How much do you work on your bike?

messenga12

PeterF

Maintenance is a headache! Any time spent working on my bike, means time not riding!

I'm researching into how much we maintain our bikes and what needs the most attention.

How often do you have to fix a tire?
Or adjust a derailleur?
Or clean the chain?
Or change a brake pad?
Or true your wheels?
What's the most common thing to break?

Thanks!
messenga12
I rotate tires at around 1,500-2,000 miles (4 months give or take).
I adjust derailleurs if needed. So far only once this year due to new cables stretching a bit.
I clean the chain weekly.
Brake Pads usually get me through a full season.
I don't true my own wheels, but I only have it done if needed (once a year maybe).
I am yet to break anything while riding (knock on wood), but I have already snapped two chainring bolts on my Campy Record crankset from over tightening without a torque wrench (or any common sense). The aluminum ones are fairly fragile. I plan on replacing them with steel. Any Ti hardware is also easy to break. Be mindful of this when tightening seatbost binders or stems.
I clean my bike pretty frequently since I live near the ocean and I chose a steel frame. I always make sure the frame is clean and dry. I also park it next to a dehumidifier to keep the moisture out of it and drain it after any wet rides. I actually enjoy cleaning the bike and it's nice to ride a bike in showroom condition every day.