Paying for bike love

Fresh from the salon

I did something I haven't done in a while, realizing the bike I ride was in desperate need of some TLC I paid someone else to administer it.  I took my bike to the shop rather that doing the work myself.  I mentioned in my last post that my LBS was doing a deal where if you brought in canned/dry goods for the local food bank that they would do a "free" drive train clean.  Now we all now that the free maintenance is just a reason to go through your bike and find stuff that needs work they can charge you for but I was ok with that as no one had cast a critical eye on my Handsome Devil in about 5 years.  Other than putting air in the tires and an occasional wipe down I had not done Jack I'm ashamed to say.

And cast a critical eye they did.  I learned that one draw back of V-brakes is that water gets into the cable noodle but it doesn't really have a place to get out so after a while you get rusty cables which meant  the rear cable got replaced and while they were at it they shortened the cable housing which had been getting hung up.

streamlined housing run

They also checked my bottom bracket, which was fine, and my headset which was not.  The FSA Pig headset I used on this bike doesn't have a cap for the top bearing race to keep out dust and moisture so it was toast and they replaced it with new bearings and better grease and cleaned and lubed the lower bearings.

headset love

The front wheel also proved needy, it is after all one of Shimano's finest err I mean cheapest wheels.  The hub needed adjustment and it needed truing and before it could be trued the seized spokes needed to be soaked to loosen them.  A few broken spokes later and its up and running with the warning it might need replacement down the road.

 

The wrench also pointed out to me when I brought the bike in that one front brake shoe was just about shot so baby has a new pair of shoes up front.  And did I mentioned they cleaned it! My bottom bracket shell is so clean you could eat off it.

So my bike has been loved (by another) and my wallet is lighter by over a C-note but that's ok as I helped the local economy and I have fewer excuses not to ride more.

Ride. Smile. Repeat.