I’m horrible at staying on top of bike maintenance. It’s one of the reasons I moved to single-speed, and why I can have three bikes and still lose a day of riding due to mechanical issues.
I try to do a lot of my own maintenance and adjustments. I can change a tire, and I’m pretty handy at swapping out pedals or wheels. But I’m crap with the brakes (and if I had derailleurs, I’d be completely lost). And I don’t clean my chain nearly often enough.
So when I finally get around to dropping my bike off at the shop for some much-needed deferred maintenance, I always find myself wondering why I hadn’t done it sooner. The ride is so much better (and in the case of my latest repair, safer), and it’s peanuts compared to car repairs. The latest work I had done was the automotive equivalent of a complete brake rebuild and front end alignment. Cost, including parts, labor, and tax? Less than $70.
(shout-out to The Bicycle Repair Shop. It’s not the most convenient shop for my commute, but worth it – great guys and terrific service. And a sweet dog.)
