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Bicycle Lifespan


delicious's picture

By delicious - Posted on 30 January 2012

I've been inspired by another Nobmobber on the subject of selling a bike second hand. That thread was about the depreciation of bikes and in particular a very high depreciation of certain bike types.
What I'd like to know is this; When one buys a bike, how long is it kept before moving on to a new one? That is, a direct replacement for that particular bike.
Many folk will have a fleet. Many will ride to work on a road optimised commuter which just keeps on truckin' however will replace their off road fun machine/s often.
Also, tell about personal preferences on buying new or used. Talk about upgrades, custom builds etc...
Go!

Little-Ditty's picture

I keep my bikes long term. If I liked it enough to buy it in the first place, then I will like it more the longer I keep it. I guess I get attached to my bike! Smiling

With the interchangeability / modular design of bikes, you can change / upgrade a bike into anything you want it to be. That is the beauty of them.

craked's picture

I keep mine for many years ,and once they are a few years old they are not worth $h!t to anyone else except me.

Black Flash's picture

Yes im guilty of holding onto a fleet. But as mentioned, you become emotionally attached to your ride. As stated, if u liked it enough to purchses it - especially if u bought it brand new.

Bikeboy's picture

If you buy the right bike for where and how you ride you can't go wrong .
We are all sold the idea of buying new bikes and upgrading this or that , and although its nice to do that , it still comes down to just getting out and having fun on the dirt

chica's picture

I still have my fully rigid Giant Rincon purchased circa 1997 -now converted to a commuter, can't believe I used to ride that thing on the trails. I also still have my Giant Trance (2006) which I don't really ride anymore but it's there just in case and I regularly loan it out to other girls to ride. And then there is my current bike Santa Cruz Blur LT carbon (2010) - I had no intentions of buying this bike but once I demo'd it I had to have one. At this point in time I have no desire to upgrade the bike (only mods have been changing saddle, lighter wheels and a Reverb seatpost (now removed)). I'm not a fan of messing with my bike, if it's not broken don't mess with it. I also have no plans to buy a new bike in the near future as my Blur does everything I want it to do and has helped me improve my riding confidence. If Santa Cruz released a new version of the Blur LTc then this would be my next purchase.
If I can afford it I personally prefer to buy brand new, I like the buying experience and riding out with a new bling bike.

BT's picture

I'd love a new bike so my reason for keeping my current bike long term is mostly financial. I've had my Heckler for almost 4 years now. I bought it 2nd hand and the frame is an '04 model so it's currently 8 years old and still going strong! Ive upgraded my components over the years though.

If your frame is sound then there's no reason it can't last a long time. I do also love my current bike and it serves me well so there's no rush to buy a new one. However, as above, a BLTc has been my dream bike for a while so I wouldn't say no to one of those if I had the money available!

crank's picture

I generally go by the lifespan of the wheels.

When I start breaking spokes on the Crossmax wheels on a regular basis, not including sticks getting stuck in there, it's time to change bikes. That's usually around 3-4 years.

ADtheglorious's picture

I think this is a good question, although for some without budget limitations buying the latest and greatest is just what it's about! I tend to think that if there's nothing structurally wrong with the frame, and you're happy with the bike, just upgrade the components.

Look at it like this;
new bike = $$$$$$$$
what would you like or need to upgrade and how often
$ forks
$ wheel set
$ and so on
It'll take a while before you spend the equivalent amount (hopefully) and you'll have a custom built bike of components you like and want, not what the companies put on which ever level of bike you can afford! Smiling

AD

chrischris's picture

Personally, I'm on a limited budget. So I am more than happy to buy someone's 2 year old bike & repair/replace as time goes on.

How long do forks / wheels really last? I know that's a large question, but if I service my forks (seals & bushings) and don't ruin my rims, how long is a piece of string? Drive train / brake pads / tyres aren't too expensive.

(considering that I am a conservative rider who looks after his gear)

If I can get a 2K budget (including cost of bike) to last me 3 or more years, I'm cheerin'!!!

Little-Ditty's picture

If you look after your gear, you would easily get 3+ years for forks. Wheels? Meh! Maybe. If you are hard on your wheels like I am, they might need a new hub after 2-3 years. But otherwise all good.

jht013's picture

if i don't get at least 3 years out of my bike, my fiance will kill me!!!

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