's anything you need the bike to do that it can't, that would be remedied by getting a new one, I wouldn't bother. I / you have more important things to spend the money on? (also, bear in mind that to get a better bike than the Kharma you'd be looking at, what, £2,000 plus at today's prices?)

New parts / gadgets / kit, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter...

clarkey cat

just buy some bling wheels and a new saddle = hey presto, new bike.

EKE_38BPM

[Swiss Toni]Bikes are like a beautiful woman. You ride them until they die and then you get a new one.[/Swiss Toni]

MaxwellBygraves

Keep it until it becomes unusable/unrepairable/unsafe to ride.

il_principe

For as long as you want/need/ can afford. I'm in the process of buying a new bike. Bought the Prince in 2008. It'll be 5 years old by the time its replacement arrives.

Having said that, it has done decent mileage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression the Kharma's not been ridden as much as it might have been?

roger_merriman

Since road bikes in partical don't really progress terribly fast. a bike thats a few years old is hardly a issue.

buy some new bits in late spring and go and frollic in the hills if one wishes.

davis

You haven't replaced the chain/cassette yet and you're wondering whether to put it out to pasture?

No.

At this rate it will outlive you.

DonDaddyD

BigMat wrote:

MTB - 16th birthday present (I'm 35 next month).
Prorace - 6 years old this month
Viner - 3 and a bit years old I think

Unless there's anything you need the bike to do that it can't, that would be remedied by getting a new one, I wouldn't bother. I / you have more important things to spend the money on? (also, bear in mind that to get a better bike than the Kharma you'd be looking at, what, £2,000 plus at today's prices?)

I guess you're right....

My Kharma was £1850 when new (Ultegra SL, Selle Italia Gel Flow seat and Fulcrum Racing 5's). Epic-Cycles sell the same bike/frame with new Ultegra groupset and better wheels (and the Kharma wasn't the lightest back then) for £2,500.

It seems an upgrade from my Kharma to the Kebel - or bikes of that level - would see me spending £2500-£3000. I thought the prices were coming down?

DonDaddyD

Il Principe wrote:

For as long as you want/need/ can afford. I'm in the process of buying a new bike. Bought the Prince in 2008. It'll be 5 years old by the time its replacement arrives.

Having said that, it has done decent mileage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression the Kharma's not been ridden as much as it might have been?

Yeah I haven't ridden the Kharma as much as I would have liked. I could keep the Kharma going.

Are you selling the Prince?

pangolin

I have a similar conundrum with my Dolan. It's a carbon Mythos. When I got it I only had 2 bikes and I rode it through a couple of winters. It's been in a crash with a taxi which bent both wheels.

A little bit of carbon fell out once when I took it apart to clean. There's a chip in the lacquer by the headset on the outside. I don't really know how much to trust it but it has done well over 1000 miles since a bit fell off and I noticed the chip.

Now it needs a new chainring, chain, cassette, and headset. Do I bother?

Pufftmw

My problem is that I seem to want to make my bikes more specialised the more I cycle. Gary Fisher is 15 years old and still is good enough for trail parks or the town hack it currently is. But as a commuter, I wanted to go lighter/faster so got the Ghost. For the off-road side, I wanted a full sus bike so got the Spark but that's XC so wanted one that could handle a bit more rough downhill so there's a Commencal Meta AM on its way. The other Commencal is in Ireland for when I'm over there. I currently think my stable will be complete with the arrival of the AM but who knows, I might decide to try a TT, like it, so go and get a TT bike...

Then, once I have them, its upgrades as well (to a point). I also don't get rid of my bikes as they all get ridden regularly. But as Mat says, if it does what you want already, then keep & upgrade it.

DonDaddyD

I just want a vanity bike...

il_principe

Prices coming down? F*ck no! my 06 Focus Variado Expert cost me £600 w/Ultegra. The 2012 equivalent (Variado 1.0 is £1099).

EKE_38BPM

If you've had a vehicle that hasn't been used enough to take it to its first proper bit of maintenance (new chain on a bike, new oil filter on a car etc) then it hasn't been used enough to need replacing.

You may WANT to replace it, but you don't NEED to.

il_principe

DonDaddyD wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

For as long as you want/need/ can afford. I'm in the process of buying a new bike. Bought the Prince in 2008. It'll be 5 years old by the time its replacement arrives.

Having said that, it has done decent mileage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression the Kharma's not been ridden as much as it might have been?

Yeah I haven't ridden the Kharma as much as I would have liked. I could keep the Kharma going.

Are you selling the Prince?

Nope. It's becoming my winter/rainy bike.

I am selling my 06 Focus though, Ultegra with Fulcrum Racing 1 wheels.

rjsterry

EKE_38BPM wrote:

[Swiss Toni]Bikes are like a beautiful woman. You ride them until they die and then you get a new one.[/Swiss Toni]

If I was Mrs EKE reading that I'd be worried . Still riding my 1997 Giant. Not sure it counts as 'best' any more as it's pretty scruffy, but it'll have to do me for the foreseeable.

walkingbootweather

Of my 3 main bikes; one was designed and built up to my own specification and is pretty much as ideal as I could think of at the time- can't imagine ever wanting to change it.

The other 2 (which are used for commuting and do many more miles than my 'best' bike) I bought second hand. My main commuter is now nearly old enough to vote. Originally it sold for nearly £1000, but I paid £150, then another £150 to replace worn out parts, so for £300 it worked as good as new, but didn't look too attractive to thieves. Last summer I was out on a 'jolly' and stopped at a little coutry pub for a spot of lunch, and an old fellow bimbles up on what looks like the same bike as my main commuter. We get into conversation and it turns out that he has ridden it for at least 50 miles every day (with 3 exceptions - I told him he needed to MTFU ) since he had bought it. He reckoned to have have ridden over 300,000 miles on this bike. Every single component had been replaced, and many more than once, but the frame was original.

DonDaddyD

EKE_38BPM wrote:

If you've had a vehicle that hasn't been used enough to take it to its first proper bit of maintenance (new chain on a bike, new oil filter on a car etc) then it hasn't been used enough to need replacing.

You may WANT to replace it, but you don't NEED to.

Read the grumble bum disclaimer. I like you , but unfortunately, on this occasion, it clearly applies to you.

spen666

DDD - without having a go at you personally, your opening post reveals a lot about the attitudes of today and why we have such a debt problem

There is apparently nothing wrong with your bike. Certainly nothing a bit of cheap TLC won't fix, yet you feel the need to think about how long you can keep the bike.

Why? Because its 3 years old and you are used to the disposable society we live in now.

No longer do people keep things and replace them when they no longer work, but people replace things because they are not the latest.

society now pressurises people to have the latest this that and the other.

I have a TV that works great - gets all the channels etc and it cost me £0 - why because someone wanted a new flat screen TV. They will soon be disposing ofg that to get a 3D TV - the cost to them of the Flat Screen and the £D TV are well over £1500 - but the original TV works fine

rolf_f

Well, my Dawes was a graduation present to myself and I've now had it for about 22 years and use it daily and it still looks almost new. Probably getting on to 9000 miles now with that one now.

Other bikes I've only owned since I took up riding again about 3 and a half years ago but, basically, I'd say you have reasonable justification in replacing a frame when it has reached 100,000 miles if you must.

My Look 585 is now nearly two years old - it was fabulous when I bought it and I expect it will be fabulous still when I am finally no longer able to ride a bike. It will still be mine when that day comes.....There is no other bike I would wish to replace it with.

DonDaddyD

spen666 wrote:

DDD - without having a go at you personally, your opening post reveals a lot about the attitudes of today and why we have such a debt problem

There is apparently nothing wrong with your bike. Certainly nothing a bit of cheap TLC won't fix, yet you feel the need to think about how long you can keep the bike.

Why? Because its 3 years old and you are used to the disposable society we live in now.

No longer do people keep things and replace them when they no longer work, but people replace things because they are not the latest.

society now pressurises people to have the latest this that and the other.

I have a TV that works great - gets all the channels etc and it cost me £0 - why because someone wanted a new flat screen TV. They will soon be disposing ofg that to get a 3D TV - the cost to them of the Flat Screen and the £D TV are well over £1500 - but the original TV works fine

You're absolutely correct of course. I think I'm just going to buy some wheels and tyres for the Kharma.

EKE_38BPM

DonDaddyD wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

If you've had a vehicle that hasn't been used enough to take it to its first proper bit of maintenance (new chain on a bike, new oil filter on a car etc) then it hasn't been used enough to need replacing.

You may WANT to replace it, but you don't NEED to.

Read the grumble bum disclaimer. I like you , but unfortunately, on this occasion, it clearly applies to you.

I just read the disclaimer. Maybe you are a little spoiled?

If you want a new bike, get one, but wouldn't the money be better spent on the little one? Think of the children?!!!

edit: I agree 100% with Spen.

notsoblue

No point in getting a Vanity bike that'll just sit there. You need to at least wear the brake pads out :P

Its a different matter if you outgrow a bike though. I have an '05 hybrid that I used for touring and now just use for casual cycling. I wouldn't consider touring on it now because I've been so used to road geometry it just wouldn't be comfortable. So I'm looking to replace that with something like a Pompetamine that's beefy enough to stick panniers on for touring/shopping, and comfortable to ride long distances. The hybrid is still perfectly fine really, I've just outgrown it and don't have space to keep it in addition to its replacement.

I doubt I'll be replacing the road bike in a while unless there ends up being a structural problem with the frame. I'll be upgrading the handlebars, and maybe the wheels soon though. But to be honest its already overkill for how I cycle now, it would be silly to replace it with a higher spec road bike which won't make me any faster... And I don't really want to p*ss away money on a "vanity" bike.

daviesee

The longest i have kept a bike - 10 years. Raleigh 531c Banana Team replica. @ 15,000 miles.

The Colnago Master is currently 3 1/2 years @ 10,500 miles. I am hoping it will outlive me.
Every component will be upgraded though :P

If you want to and can afford to, do what you want.
If you want it but can't afford it, wait till you can. Simple rules.

MonkeyMonster

still riding the one and only cannon bought back in the summer of 1998... Same wheels, stem, seat post and brake calipers. Everything else is newer.

rjsterry

DonDaddyD wrote:

I thought the prices were coming down?

As has been said if you are not riding what is a very nice bike now, what makes you think buying a new (possibly higher spec) one will make you ride it more. If anything, as the littl'un grows, you'll be riding it less. Put the money in a child ISA or something. :roll:

mudcow007

ive still got my Scott Tampico from 1996

recently had a refurb too

ive also bought a vintage bike from the 60's too (soon to be worked upon)

u shouldn't just get ride of a bike because its old, but you should keep buying bikes as you can obviously never have enough

il_principe

1 quick point regarding money and "wastage." I don't regard spending money on a bike as being a waste. Yep I'm buying a new bike, yep it's a vanity bike. Do I need it? No. However, I have been building a new bike fund for 4 years or so with 2012 or 2013 in mind. I could invest that money, or I could spend it on something that will give me years of pleasure.

Put it this way, when Lloyds shares crashed I lost more than I will be spending on the new bike, quite a lot more in fact. I'm now at the stage whereby the rump holding I have left is going to start costing me money to hold onto as the stockbroker is making a few changes to his fee structure. When I think what I could have done with that money I get f*cking depressed. Honestly, I might as well have spent it on my wedding, honeymoon, furniture for my flat, holiday of a lifetime etc. Luckily other investments have done well, but where's the harm in spending some hard earned cash once in a while? Especially if it's on a hobby you love and that keeps you healthy and sane?

I think I'll be hearing the pitter patter soon enough, so I'm taking this opportunity to treat myself before children obliterate my cash reserves.

MonkeyMonster

Il Principe wrote:

I think I'll be hearing the pitter patter soon enough, so I'm taking this opportunity to treat myself before children obliterate my cash reserves.

I think DDD is a bit late with this concept