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"Often a bicycle shop will tell you it’s not worth fixing your bike as it will cost more than the bike’s value to repair. However, this doesn’t reflect the environmental cost of producing a new bike or the disposal of the old one and the monetary cost of repair will almost certainly be less than the cost of a new bike. "
Yep. There's a similar mentality regarding cars, but perhaps that should be a different thread.
There have been many over in Automotive but bicycles just get ignored since the rider provides the power to move. The lack of a motor/engine makes bicycles the most frugal of all means of getting around.
"Often a bicycle shop will tell you it’s not worth fixing your bike as it will cost more than the bike’s value to repair. However, this doesn’t reflect the environmental cost of producing a new bike or the disposal of the old one and the monetary cost of repair will almost certainly be less than the cost of a new bike. "
Unfortunately many of the brands listed in the article are not (readily) available in the U.S.
The bolded statement above is, also unfortunately, often true of "Department Store" bikes (e.g. Target, Walmart). Many of those bicycles are built to be "disposable". It's sad and, yes wasteful. Often the bicycle shop is just trying to save the consumer from throwing good money after bad.
On the other hand, if you own a older, high quality bicycle; say a vintage Raleigh or Schwinn, those can be fixed up quite nicely.
A good way to restore your old bike, or find a used one for not a lot of money, is to google "bicycle co-op" and your location. Co-ops usually are volunteer-run and they help you learn to fix your old bike or build up a "new" one. It's a great way to re-cycle (pun intended ).
A good way to restore your old bike, or find a used one for not a lot of money, is to google "bicycle co-op" and your location. Co-ops usually are volunteer-run and they help you learn to fix your old bike or build up a "new" one. It's a great way to re-cycle (pun intended ).
Not to mention -- a lot of them have donation programs for kids -- they take your old bikes to teach the kids how to fix bikes and maintain them, ride them and the rules of the road and as a reward for completion of the course they get a bike.
We just cleaned out a old bike storage locker where most of the bikes were abandoned -- gave our local co-op about 35 bikes.
Unfortunately many of the brands listed in the article are not (readily) available in the U.S.
The bolded statement above is, also unfortunately, often true of "Department Store" bikes (e.g. Target, Walmart). Many of those bicycles are built to be "disposable". It's sad and, yes wasteful. Often the bicycle shop is just trying to save the consumer from throwing good money after bad.
On the other hand, if you own a older, high quality bicycle; say a vintage Raleigh or Schwinn, those can be fixed up quite nicely.
A good way to restore your old bike, or find a used one for not a lot of money, is to google "bicycle co-op" and your location. Co-ops usually are volunteer-run and they help you learn to fix your old bike or build up a "new" one. It's a great way to re-cycle (pun intended ).
Yes, I know that most of the bike were European but that was the only way I knew to aquaint the common Amercian with what to expect , or look for, in a quaiity bike suitable for everyday utility riding/use. That and don't throw away that good bike from the pre-chinese junk 80's>90's. Rehab it and ride on!
Unless the frame is damaged, good grief, how can a bicycle not be worth fixing? It's not like it has a transmission that takes 3 strong men and a boy to take out, not like you would ride it on salted roads so it would rust...
Even with a bent frame, the rest of the parts are good.
I have a good old Schwinn from the early 1980's, 12-speed. Very easy to work on, all you need to replace are tires and tubes, brake pucks, both of which are easily available. I guess eventually it will need a chain.
Unless the frame is damaged, good grief, how can a bicycle not be worth fixing? It's not like it has a transmission that takes 3 strong men and a boy to take out, not like you would ride it on salted roads so it would rust...
Even with a bent frame, the rest of the parts are good.
I have a good old Schwinn from the early 1980's, 12-speed. Very easy to work on, all you need to replace are tires and tubes, brake pucks, both of which are easily available. I guess eventually it will need a chain.
Agreed. My cheap, department store bike is better than ever after several trips to the repair shop. As long as the frame is solid, there's no reason to trash a bike.
Unless the frame is damaged, good grief, how can a bicycle not be worth fixing? It's not like it has a transmission that takes 3 strong men and a boy to take out, not like you would ride it on salted roads so it would rust...
Even with a bent frame, the rest of the parts are good.
You obviously haven't worked in the bicycle industry for the past decade.
Yes, people do ride in the winter. Yes bicycles do rust. The worst ones though, are those $129 "full suspension mountain bikes" (hahahha!) they sell at Target and Wal Mart. Heavy, clunky, the suspension never realy works and eventually the bearings/bushings go and then the rider had a floppy, sloppy and heavy bike.....
As far as parts and components. Nope. Most of the brakes on those bikes should just be thrown away. The wheel sets are designed for the "average" person, but we often see people 250lbs + trying to ride them. They don't understand why they keep breaking spokes or bending rims on their "new" bicycle.
Some of the scarier things I have seen include forks installed backwards and a two-part handle-bar (I am not making that up! ). Most of the kid's bikes come with brakes that only a very strong man could actually operate.
When they finally bring these bikes in for some service, it's usually a $100+ tab (new brakes, new wheelset, labor etc)......and that's when we hear:
"But I only paid $100 for the whole bike! "
The sad thing is, they could have taken that two hundred clams and bought a decent used bike, or save another $100 and bought a brand new entry-level bike at the shop that would actually a) fit them b) work c) provide years if not decades of service.
Quote:
I have a good old Schwinn from the early 1980's, 12-speed. Very easy to work on, all you need to replace are tires and tubes, brake pucks, both of which are easily available. I guess eventually it will need a chain.
That was a point I made in my post. Your 1980s Schwinn was made when the company was still U.S. owned (even if it was welded over seas). It is a totally different animal from the Schwinns seen today. They were sold to Pacific Bicycles a few years ago and the quality just went downhill from there.
p.s. replace that chain sooner, rather than later, and you will save the cost of having to replace the cassette. Most shops have a little chain-stretch device and will check you chain for little or no $$$.
Unfortunately many of the brands listed in the article are not (readily) available in the U.S.
The bolded statement above is, also unfortunately, often true of "Department Store" bikes (e.g. Target, Walmart). Many of those bicycles are built to be "disposable". It's sad and, yes wasteful. Often the bicycle shop is just trying to save the consumer from throwing good money after bad.
On the other hand, if you own a older, high quality bicycle; say a vintage Raleigh or Schwinn, those can be fixed up quite nicely.
A good way to restore your old bike, or find a used one for not a lot of money, is to google "bicycle co-op" and your location. Co-ops usually are volunteer-run and they help you learn to fix your old bike or build up a "new" one. It's a great way to re-cycle (pun intended ).
There is a vast array of bike shops and unfortunately the integrity of them also. I wrench everything I can but sometimes I just don't have time. I had 3 bike shops try and sell me a new bike vs just telling me they won't fix (or can't fix) a slightly bent hanger. I ended up taking it to a shop approved off another forum and they fixed it for 5 bucks. I've had this happen for simple work too. They always want to replace the entire drive train even after I tell them I just want the cassette/chain replaced vs a new front rings too even after I tell them I have those and will do that work myself.
It pretty much rivals car repair shops but what makes it worse is that bike shop classes aren't offered in HS and most people know zero about bikes making them easy targets by unscrupulous shops.
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). Most of the kid's bikes come with brakes that only a very strong man could actually operate. 
