So I’m writing this as I’ve just gotten home from my local bike shop, I have a BMX? Giant bike that’s black w a green stripe, my mom got it on adverts for €200 at DonnyBrokes bikes because it was titanium, and I’ve used it five days a week every week for getting to school and back (and the odd gym + study grinds) for roughly two years now (wow that’s €200 divide 420ish days = 0.48 cents a day)
Anywho, the poor bikes been beaten up from my neglect and now I’m paying the consequence of my actions, so, here’s my list of issues from worst to least:
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My gears are banjaxed in that there pretty worn out aswell as the chain itself, when I was in another bike shop they told me about how worn it was and how’d costly it would be to repair it, so I started cleaning/oiling my chain every two months but now it’s degraded to the point where I don’t think I can change gears anymore
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The tyres are also quite worn out, particularly the outer bit, I only noticed today that the front tyre and back tyre are different brands so maybe the previous owner replaced one and the other is more worn but idrk, another thing mentioned by the previous bike shop owner was how because of the wearing damage the side of the tyre might have problems that could damage the inner tubing and I’d just be back there for another repair (that occasion I was replacing the front tube, I broke the metal air intake nozzle)
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I’m not a man of looks, but my bikes looking a bit depressed and I feel I’ve neglected her too much, I have tape holding the end of the seat together and there’s scratches/marks all over the frame, and I have one of those side bike bags on the metal clasp mechanism on the back, and there were two plastic hooks holding it in place, now there’s one warped one and the other snapped, I’m currently using two zips ties through a hole I cut to keep it on/straight. (It gets worse, I have two different brands/colors of handle bar grips aswell, also I have little cheapo lights that are kinda ugly and my dinky side mirror)
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I was a little worried about my left handle break but after the bike repair today it seems to be fine, idk if he did something or just the tube having more air causes it to work better, also mini side note but if there’s any general upgrades/hacks/tips I could use I’d be glad to know, even just general information about the type of bike I have, is it good or bad, anything of interest from the photo etc etc.
So what I’m asking of you: I really am just a young and dumb teen who wants to get atop of things, and my neglected bike is one of those, I’d ask for a little sympathy but your very free to dunk on me because it’s well earned, I just want to know what can I DIY myself with my little knowledge (soon to be more w you guys), how much do parts cost to replace, DIY myself or have a shop do (I’m broke, not the too much takeaway kind the regular lower class kind) (also mini question: would bike parts from china be a awful idea?) and what info should I know about my bike/bike repair or maintenance. (Feel free to add any input you think would be worthwhile, even a opinion or statement I’m grateful for, because I know it’s time consuming to read this all, so ty if you’ve gotten this far)
by Long-Broccoli6672
12 Comments
you can replace the seat, tires, etc. yourself easily. the shifting might be a shop project, but the costs for service will pile up quickly. get some folding bead tires with good puncture resistance like a panaracer t-serv. also a U-lock to protect your investment.
get a quality floor pump if you have presta tubes, it’ll help you not break valve stems. pull the head straight off, not sideways.
bike parts from china vary widely, some are great.
after getting them fixed, learn how to use the front gears.
Bikes are nearly infinitely reparable and doing your own work is always going to be cheaper than hiring someone to do it. I found a bike collective near me and go there when I want to learn how to fix something that I’m unsure about. There are collectives all over the world and perhaps there’s one near you [https://bikecollectives.org/wiki/Community_Bicycle_Organizations](https://bikecollectives.org/wiki/Community_Bicycle_Organizations)
My experience with pricing has been (US monies), 8 speed chain (chains are ‘named’ by the number of gears on the rear wheel) $14, tires $20-50 each and they do not have to be the same front to back as you’ve learned, brake shoes $12 a pair, a saddle $20-way up there, bike collectives usually have an assortment of decent used parts too if your budget is particularly tight.
I’d say most maintenance on this bike is DIYable, with a set of good allen wrench and a few bike specific tools. Plenty of great resources online especially YouTube. Few of my go-to channels are: park tools, RJ the bike guy…
Another great resources are local bike co ops, there is likely one near you, Facebook is usually the easiest way to find them. They are a fantastic resource in both knowledge, skill, tools, and parts for discounted prices. And don’t be shy or embarrassed to ask for help, most mechanics I know love fixing and explaining so they will be more than happy to help.
As for parts from Chinese parts, I’d steer clear. imo too much of a gamble of you are on a tight budget and are new to bike wrenching. Stick to OEM parts sold at a reputable store, or get it for a fraction of the price used at a co op. I want to be clear I’m not against it, but it can end up being a bit of a money pit and also is a hit or miss sometimes, there are gems within a sea if cheap parts.
I think your heart is in the right place and I wouldn’t call the bike depressed or beaten, it’s a well loved commuter. You clearly care about your bike and it does not look neglected by any means.
This might not be helpful for fixing anything thing specific on your bike but I hope it can point you in the right direction.
>get some folding bead tires
Ignore that. Just get some clincher tyres of the correct size. They’re normally a fair anount cheaper than folding bead tyres.
Have a look at some youtube videos from Parktool, they should help with basic maintenance.
Parts from Shimano for gears, Altus is pretty cheap entry level stuff but it works. Tektro make decent entry level caliper brakes should you need to replace them.
Stick with Shimano or Jagwire for cables.
You’re bike is aluminium, not titanium.
Short version – lots of little things that need fixed. None are catastrophic in terms of parts prices but if paying for all of them and shop labor rates you will run into a challenge with total repairs more than the bike is worth.
First up – see if there is a local bike co-op. They can help with repairs and may have slightly used parts that get you going for very little cost.
The links on the right of the page have information on various repairs. Even with parts, some things, such as swapping out a cassette will take tools you likely don’t have. A co-op would have those things. If no coop some local place, like a university, might have a bike clinic where you could get help.
Ordering parts from Aliexpress/Ebay/or Marketplace: In general, for what you are doing it should be fine. ZTTO and Zrace are a couple of brands with inexpensive parts that are usually pretty good. Ebay and Marketplace will often have gray market (OEM without packaging) parts in addition to slightly used ones. Marketplace may have local people just cleaning out their spare parts boxes.
Once you figure out which parts you need you may want to post on Marketplace asking for possible donations of parts. Try to look up the listing for your bike model and year to get a list of what it came with.
Parts to replace – Co-op id first choice.:
Tires – a blowout at speed would not be fun. Marketplace
Cassette/Chain/Chainrings (drivetrain) – from your description they are all worn. Replacing just one part will result in a lot of wear from the others. Most likely someone has a nearly new set they swapped out when they bought a bike.
Seat/grips – Aliexpress or Marketplace for both. Chinertown forums has a ton of info if you want to go down that rabbit hole. Similar to drivetrain, there are likely take off parts that someone will have laying in a bin and would pass along for free.
Things that need checked:
Headset, hubs, bottom bracket – all likely need lubed or bearings replaced
Shift and brake cables – Cheap to get a kit from Ali for those.
My opinion:
If you really want to diy this thing, I always start with the wheels. You will need:
Tire levers (if you need to change your tires/tubes)
Cones wrenches 13+15mm
Tube of grease
Air pump
Chain oil
If you can repack the bearings with the help of some YouTube video and adjust the cones, your bike will roll so much easier. It’s best to start with the wheels because you can’t start adjusting everything else until they are squared away and straight.
My MVP tool is a Crank Brothers multi tool. Has the Allen wrenches, torx, and a chain breaker (you’ll need this for later). About $25 to 30 but I use this so much more than anything in the tool box.
With the above tools, you should be able to take care of most maintenance. Other cheap stuff to help are green scothbright pads and a wire to brush.
Happy wrenching!
Happy wrenching
Keep your chain clean and lightly oiled. Change it when it starts to wear. Don’t let your brake pads wear down too much. This should be your regular.
Spend some time on youtube and give it a decent once over before the weather gets crap for winter, and then again in the spring.
You have a solid bike from a repulatable company. It’s survived two years of daily riding with no maintenance. Because it’s well designed, all the parts are easy to find and easily replaceable (assuming you have the tooks and knowledge). Unless the frame or fork is cracked/broken, you’ll be able to ride that bike for 20,000+ miles, assuming you maintain it.
Buy tools as you need them. Cheap generic bicycle tools are fine for 95 percent of home mechanics. Videos and other instructions are just a google search away. e.g. https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help
The trickiest part of replacing stuff is making sure you have the right size and standard. For example, any tire you buy must be the correct diameter, correct width, and correct valve standard so that they fit on your bike. If you have an 8 speed Shiamano cassette, you must replace it with an 8 speed cassette that’s the Shimano standard, and it should have roughly the same number of cogs on each teeth otherwise it may be too big for your rear derailleur design.
I luckily had a bike shop at the end of my road, they were fair and seemed delighted in their ability to repair things for me when they arose, my suggestion is to find a bike shop that’s dedicated to repair instead of only selling new ones
Where to start…
I use this general checklist whenever I’m checking out a bike for purchase.
It also applies to inspecting and maintaining a bike you’ve already own.
It will encourage you to go through and become familiar with the major systems on the bicycle.
I recommend viewing Park Tools videos on bicycle maintenance for details on some of this stuff.
Start here:
1) Tires inflated.
2) Rims are true.
3) Spokes aren’t loose.
4) Brakes adjusted and inspected (cables, pads, braking surfaces)
5) Chain clean, lubed and measured for wear.
6) Shifting adjusted properly.
7) Wheel bearings checked for play and friction.
8) Bottom bracket/crank/pedals checked for play and friction.
9) Headset checked for play/friction/indexing.
10) Is the seat post stuck?
11) Is the stem stuck?
12) Is the frame intact and is it true?
13) Does it fit the intended rider?
Good luck.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to follow up.
A lot of people offered good info. I just wanna say, having the courage to do the work yourself, is all anything takes really. And don’t be so hard on yourself.
Someone mentioned collectives. Honestly, find something like that. People have plenty of stuff lying around sometimes and will just donate. If you were in Ohio here in the US I would help you first hand if I could. I have the tools to change the cassette, chains and such. I have spare stuff laying around.
You can find lightly used tires online pretty easily and cheap if the collective doesn’t work out. Same with other lightly used parts. You have a good start with that bike. Just needs some love.
First. Relax. Why does gen z think it’s okay for people to dunk on them for asking questions? Thats wild. Be nice to yourself. You’re young enough that you’re not supposed to know any damn thing—that’s not bad. That’s literally life.
Most of the things you mentioned are easy fixes with the right resources.
A few tips:
1) YouTube is your friend. To make research easier for yourself, don’t be afraid to ask folks, here and in other places “what’s this part-it looks broken” so that you know what to type in to YouTube.
2) Find local resources. Your bike shop is one, but there may be others. Go down to a local trail and ask someone who seems to bike a lot where you can go. You’ll find a wild amount of resources might be available. I recently found out that in my town there’s a collective that will allow you, for free, a space to work on your bike, loaner tools (not for taking home but using for free on-site), and even have bike mechanics who volunteer there to help folks learn.
3) Enjoy yourself. I’m 38, and couldn’t even change my own bike tube until about 3 years ago. Now, I actually get a little excited when it’s time to fix something—provided I’m not 20 miles from home and broke. I even like when I can’t figure out what’s wrong. Recently I had a wheel wobble. Went to inspect it, bearings just fell out all over the place. Never thought I’d repair a wheel. But how cool to know I can repair a wheel, with the right tools and time.
You’ll mostly only need Allen wrenches, a few regular wrenches, and a pump. You can get all of those on Facebook marketplace for pretty cheap. Though you do get what you pay for when it comes to tools, it’s okay to start with the cheap stuff.
If it comes down to it, just tell your folks—I want these tools so I can learn how to fix my bike.
You’ll also find that doing your own bike repairs helps you walk a bit more upright—and it’s a cool skill you can use to help friends and strangers when you get good at it.