How Long should bits of bike last...and what if they don't

wantaway
wantaway Posts: 96
edited October 2009 in Commuting chat
I have had my bike (Giant Defy) since March and it has done the commute to and from work almost every day since.

Obviously it no longer sounds quite as lovely as the day I bought it but still going strong. I guess some bits only have a fixed life and others should continue for years.

My main point is, as i was cycling home last night I heard a bit of a rattling sound, which go worse. On getting home I discovered that my rear mudguard (the gaint defy guard) had split in half. About half way up. I've not had a crash. I've not whacked it (not that the is any clearance to snap it anyway), all I have done is ridden on roads to and from work and the vibrations and speed bumps have caused it to fail.

I shall drop in to my LBS who supplied the bike and fitted the guard to see what they think. However should I be going in thinking this is not good enough and a mudguard should last more than 6 months or is this just a case of something naturally failing after a set time and I have just been unlucky.

Just interested in how tolerant everyone is of things going wrong and where one can draw the line for things not being fit for purpose,

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    How often do you service and check the bike over? Ie tightness of bolts?
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    If you are shoddy with general maintenance, then things break. If anything so much as slightly rattles on my bike it get's sorted out. Mudguards will snap if not properly fixed, and also getting them knocked will do the same - what's to say they weren't 'banged' whilst parked up ?

    Chains last about 6 months, cassettes can last the same or longer if maintenance is kept up - i.e. cleaning and lubing - if you don't then they will fail quite quickly.

    Let the bike get gunked up with dirt, then cables will get grubby, grears and brakes won't work so smooth.
  • I have mudguards on my Defy (since end of February).
    I think they may have been a bit of a bodge job by Giant to say the bike can take mudguards - they are "Giant specific"- the clearances are not good.

    The bikeshop swapped the 25mm down to 23mm tyres when I got the bike because I complained there was no clearance with the Kenda tyres.
    Even with 23mm tyres after 2000 miles the mudguards have see through patches where they were once silver on the inside. I keep meaning to add a layer of paint to them.

    Alas, I keep waiting for them to fail too.
  • bike gets a good looking at every couple of weeks and a general chain lube, air pressure and is anything doing somenting it is not meant to at the end of every week. Not sure if it could of got bashed without me knowing. It is left in a locked and spacious cycle shed.

    The is why I was shocked at the failure of the rear guard. From the off though they we always ill suited to the bike, despite being bespoke and costing £30. Obvioulsy Giant were keen to tick the 'fits mudguards' box (which is why I did not buy an orbea) but did it in a bit of a halfarsed way.

    If only I lived in london where the streets are lined with palm trees and the sun shines every day. I'd have no need for mudguards.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    fossyant wrote:
    If you are shoddy with general maintenance, then things break. If anything so much as slightly rattles on my bike it get's sorted out. Mudguards will snap if not properly fixed, and also getting them knocked will do the same - what's to say they weren't 'banged' whilst parked up ?

    Chains last about 6 months, cassettes can last the same or longer if maintenance is kept up - i.e. cleaning and lubing - if you don't then they will fail quite quickly.

    Let the bike get gunked up with dirt, then cables will get grubby, grears and brakes won't work so smooth.

    On my last road bike which had a full Shimano 105 grouset, the chain lasted 10 years :shock:
    My current Campag Centaur has lasted 18 months and 2500 miles, in perfect nick.
    I don't think I do any extreme maintenance and I am a heavy bloke putting a big strain on the chains while out of the saddle :oops:

    Just lucky? :wink:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    daviesee wrote:

    Just lucky? :wink:

    Nope, just not a maintenance junky like many cyclists are.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    You could always pop in and see what the LBS says. SKS are about the best and tough as old boots.
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    daviesee wrote:
    On my last road bike which had a full Shimano 105 grouset, the chain lasted 10 years :shock:
    My current Campag Centaur has lasted 18 months and 2500 miles, in perfect nick.
    I don't think I do any extreme maintenance and I am a heavy bloke putting a big strain on the chains while out of the saddle :oops:

    Just lucky? :wink:

    NOPE - not riding it enough.

    You'll get 6 months out of a chain on a daily ride - say 2500 miles in 6 months. The chain on my best bike has been on two years, but it's only ridden at weekends and in good weather, the training bike is on it's second chain in two years, but I've been through about 3 on the old commuter, and now ride fixed.
  • fatherted
    fatherted Posts: 199
    Wheels, chain, chainset, jockey wheels and cassette last about 2 years , or 16,000 miles.
    Bottom bracket - 3 years.
    rear tyre - 4 months , front tyre - 1 year. Brakeblocks 6 months.