Life expectation of cycle components?

[The_Eric]

How long should one expect the various components to last on a well cared for cycle?

Bike has Shimano 105 10 speed bits on it.

Chain is typically lubed 50-120 miles, depending on conditions. Rain or heavy dirt fouling means I'll clean and re-lube sooner, though I shouldn't need to so much now as I'm running Finish Line's dry lube which really seems to keep the dirt, dust and grit contamination from my gravel road down. Right now I'm averaging about 100 miles before cleaning and lubing.

Tires? (Continental Ultra Sport 700x25)
Bearings? (The crankset has the sealed cartridge type bearings)
Derailleurs?
Rims?

I ride a fair amount of small town roads and do a lot of braking and hard acceleration (block to block). Also do a lot of trail cruising at 15-20mph.

I'm generally pretty big on preventive maintenance, so I'd just like to know of a ball park figure on where to start keeping on eye on things.

BTW, the bike has just shy of 900 miles on it now.

 

[IndyIan]

Jeez, on a road bike, used on decent non-sandy roads with your chain maintenance? 1000's of miles on the chain and sprockets. Just keep an eye on spoke tension if you haven't checked it yet. Maybe regrease the wheel bearings every season.
Also if you are a bigger guy, I start to worry about the fatigue cycle on the skinny aluminum stems and cranks, but that's probably measured in years and you should inspect them for cracks every once in a while.
I find if you just look things over every once in a while you'll catch alot of things. Most of my breakdowns could've been caught if I had done that.

 

[SLCraig]

Too many variables. If you get super sticky compound tires for example, they wear VERY fast. On my downhill bike, I go through organic brake pads in about 5-6 days.

Derailleur should last a long time unless you hit it on something. Same with most of the drivetrain parts. If you don't replace your chain periodically though, you do risk wearing your chainrings and cassette with the chain, and when you go to replace the chain down the road, it all has to be changed. Learned that the hard way many years ago.

Rims and things like that unless again they get abused or crashed, should last years and years. My XC bike is a 2009 and I've never even had to true a wheel. 2 and a half seasons on it.

Also, for the price of a chain, I usually replace every thousand or so miles honestly. I usually just buy a Sram PC-971 (9 speed) on sale at JensonUSA and call it a day.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Jeez, on a road bike, used on decent non-sandy roads with your chain maintenance? 1000's of miles on the chain and sprockets. Just keep an eye on spoke tension if you haven't checked it yet. Maybe regrease the wheel bearings every season.
Also if you are a bigger guy, I start to worry about the fatigue cycle on the skinny aluminum stems and cranks, but that's probably measured in years and you should inspect them for cracks every once in a while.
I find if you just look things over every once in a while you'll catch alot of things. Most of my breakdowns could've been caught if I had done that.

You're definitely right about looking things over. If I start to hear a creak, squeak or rattle, I'm looking for it. Most recently was the big chain ring screws came loose and started making a clicking/creaking noise under power.





Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Too many variables. If you get super sticky compound tires for example, they wear VERY fast. On my downhill bike, I go through organic brake pads in about 5-6 days.

Derailleur should last a long time unless you hit it on something. Same with most of the drivetrain parts. If you don't replace your chain periodically though, you do risk wearing your chainrings and cassette with the chain, and when you go to replace the chain down the road, it all has to be changed. Learned that the hard way many years ago.

Rims and things like that unless again they get abused or crashed, should last years and years. My XC bike is a 2009 and I've never even had to true a wheel. 2 and a half seasons on it.

Also, for the price of a chain, I usually replace every thousand or so miles honestly. I usually just buy a Sram PC-971 (9 speed) on sale at JensonUSA and call it a day.


Thanks for the tip on the chain. As for asking about the rims, I thought that the sides could get worn by the brake pads? I think that some rims have a wear groove, but mine don't seem to have that?

 

[dailydriver]

Dirt/particles in the brake pads wearing away the braking surface is a MUCH more; crucial, critical, and even safety factor on FULL carbon rims than it is on alloys, or alloy-rimmed carbon fairing wheels.

One of the reasons one is told to ALWAYS switch your pads, and use exclusive pads for all carbon/carbon braking surface rims.
(Even if there was a pad compound that would work on both, the alloy particles which naturally get embedded into the pad would grind away and destroy that EX$PENSIVE carbon surface VERY quickly.

)

 

[IndyIan]

I guess have a look the rims for wear, but I used to ride on sandy trails alot and wore out quite a few sets of brake pads and I'm still using the front rim from my 1994 mtb... I'd almost guess on road bikes they have to make the rim thicker at the brake surface to make up for the weaker narrow rim width?
Also if you do most of your braking with the front, probably you'll never have to worry about the rims wearing as the front stays cleaner than the back.

 

[cchase]

I've seen plenty of worn out rims from brakes. More than sandy trails, I'd say riding in the wet does rims and pads in.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm still riding a bike I bought in 1990 and It's got lots and lots of miles on it. I have replace only front brake pads, both wheels once, bottom bracket and headset once, driveline several times (meaning chain, one front ring, cassette in back and little wheels on rear derauler). Brake cables once. Shifter cable to rear derauler 3-4 times. Tires and tubes too many times to count.

 

[Spazdog]

Sheesh...I still have original rear cassette on my '98 Gary Fisher. It's getting a little sloppy and the plastic disc to keep the chain out of the spokes has broken loose and sometimes clicks until it locks itself back in place.

I did have to replace the dinner plate sprocket, but that was from an unfortunate decision to cross a fallen log at speed. Replaced the chain at that time too.

I replaced the original aluminum bars with a carbon fiber bar because it was "better". Another unfortunate incident at speed on a narrow singletrack involving an immovable object (ie: tree) and a not so irresistable force (ie:me) and the carbon fiber bar was ruined. (so was my shoulder) Unfortunately, the original aluminum bars got donated to another bike. The cheap steel bar replacement is WAY better feeling though. Especially on hard pack or pavement.

The bottom bracket is supposed to break easily on aluminum Gary Fisher frames from that era. Mine's been repacked a few times but no signs of weakness or damage.

Original rims. Original V-brakes Couple sets of pads and noodles.

Probably around 2003

I switched to a pair of Onza Dave and Dan tires. Most of my riding is now recreational with my family. Little single track hardpack but at speeds my 8 year old on a 20" BMX bike can handle. Those tires are already what, 9 years old? Wear like iron. Still good traction off-road, even in loose stuff. I probably should replace them but I really like them. I don't think I can get them anymore. They're heavy pigs but they do stick. I had WTBs, IRCs, etc... but I like these Onzas.

I don't even know how many miles I have on that thing. My ex competed in triathlons and I would train with her on the bike. (It bothered her that I could keep up with her on a mountain bike

)

 

[The_Eric]

Thank you for the input guys! I'll keep an eye on the rims and keep the dust and grit from accumulating.

Right now I've got this annoying intermittent click/creak noise that is originating from the bottom bracket area. Doesn't really seem to do it if I un clip and and pedal with one foot, but will do it with both? Driveline is clean properly lubed. Also, the crank arm is on tight and was greased before install. I'd think that cartridge type bearings are pretty tough, so I doubt it'd be them?

 

[dailydriver]

Is your 105 gruppo an old(er) setup with a bottom bracket axle with a square, tapered spindle on the ends, going into the cranks, or is it a modern setup like the current Shimano stuff??

I am only familiar with Campy, and remember back when I had their bottom brackets like I described above, that sometimes the spindle/crank interface would cause that same creaking/clicking on each power stroke if it were not perfectly clean, square, and greased.

 

[The_Eric]

If we're talking about the same thing, the crank is splined. I did experience some creaking under power a while back and removing the crank arm and greasing/re-tightening fixed it. This noise is different and comes and goes as it pleases.

 

[Kestas]

I've had my bike for 34 years. At first I used to rebuild the bike every year, mainly to relube it, and adjust it to perfection. I treated it like a swiss watch. I can only guess how many miles I've put on it (2000?).

My riding has tapered off quite a bit. The last time I rebuilt it, I found nearly every bearing race was spalled, so I guess the bike is nearly consumed. It's not wirth replacing all the bearings. What the heck - it still rolls. The bike is a Raleigh.