Repair or replace

[drmark]

Hoping someone can advise

Have a cheapish dual suspension aluminium MTB (around GBP300 from Halfords now 7 years ) that has done around 1500 miles in the last year (despite 6 very quiet years in the shed!) with very little care (and it has been through a lot of mud) - the back wheel needs new bearings (have broken two spindles in the last 3 months, it makes a horrible noise and does not ride well) - I suspect the noise coming from the bottom bracket suggests that needs replacing, the casette is slipping and the shifters dont shift as of today - in short I was planning to buy

A new casette
Shifters
Chain
Cables
Bottom bracket
New wheel bearings


I have not experience fitting these - so the labour costs are going to put the costs up

Do I fix it or spend the money on a decent hard tail such as a specialized rockhopper or a Kona Fire mountain - I dont do MTB trails, but I do go off road a lot - will I miss the rear suspension ( it is a dnm DV-6 - so no amazing by any means)?

Thanks

 

[kdelong]

If it were me, I would buy the new bike, definitely the Specialized, and then work on the other bike as funds became available. I would also buy a book on bicycle maintenance and repair so that I could do the repairs myself. But then one of my hobbies is restoring old bicycles.

FWIW, unless you are doing some really technical MTB trails, the rear suspension is robbing you of power because part of your input to the pedals is flexing the suspension instead of being transmitted to the rear wheel. If you are worried about bumps, buy a suspension seat post.

 

[Froze]

If you decide to buy another bike what price range are you looking at?

Restoring a Walmart type of bike can sometimes cost more then the thing is worth, and some parts that you would think would be common are not and thus difficult to find. Some of the items you mentioned like cables and chains are cheap. The shifters I assume are twist or grip shifters? If so those can be had on E-bay for $14 that come in a kit with both shifters, cables and grips. You can find a cassette for about $25 give or take $5. Inexpensive bottom brackets can be found for around $15 to $20. New bearings...how do you know you need new bearings? Are these a cartridge bearings? If not have you washed them in a solvent and tried to apply fresh grease? A new hub (Shimano 105's are around $20 each) may be the only way to go but then you would have to have the wheel redone with new spokes...unless the cartridge is replaceable, if so you should be able to get those for around $7. If you did the work yourself you would be looking at about $100, LBS shop labor varies but probably around $50. So between $100 and $200 if someone else does the work. If you want another cheap bike you can buy another Walmart bike for that price. Or buy a good bike now that you know your interested in riding and then use the Walmart bike as a practice bike for repairs and do the work yourself. There are web sites like Park Tools, Bicycle Tutor and You Tube and can refer to for step by step instruction for anything you want to repair.

 

[drmark]

Thanks for the advice - decidedto fix it to discover the rear swing arm had a large crack where it attached to the frame. Took it to local store who quoted £100 for fixing everything else, but the cracked alu was more of a problem. So bit the bullet and went for a Rockhopper SL, which I got for a good price as Evans price matched to another internet supplier and the local shop agreed to price match Evans! Like the bike - it will need some better tyres I am sliding around a lot in the mud. The pedals it came with were hopeless - but have SPDs anyway. Will upgrade bits as I go along, and learn how to repair it myself. So thank you

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by drmark .

Thanks for the advice - decidedto fix it to discover the rear swing arm had a large crack where it attached to the frame. Took it to local store who quoted £100 for fixing everything else, but the cracked alu was more of a problem. So bit the bullet and went for a Rockhopper SL, which I got for a good price as Evans price matched to another internet supplier and the local shop agreed to price match Evans! Like the bike - it will need some better tyres I am sliding around a lot in the mud. The pedals it came with were hopeless - but have SPDs anyway. Will upgrade bits as I go along, and learn how to repair it myself. So thank you

I heard the Rockhopper was a pretty decent bike, Specialized here in the States wants $1,100 for it on their web site but probably could be had for less on other sites. You bought a nice bike, and I think you did the wise thing to get a new one. If you want to learn to repair a bike yourself use the old one to practice on then if you screw up something it no big thing.