{"id":170961,"date":"2018-10-11T09:32:07","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T09:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=170961"},"modified":"2018-10-11T09:32:07","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T09:32:07","slug":"whats-the-real-lifespan-of-your-new-bicycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2018\/10\/11\/whats-the-real-lifespan-of-your-new-bicycle\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Real Lifespan of Your New Bicycle?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t care how much the bike costs \u2013 just tell me how long it will last.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mileage<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t think about ownership in terms of years. Just like a car, a bicycle will wear out from the friction of the moving parts. Stored properly, any bike will, more or less, last a couple of decades. But take it out for a ride and you\u2019ll wear down the moving parts. Tony 10 Speed<\/a> explains:<\/p>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n

A car can easily reach over 100,000 miles in good condition, and so could your bike. But just like your car, you can expect a lot of the components of your bike to be replaced, upgraded, and repaired during its life cycle.<\/p>\n

Component corrosion<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s say if you cycle about 100 miles a week, you can expect to change your brake pads every couple of months. If you live in a mountainous area, you\u2019ll change them more often. Also if you\u2019re skinny, you won\u2019t have to change them as often as someone who\u2019s overweight.<\/p>\n

Your chain is likely to need changing every few months too, but that depends on if you ride on salty roads, or mineral-rich trails \u2013 both of which will wear your chain, cassette, and front sprockets a lot quicker. SickBiker can show you what to look out for in the harshest conditions for your bike:<\/p>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n

Have more than one bike<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you commute every day, a deep clean after every ride simply isn\u2019t practical. The solution to this is to have a \u201crain bike\u201d. If it\u2019s spring or summer and there\u2019s not a cloud in the sky, go ahead and take your full-carbon race bike for a joyful spin to the office.<\/p>\n

Nothing will extend the lifespan of your new bike like using your old bike through the winter, or when it rains. Your rain whip should be a cheaper bike that you\u2019re not afraid to get scuffed. Remember \u2013 a \u00a310 chain can be changed 3 times as often as a \u00a330 chain!<\/p>\n

Racing and risk<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your bike will last longer if you take no risks. Racing a carbon bike on the open road increases the risk of collision with other road vehicles. And yet, in the 30 years I\u2019ve cycle-commuted on England\u2019s supposedly \u2018unfriendly\u2019 roads, I\u2019ve never had a collision or serious altercation with a car.<\/p>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n

If you don\u2019t want to risk damaging your downhill full-suspension MTB frame, then never take it on a difficult downhill route. And that\u2019s the point \u2013 the lifespan of your bicycle is largely dependent on the risks you\u2019re willing to take with your purchase.<\/p>\n

Does steel last longer than carbon fibre?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Based on the evidence available, yes. We know this because we don\u2019t see any carbon framed bikes from the 1970s\u2019, yet we see plenty of vintage steel-framed bikes for sale. Obviously, I\u2019m joking \u2013 but it\u2019s easy to see why people are spooked by carbon given manufacturers advice on carbon-care<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The truth is that any frame, provided it\u2019s properly cared for, will last a lifetime. In reality, the temptation of eventually getting a new bike is what will increase the lifespan of your ride until long after you\u2019ve stopped riding it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t care how much the bike costs \u2013 just tell me how long it will last.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":166621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[328,329],"tags":[2346,2345],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-170961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outdoor-mountain","category-road-cycling","tag-how-long-will-a-bicycle-last","tag-lifespan-of-a-bicycle"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat\u2019s the Real Lifespan of Your New Bicycle? - \u0160koda We Love Cycling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I don\u2019t care how much the bike costs \u2013 just tell me how long it will last. Mileage Don\u2019t think about ownership in terms of years. 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