I’m looking to purchase a bike (probably second hand) and I want to make sure that it’ll be easily repairable in the future for at least standard maintenance stuff.
Thing is, I don’t know anything about bikes- I’ve heard people say off hand that modern bikes might perform better but are less maintanable, is this a thing? What qualities/features in a bike tell me that it’ll be easier to maintain in the long run?
All bikes are repairable, some are more repairable than others. It all depends on how scared you are of getting your hands dirty and how confident you are that you can think your way out of problems.
My point is that a bike can be really simple and, as such, anything should be possible.
Modern innovations usually mean a set of tools beyond the basic bike set but the specials are available (bottom brackets are a particular case in point - you use to be able to get away with ponty things and gentle hammering - despite there being tools designed for the job now it’s use our tool or forget it)
So I would avoid anything too new - get a rat bike from a scrappy and learn how it works whilst rebuilding it.
This. By the time you get it good (shouldn’t be that long, bikes really are simple), you’ll know exactly what you want for n+1…
Modern bikes being less maintainable is largely on the extreme low-end like Walmart bikes, or extreme high end carbon-fiber nonsense designed for rich weekend warriors.
Best if you find a shop that deals in second-hand bikes and get a cheap one. A bike that has been maintained by such a shop is likely to continue being maintainable. Plus you may not know what kind of bike you like til you ride it for a while so don’t spend too much for your first one.
Bikes are generally pretty maintainable I would say. Some characteristics that I like about bikes that keep from me having to maintain them to much are:
- Internal gear hub: the gears are internal which means they don’t get dirty as easily, don’t wear the chain as quickly, and the chain doesn’t need to be oiled as frequently either. Lastly, there’s no real maintenance required of it, while still lasting a long time. Downsides are it’s extra weight, and cost (if you’re using it for urban biking, i would say the weight added is negligible)
- Check out whether rim breaks or disc brakes, or pedal breaks(forgot the name, but it’s when you back pedal to brake) last longer and whether they require more maintenance. I know disc brakes are better performing and don’t really wear out the bike rim in the same way rim brakes do, but I’m uncertain about their longevity. Disc brakes I believe. Are the more expensive option I believe.
- Dynamo hub for lighting (if you need it) is pretty expensive but also means not having to worry about your lights and their batteries wearing out, or having to reattach and detach them from your bike.
- Bike frame: I’m not too familiar with materials and their longevity, but I think if you avoid carbon fiber bikes (which are usually higher end) your frame will be very resilient.
Another important question is what will you be using it for? Urban biking? Mountain biking?
