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bike wearing out

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

My faithful old bike is wearing out, after only 15 years.

It wasn't always mine of course (I've been out of the country for half of those years) but it's a good bike with remarkably easy-gliding wheels, a strong frame and decent parts. But I'm using a very tall seat-post and as long a handle-bar stem as is safe, and it's still not big (or long) enough for me. I think that those extensions are causing some problems because I've now got to get the the headset repaired. When I took it into the shop they said, "It's dangerous to ride it in this condition."

So the bike's in the shop and now I'm looking at a new one. Happily, I've saved about $1,000 in TTC fares using this old bike and even after putting $400 or so into parts and maintenance ($250 or so being transferable to another bike) I've already "saved" about $600. I don't mind putting that toward a new bike rather than winding up with another used one.