Symox

I've been on a bit of a bicycle tune up tear. I've learned how to change cables, grip tape, use grease judiciously, use fiber grip, build and true wheels, adjust shifters, install and align derailleur hanger... basically the works.


The last few rides on my bike (including a long one today) I was just amazed at how nice the bike is riding and how much more enjoyable and quite it is.


life is good

genejockey 

Ain't it great? A bike that's shifting well, with a quiet drivetrain, and that fits well just becomes part of you. You don't even have to think about it, you just ride.

Symox

I forgot to mention the fit. I had it fitted by the bike shop when I bought it and it made a tremendous difference

always get fitted if you can

genejockey 

I have 8 bikes, and they all fit. But one FITS.

tempocyclist

Nice one. There's something very rewarding about being able to finely tune your own bikes.

Enjoy the ride! 😃

delbiker1 

Indeed, a well tuned bike is one of my true joys. Yesterday, I had the first ride on my Orbea Avant since I finished an almost total rebuild a couple of days ago. A quiet bike is like music to my ears. It only took me 5 years, for the first time since I bought it new in 2016, my Avant is running spot on and doing it quietly. The final piece was replacing the FSA Omega crankset/bb86 PF with an almost new Tiagra 4650 and Shimano PF BB. I got in a 44 mile ride on the bike yesterday, it was the most enjoyable ride I have had on the bike, ever. I had a grin plastered to my face for the rest of the day.

Kimmo 

Yep, it's pretty sweet to make it all sing. Of course, that all comes crashing down the moment it starts making a noise you can't find.

seypat

You could say the silence of a well tuned bike is music to my ears!

SoSmellyAir

Sweet! I still have to learn how to change cables, and to true wheels if I get truly ambitious like Symox .

Sy Reene

Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
And the sign flashed out its warning
I braked really hard and let out verbose scorning

GlennR

Agreed.

In the past 3 weeks i've replaced my tires when the wear dimples were worn away. Replaced my chain when the Park tool showed it worn past the .5 mark. Changed my cassette when after 28,000 miles it was skipping in the 4th cog (the one i ride in the most). Replaced my pedals after the carbon leaf spring snapped. Replaced my cleats when they were clicking in the new pedals. And replaced the heal pads on my shoes

It rides like a new bike.

genejockey 

I spent an hour or so last evening on a 1982 Lotus Classique I'd gotten a month or so ago. It was in fantastic condition when I got it, basically ridden very little in it's 40 year life and stored inside all that time. I tore it down, and rebuilt it, but I was never really satisfied with it. The drivetrain was loud, the shifting was lousy - every gear required overshifting and backing off, and the jumps between the cogs on the 13-32 6-speed cassette were too big.

I wanted to give it a fair chance, so I went through it again. Tightened ONE spoke on the rear wheel that was causing brake rub. Tightened the cones on the rear hub as well. Re-centered the brakes, and adjusted the cable tension. Remembered I had a spare wheel with a 13-26 Uniglide cassette, AND I'd gotten a new SRAM 8-speed chain. So I put those two bits on, cutting the chain a little shorter to match the smaller largest cog. Adjusted the limit screws. The drivetrain is damn near silent now. The shifting is also almost silent and instantaneous, and no longer requires overshifting.

I took the bike out for a planned 30 miles that expanded into 45 because the bike just felt SO MUCH BETTER! It's my slowest bike, but it was a joy to ride! It's really amazing what a bit of care and attention can do.

SoSmellyAir

I would admit that I derive almost as much reward from tinkering as I do riding.

Symox

Glad i'm not the only one

I was beginning to worry

Lazyass

It's nice when you buy a new bike and finally get it perfectly tuned and have every tick and squeak and rattle tracked down and eliminated.

Symox

more rides on tuned bike... more smiles

GlennR

I work on vintage Volkswagens as a hobby and when i'm asked "what is the best upgrade", i tell them to tune up the engine, grease the suspension and use the correct tire pressure.

Agreed, a well tuned machine brings more smiles.

NoWhammies

Same here. So much so that my neighbours have commented that spend just as much time riding my bike as I do standing on the driveway with the bike in the stand doing random maintenance.

SoSmellyAir

Back in the day that might have made you the neighborhood bike mechanic, but nowadays kids just want more screen time.

OK, I am going to stop my middle age rant now.

mschwett 

so true! i had my chain, rotors, pads replaced, RD adjusted, etc. rode it directly out of the shop on a 40 miler, nabbed a bunch of PRs and put down more
power than i ever had for that duration. of course it’s mostly mental, but still. feels so good

genejockey 

At least "kids these days" never leave the house, so we don't have to tell them to get off our lawns.

SeattleRider57

No kidding! Just last weekend I replaced my tires, bumping from 25mm GP 5000's to 32mm GP 5000's and new tubes. Then I cleaned the chain, cassette, cog - looked much better. Finished it up with lubing the chain and it was just perfect! Rode 101 miles the next day for a charity event. It was shifting perfectly, and with the new tires, it was just ridiculously comfortable. I couldn't believe the difference. This is on a 2019 Trek Domane SL5.

shelbyfv

Good to hear.

Greiselman

On top of the obvious benefits of a well-maintained bike... I get even more out of the act of maintenance itself. I find everything from fine-tuning a derailleur to installing new disk brake pads to scrubbing a dirty chain exceptionally therapeutic.

Digger6255

When I got back into cycling about 7 years ago, I decided to learn tuning skills. I bought a Park stand and Park Advanced Bike Tool kit to get me started. It is very gratifying to be able to do your own work although adjusting a front derailleur on a triple crankset almost broke my spirit. It was a Scattante and is long since gone....

I now have a CAAD 13 with hydraulic disc brakes so I have a whole new set of skills to learn.