I've been having a blast doing some minor work and upgrades on my favourite bike, my
2016 Trek Verve 3.
I've now replaced I think every single component on it... except the cranks!
My latest 3 upgrades were;
I've also increased my collection of
Park Tool specialty tools - if you haven't heard of them, they're the world leader in bike tools, and they basically just invent every tool you could ever imagine you might need for your bicycle.
The pedals and handgrips made such a difference; I can't believe how much energy I was wasting with my feet sliding around on the pedals. With the ones with studs I have on there now, I feel like my feet are completely glued in place! I get why people who use the type of pedals where your shoes click into the pedals must love them. I'm not ready to go
that far just yet.
I keep dreaming of building my own bike as my next project. Something like the
CUBE Editor... matte black, belt drive, internally geared hub... just an ultra lightweight urban thrasher.
What do you charge for tune-ups, and where can I drop off my bike?
If you ever have to replace the frame but then keep the components, is it a ship of Theseus?
Nope. New frame = new bike, regardless of the fact that there is often more money sunk into the components. Bumping components from frame to frame happens all the time.
(08-21-2018, 09:09 PM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]Nope. New frame = new bike, regardless of the fact that there is often more money sunk into the components. Bumping components from frame to frame happens all the time.
I think the thing about the ship was that there was no main component — they talked about replacing one board at a time, presumably including main structural members. With a bike “replacing” the frame pretty much means taking all the components off the frame (after which you have a frame plus a large box of separate parts) and putting them on a new frame, whereas replacing almost any other component just means removing it and installing its replacement.
More of a response than I expected for a quick philosophy joke! Appreciated.
It does raise some of the same questions about what defines an object. If I own a bike, and sell it to a friend, it is my old bike. If instead I replace all the components, with the only common part being the frame. It is still the same bike, just upgraded. If, however, I strip the components and sell the frame to my friend who then rebuilds it with new components, it is no longer my old bike, it is just my old frame. I'm pretty sure if you ask any of my cycling friends, they would agree with me. I'll have to bring up that question on my next ride.
Interestingly, with higher-end bikes, the value of the bike is typically split pretty evenly between the wheels, the frame, and the groupset. Yet you would never meet someone who's idea of a particular bike follows the wheels or the groupset. Similarly, the frame on high-end bikes is often not the heaviest part of the bike (this would probably the groupset collectively, or the rear wheel, individually). I guess it's the most bike-like part of the bike compared to everything else and we therefore link it to the concept of a bike more than the other parts.
This reminds me so much of the discussions around roller coasters. How much of a re-tracking constitutes a new ride? If it gets RMC'd, that's obviously a new ride... or is it? What if it's just a replacement to Topper Track? What if it's a complete layout configuration? What if it's a conversion of an old B&M Stand-Up to Floorless?
Sidebar:
OMG. COME TO CANADA.
(08-22-2018, 08:44 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ] (08-21-2018, 09:09 PM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]Nope. New frame = new bike, regardless of the fact that there is often more money sunk into the components. Bumping components from frame to frame happens all the time.
I think the thing about the ship was that there was no main component — they talked about replacing one board at a time, presumably including main structural members. With a bike “replacing” the frame pretty much means taking all the components off the frame (after which you have a frame plus a large box of separate parts) and putting them on a new frame, whereas replacing almost any other component just means removing it and installing its replacement.
With a metal bicycle and a lot of work one could replace each tube on a frame, the dropouts, etc., one at a time. Steel is easier to repair than aluminum or titanium. I've got one steel frame I broke this year and the amount of work to repair it is too involved... all the parts have to come off anyway so it's just easier to slap 'em on a different frame.
I'm in the "new frame = new bike" camp.
(08-22-2018, 11:40 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Sidebar: OMG. COME TO CANADA.
Canard, just get Hugh at
True North to make you a frame to spec, he built a buddy of mine a rohloff belt-drive touring frame.
(08-22-2018, 10:11 PM)clasher Wrote: [ -> ] (08-22-2018, 11:40 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Sidebar: OMG. COME TO CANADA.
Canard, just get Hugh at True North to make you a frame to spec, he built a buddy of mine a rohloff belt-drive touring frame.
If one has the thousands it costs for his frames, and the time to wait for him to get to you on his list, if it isn't full. Quality, absolutely, requires dedication, of different kinds on both sides.
Some of you may have already heard about this through other channels, but I thought it would be useful to share this message here:
Quote:If you commute by bike or encourage family/friends to do so but are afraid of what little infrastructure we have to deal with, I COULD USE YOUR HELP.
Jeff Fedor (his son races with FCV) and I are holding a "People Protected Bike Lane" to show support for better protected infrastructure. Some media pressure on local government is our goal.
This Thursday, September 6. Meet at 5pm (we will be done before 6pm); Princess St. and King St. in Uptown Waterloo (the not-so-protected bike lanes)
Info and sign-up below. We need as much support as possible!
https://goo.gl/forms/5GEnQbC3iQus9nnM2