Rcrxjlb

I just repaired my back wheel myself (new inner tube, homemade rim strip, eyeball truing attempt).

Went for a ride and can't bring myself to go over 10 mph.

Do you feel a little shy after you've repaired your bike, or do you go out and beat on it as usual?

CliffordK

What did you do for the truing? Did you use something like brake pads, or a pen or pencil as a gauge?

Anyway, I do little things on my bike all the time. I might avoid some potholes, but not really babying it.

A first ride on a "new" bike might be a little cautious.

avidone1

what's the point of doing the repair yourself, if you have no confidence in it?
I understand the need to save money whenever possible, but questionable bicycle repairs is a dangerous place to cut corners.

Rcrxjlb

I used the brake pads as a guide. Not perfect but better...

Rcrxjlb

I like doing things myself. I've worked in construction so I know how to work with my hands.

But I'm still new to bikes...

jimincalif

Usually just jump on and go, don't give it much thought except when I replace the chain. I go easy on it for a mile or so, and also when I work on the brakes I give them a few tries before ramping up.

ddeand 

Whenever I do some work on my bikes, I usually take a few laps around the neighborhood to check adjustments, then forget about it and just ride. I've done everything from bike builds, wheel builds and basic adjustment and maintenance. The wheel builds seemed to require the most caution because there's so much voodoo involved. As for your repairs, I probably wouldn't have used a homemade rim strip. But that's just me.

Homebrew01

Full speed ahead.

02Giant 

Absolutely...

My signature says it for me.

bmcer

I trust my own work more than any shop I've been in in the last few decades. So yeah, once I'm done, it's business as usual.

If you can't trust the work of your own hands, what's the point?

prathmann

I feel much more confident on my first ride after a repair than I did on the last ride before it when I knew something was wrong but hadn't fixed it yet. So as others have said, maybe a quick run-through of the gears to be sure nothing got out of adjustment, but after that just ride as usual.

scott967

Maybe not for wheels, but typically I will ride a little neighborhood loop shifting through the cluster, testing brakes, just making sure I am happy with how things are running. I might have a couple allens in my pocket to make on the road adjustments, or I am close enough I can return and put her back on the stand if needed.

For truing I would think you can pretty much watch it on the stand. I don't think I've ever had a wheel just "go out of true" riding compared to on the stand. But my worst case is replacing broken spoke so maybe other repairs have a different "first post-repair ride" experience.

As far as DIY rimstrips, been there done that and if you are careful, it works but if not be ready to fix flats on the road. Speed isn't a determinant AFAICT. In the end buying decent rimstrip is easier.

scott s.
.

dprayvd

So, us all standing in your space on the day & it's gonna be "gee, no rimstrip noride?"

ddeand 

Exactly! If you don't go to the best LBS and buy the most expensive rim strip, you will not be allowed to ride.

As indicated, I am more comfortable with Velox rim tape on my bikes. If I am caught without that availability, I'll use whatever I can find until I can get what I like - including Scotch tape, Hello Kitty bandaids, Ace Bandages, or jock tape. I've seen too many flats caused by cheesey factory installed rim strips to trust sketchy rim tape.

smarkinson

I feel more confident riding a bike that I've worked on rather than one that someone else has. That way I know that all the nuts and bolts have been properly tightened.

But I do carry a few handy allen keys for the next ride or two, e.g. if I put new cleats on shoes I would take an allen key for any adjustments/tweaks. Or if I'd worked on the truth of the wheel (is that even a phrase?) I would take a spoke key with me.

If I buy a new bike I almost always replace the cheap rim tape because I've had that stuff blow out before. The last thing I want is a blow out at 60kmh caused by dodgy rim tape. Mind you, my current wheels don't need rim tape so hopefully that's something I don't have to worry about in the near future.

yuoil 

if you keep repairing the bike yourself you'll eventually gain more confidence.

bengreen79

Give it hell. If you get a flat or go out of true on your rear tire, you'll feel or hear it long before it causes a crash. You have to be a little bit more cautious with the front wheel, but I've hit something and lost both tires and not fallen over (while clipped in). You'll be fine.

FrenchFit 

Agreed, full out; but close to home in case you need to limp home. Seriously, would you prefer to shake out a problem 50 miles from nowhere?

Frankly, what you're taking about testing is not a big deal. Frame building, wheel building - now that's a leap of faith.

Homebrew01

I never had second thoughts about going 50 mph downhill on both at the same time.

Road Fan

How did you make the rim strip? If it's from old inner tube, replace it.

Jim from Boston

I recently replied to this thread on the Road Cycling Forum, ”Do You Work / Maintain Your Own Bikes?,”(particularly regarding my high-end carbon fiber bike).

This summer I fractured the right-hand drop of my CF handlebars, and rode it gingerly without weight on the right. I gave it no further thought once my shop replaced the handlebars.

canklecat

The one time I should have been shy after my own repairs, I wasn't. And I was damned lucky.

For some dumb reason in the late 1970s I thought it might be a really good idea to run my wheel hub bearings on just WD-40 and no grease. Less rolling resistance or some boneheaded logic. First time I felt the heat waves coming off the front hub when I reached down to flip the quick release to lock up the bike, I realized something was desperately wrong with my reasoning.

That afternoon I bought a tube of Phil grease and redid both wheels and the crank before the next morning's commute. I was just lucky the raceways weren't scored.

corrado33

After any sort of repair or adjustment I'll head around my tiny road and jump around on the bike a bit. A few bunny hops, a few hard pedals, and a shift through the rear cluster, after that it's 100% go time.

I also trust my work more than any LBS.

ptempel

Homemade rim strip? Just use Velox tape and be done with it.