Tips Archive:

Hot Tip of the Month- December 2004: "More about new bikes and service"
Right off the bat I’ll warn you, the reader, this is more opinion than a “Hot Tip”. My business is off the hook because the majority of clubs I service are either not interested in taking care of their bikes themselves or they’ve made attempts with their in house staff or area bike shops, and found the results to be a major disappointment. If your club buys brand spankin’ new bikes, will your maintenance problems be solved? NO WAY! If your old bikes are rusty, it’s because they were never wiped down regularly. If you don’t wipe your new bikes they will rust too. Even aluminum framed indoor bikes will rust eventually. Why you ask, simple, because the entire bike CANNOT be aluminum. They will have some steel incorporated into the bike. If the crank arms snap off (or FALL off) on your bikes it’s because the crank bolts were either over tightened or ignored to the point of product failure. Gyms expect the people who change light bulbs in the gyms to take care of their bikes. Duh? The newest bikes have chains, they have saddles, and they have mechanisms, which are repetitive in nature. If the only thing hitting these mechanisms is sweat, then your new bikes will “feel” like your old bikes, sometimes quicker, but rest assured, if you do the same thing over and over you can expect the same results. If you buy ten, twenty, maybe thirty thousand dollars worth of new bikes, consider a new approach. Keep them clean, keep them tuned, be PROACTIVE and your program will yield different results, at least on the equipment end. God bless everyone and the happiest of holidays to all.