this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2024
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Repairable Bike Tips (slrpnk.net)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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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?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Once you get into bikes you realize that it becomes a sort of Ship of Theseus. So many things have become standardized you can (and will) upgrade over time and it won't be the same bike you started with.

Rather than recommend a specific brand, go and talk to your closest bike shop (a real shop, not a chain, department store, or sporting goods store). They will tell you what is easy to source, what has recently given them headaches, and they may even help adjust the bike for your proportions. Most are also happy just to talk about bikes even if you're not buying that day.

Side comment: Fixies, or fixed gear bikes, are less complicated and thus have fewer points if failure. Not advocating for or against... just and objective statement.