crappy mtn bike not worth repairing at LBS

jman0

I've got a really crappy mnt bike with a small frame and it's rear cassette is totally shot.
LBS wants €57 euro to repair (new cassette and chain), which is not worth it.
At the same time it seems like a pity to just chuck it away since it actually looks kinda good (it's not a rust bucket).
What could i do to get this bike back on the road?
I don't have any special bike tools.
Could i turn it into a fixed gear bike?

DePurpereWolf

With a limit of 57 euro there is not much you can do.

kona

jman0 wrote: »

I've got a really crappy mnt bike with a small frame and it's rear cassette is totally shot.
LBS wants €57 euro to repair (new cassette and chain), which is not worth it.
At the same time it seems like a pity to just chuck it away since it actually looks kinda good (it's not a rust bucket).
What could i do to get this bike back on the road?
I don't have any special bike tools.
Could i turn it into a fixed gear bike?

how much are they charging for labour?
I mean a chain is going to be around 15 and a freewheel is going to be 25ish, so thats 40 quid.

If its a cheap bike, dump it and buy somthing decent, no point in even attempting to upgrade a cheap bike.

DePurpereWolf

Don't really agree with Kona, although it is much more sensible to get yourself a decent bike. Trying to fix a crap bike yourself will really teach you a lot about bikes and about yourself.
e.g. how long it takes until you want to beat that crap bike into a pile of metal pulp.

You would also start to appreciate the fact that bikes really aren't expensive for what you get in return.

Infact compared to other countries, I think that Irish bike mechanics are very cheap.

kona

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Don't really agree with Kona, although it is much more sensible to get yourself a decent bike. Trying to fix a crap bike yourself will really teach you a lot about bikes and about yourself.
e.g. how long it takes until you want to beat that crap bike into a pile of metal pulp.

You would also start to appreciate the fact that bikes really aren't expensive for what you get in return.

Infact compared to other countries, I think that Irish bike mechanics are very cheap.

Yes but he will have to buy the tools and parts, read up and then maybe make a mistake or in the case of a cheap bike its likely that the freewheel is seized.

If he was to do that it will be upwards of e100.

Irish bike mechanics are cheap because there is no such thing as paying 5k to go to bike school like in the USA and canada. There are ALOT of cowboys.
Trying to fix a crap bike will lead to suicidal thoughts and utter frustration, and a hole in your wallet. but worst of all regret. Learn to fix a decent bike its MUCH easier.

DePurpereWolf

Yeah, I was going to say that I don't think they're all that good, but someone told me to not talk out of my ass if I don't know where I'm talking about and I haven't tried out all the bike shops here in Cork.
Might be a good idea to start a bike-shop review centre here.

I do agree with you by the way. Trying to fix a crappy bike will cost you the value of a good new bike in parts, tools and psychiatry bills.

Acoustic

some woman left a bike into my old mans shop last week

it was about 15 years old no joke

absolute bucket of ****ee

repairs cost €95 , was in dire need of repairs

she has no problem paying it , when a new bike like that nowadays is €180 ish

rediculous , but her choice

72hundred

kona wrote: »

Yes but he will have to buy the tools

But isn't that a great thing. If he's the tools bought once he'll always have 'em,the skills too and he won't need LBS when combined with CRC and Wiggle in the long run.

neilled

Probably not worth the effort. I bought a bike (one of those RA5 Mercurios) which done me fine, however in the last months of its life it needed shod with new tires, new cassette, rear wheel, derailleur - the investment simply wasn't worth it for the diminishing returns I was getting on the bike. The frame would have been fine however I gave up on it and that was that.

Gavin

neilled wrote: »

Probably not worth the effort. I bought a bike (one of those RA5 Mercurios) which done me fine, however in the last months of its life it needed shod with new tires, new cassette, rear wheel, derailleur - the investment simply wasn't worth it for the diminishing returns I was getting on the bike. The frame would have been fine however I gave up on it and that was that.

hah ! I have a mercurio ra5 ! It has been upgraded to Sora shifters, 105 front derailler, xtr rear derailler, new brakes, mavic wheel. Done a good few 100ks on it! Now it sits at a train station and ferries me in and out of work. Reliable yoke

BostonB

Acoustic wrote: »

some woman left a bike into my old mans shop last week

it was about 15 years old no joke

absolute bucket of ****ee

repairs cost €95 , was in dire need of repairs

she has no problem paying it , when a new bike like that nowadays is €180 ish

rediculous , but her choice

Did she not save €105? I'm not sentimental about bikes, but I could undersand why some would be. Same with people who keep their old cars going. Some people just prefer fixing things than just buying them. Some hate throwing things out. Some just prefer new stuff.

Acoustic

BostonB wrote: »

Did she not save €105? I'm not sentimental about bikes, but I could undersand why some would be. Same with people who keep their old cars going. Some people just prefer fixing things than just buying them. Some hate throwing things out. Some just prefer new stuff.

dude if you saw this bike u'd be like wtf !!!

maybe saved yes , was it worth it ?? hell no

least a new bike , u get warranty , and feel of a new bike , its new looking

this was rusty all over , torn saddle , diff pedals , paint ( with a paintbrush ) on the bike , it was a joke

Chris Peak

Acoustic wrote: »

dude if you saw this bike u'd be like wtf !!!

maybe saved yes , was it worth it ?? hell no

least a new bike , u get warranty , and feel of a new bike , its new looking

this was rusty all over , torn saddle , diff pedals , paint ( with a paintbrush ) on the bike , it was a joke

Well, it obviously was worth it.. to her.
Do you not think she likes the feel of her old bike and doesn't need a new looking bike?
Not to mention, again, that it's up and running for half the price for another one.

ednwireland

dont forget if it looks wrecked its less likely to be stolen