Bike wears out quickly - is this normal?

[EnglishDude]

Hello all,

Brought a Ridgeback Velocity 2003 commuter bike 8 or so months ago in which I spent £250 on, and I'm amazed how many times I had to go back to the shop relating to the bike and I was wondering if it's at all normal. I've ridden around 670 miles since Feb (5 months ago) when I got the bike computer, I ride 5 miles to work and 5 miles back, and occasionally, I take the car so that's around 40-50 miles a week.

Problems include:

Derailleur went out of tune 4 times (random skipping and refusing to change unless I pressed on the stalk again)
Brake pads constantly needed replacing, once a month - am on the 6th set so far, 3 rear, 3 front, and current set is on the wear limit.
Rear tyre currently nearly bald
Rear derailleur shifting cable snapped a couple weeks ago

Is this normal wear and tear? To put it persective, I've got a puncture only 3 times which isn't that often? Also my 11 year old mountain bike (Dawes Ascent) are on their original brake pads, all 4 cables are rusty and frayed but original, outer tyres only replaced once, due to the inside of the tyre getting rough and damaging the inner tubes? (Don't worry I don't ride this bike any more!)

Thanks very much for your help in advance

Cheers - Piers

 

[SomeGuy]

Derailleur went out of tune 4 times (random skipping and refusing to change unless I pressed on the stalk again)

I'm familar with that one, my '99 Diamondback Outlook use to do it all the time, even with services.

Brake pads constantly needed replacing, once a month - am on the 6th set so far, 3 rear, 3 front, and current set is on the wear limit.

WTF? There has gotta be something wrong here. I didn't have to replace the pads on my old bike once. Something out of alignment and wearing the pads out faster than normal?

Rear tyre currently nearly bald

Been doing some skids eh? I've done that too, it took a while though with lots of skidding (a few years). I killed a cheap slick in a few months though. What kinda tyres are you running?

Rear derailleur shifting cable snapped a couple weeks ago

Haha this happened to my diamondback too, the bike was five years old at the time though.

Is this normal wear and tear?

I wouldn't think so... for a bike put together badly with really cheap components maybe (a supermarket bike in other words), but a bike that cost as much as yours it shouldn't be.

Maybe you should take the bike to a different bike store, and get a second opinion.

 

[EnglishDude]

Nope I don't do skids - can't balance, so would just fall over if I did 'em Though I find the rear wheel locks up really easily - which probably causes them to be bald Not sure what tyres I have - Ridgeback's website seems to say "City Slick 700 x 38c".

Hmm I suppose I should take it elsewhere for a second opinion. Though the front brakes squealed really badly for 6 months despite me taking the bike back a lot to try to fix it - though the bloke finally fixed it along with the broken derailleur shifting cable. It got so bad that I actually used it as a horn as I don't have one - someone step in front of me, just squeeze on brake, person looks at me in surprise and jumps back Though it still squeals but only when I really brake hard.

 

[bikeguy]

Sounds weird to me. Shouldn't have that many problems with it I think you should make the store you bought the bike from pay for everything.

 

[cd667]

Hello all,

Brought a Ridgeback Velocity 2003 commuter bike 8 or so months ago in which I spent £250 on, and I'm amazed how many times I had to go back to the shop relating to the bike and I was wondering if it's at all normal. I've ridden around 670 miles since Feb (5 months ago) when I got the bike computer, I ride 5 miles to work and 5 miles back, and occasionally, I take the car so that's around 40-50 miles a week.

Problems include:

Derailleur went out of tune 4 times (random skipping and refusing to change unless I pressed on the stalk again)

This might be a problem with the length/routing of cables - does it happen when you twist the bars?
It could also just be corrosion, or dirt. Have you been riding in really foul weather? Is the bike kept outdoors? This can mess up a cable faster than you think.

Brake pads constantly needed replacing, once a month - am on the 6th set so far, 3 rear, 3 front, and current set is on the wear limit.

This could be caused by riding on really dirty rims or lots of hard braking, or possibly very soft brake blocks. Do you know what brand is fitted?
My touring bike was going through a set of brake blocks roughly every six months, on about 100 miles a week, but more in the winter.

The squealing is usually caused by the pads not touching the rim properly.

Rear tyre currently nearly bald

Totally stuffed by this one. The ridgeback's got reasonable quality tyres.

Rear derailleur shifting cable snapped a couple weeks ago

This is a weird thing to happen. It does happen, but it's odd for a cable of that age.

Is this normal wear and tear? To put it persective, I've got a puncture only 3 times which isn't that often?

Actually, that's quite a lot for big touring/hybrid tyres like your Ridgeback.

Also my 11 year old mountain bike (Dawes Ascent) are on their original brake pads, all 4 cables are rusty and frayed but original, outer tyres only replaced once, due to the inside of the tyre getting rough and damaging the inner tubes? (Don't worry I don't ride this bike any more!)

The Dawes sounds pretty good!

Thanks very much for your help in advance

Cheers - Piers

To be honest, Piers, although it would be possible for all those things to go wrong with your bike in such a short space of time, it seems rather unlikely that you would be so unlucky, so I would suggest that it hasn't been built up very well. I suggest you visit another bike shop - a good dealer shouldn't mind looking at it if you just turn up at the shop, and shouldn't charge unless they're actually doing work. If they say it is a problem with the setup, it might be better to get them to sort it, and if they do a better job vote with your feet!
I know you probably should work it out with your dealer, but it can be really agravating to deal with a bad one, and sometimes life is too short.