What works?
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After years of repairing bikes, I have found there are some parts that work well and last a long time.
Steel Frames Steel is the best thing to make bike frames out of if you want them to last. Bike frames have been made of other materials, but where are the old ones I ask you? Search through old cycling magazines and you can find enthusiastic articles about aluminium frames as early as 1900. They have all broken. Titanium should be a good material, but they break. Carbon is great for a racing frame that only has to last a season. |
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Not all steel frames are equal. The better the steel, the less of it is needed and the more expensive it is. Pay more, it lasts longer, up to a point. The very wonderful Reynolds 753 heat treated steel was too brittle and a frame made of it should be inspected for cracks. Heavy steel frames, like the Raleigh Activator, last forever but are horrible to ride. The lighter Raleigh Roadster frames last forever, and I have never seen or heard of one that has broken in normal use.
Traditional Wheels
A wheel made with a ball bearing hub, at least 32 good spokes spaced evenly in a good rim is the most durable. Good spokes are made of stainless steel and the best are double butted. Double butting means that the spoke has been made thinner in the middle. This makes it lighter, and also stronger as the grain of the metal is aligned in the process. As the spoke is thinner it can be tightened up more, which makes the wheel stronger. Thicker spokes do not necessarily make a stronger wheel, more spokes are better for strength.
Sealed Bottom Brackets
A good sealed bearing bottom bracket is a fit and forget part. The Shimano units are great, and the FAG type now made by Stronglight work well too. The Mavic and Royce are even better.
Pneumatic Tyres
The greatest invention in road transport is the air filled tyre. It reduces rolling resistance and adds comfort. Modern bike tyres grip well and the puncture protection is far better than it was even 20 years ago. You still have to pump them up, but that's it until they wear out.
Traditional Wheels
A wheel made with a ball bearing hub, at least 32 good spokes spaced evenly in a good rim is the most durable. Good spokes are made of stainless steel and the best are double butted. Double butting means that the spoke has been made thinner in the middle. This makes it lighter, and also stronger as the grain of the metal is aligned in the process. As the spoke is thinner it can be tightened up more, which makes the wheel stronger. Thicker spokes do not necessarily make a stronger wheel, more spokes are better for strength.
Sealed Bottom Brackets
A good sealed bearing bottom bracket is a fit and forget part. The Shimano units are great, and the FAG type now made by Stronglight work well too. The Mavic and Royce are even better.
Pneumatic Tyres
The greatest invention in road transport is the air filled tyre. It reduces rolling resistance and adds comfort. Modern bike tyres grip well and the puncture protection is far better than it was even 20 years ago. You still have to pump them up, but that's it until they wear out.
