When A Bike Is Not Worth Fixing - Cutting Your Losses
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2024
- I bought this 2010 Trek 4300 mountain bike for $20. It was 24 speed with disc brakes, and the fork had a lockout. Seemed like a great deal. I planned to overhaul the RST Gila TNL fork and make a video. And then I was going to build the bike up. Maybe do something with the disc brakes for a video. It was missing the derailleurs and chain, but I probably had derailleurs lying around, and a chain was cheap. But the farther I got into the bike, the potential repair costs were stacking up. Finally came a moment when the bike was no longer worth fixing, I didn't want to throw good money after bad. I can at least part the bike out and get more than my $20 worth of parts out of it.
* No, straightening an aluminum frame is not as simple as just heating it up and bending it. It needs to be heated very carefully to soften it. If it is is not heated enough, or if it gets too hot, it can crack. Once it is bent, the aluminum will remain soft. It will need to be heat treated. And of course, now the frame will need to be repainted. This is best done by an experienced professional. So in most cases, this will be cost prohibitive. Trying to straighten the frame incorrectly would leave the frame vulnerable to breaking and unsafe.
* No, I am not just going to built it up and ride it as is. The bike is not even close to my size. And I am not going to build up and sell a bent bike.
* I am guessing the fork got water in it and froze.
* Trek lifetime frame warranty is for original owner and not transferable.
* No, I didn't go over the bike with a fine tooth comb before buying it. It a big sale with a ton of stuff, and a lot of other buyers. Buying was fast and furious. I bought a bunch of stuff. I did not have time to micro-examine each item. I glanced at the bike and for $20 (plus another free bike included), it was a no brainer. I easily got more than $20 worth of parts out of it. And I sold the free bike for more than $20. This is all the stuff I bought that day: • My Bargain Bike & Part...
Checking frame alignment without expensive tool:
• How To Make A Cheap Bi...
• Checking Bike Frame Al...
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Did you part it out yet?
Great video I will be checking rear wheel alignment when purchasing new used bikes
How much do you want for it
At least you've got some parts for the next project.
I did all that already
I've had this problem with a number of old bikes I've decided to revitalise and bring back upto date. I've normally put 100 hours of stripping down and rebuliding and spent £300-400+ before I realize I'd be lucky to get £150 back from selling it ha ha. But that's not why I do it. I do it because I despise this 'use it up and throw it away' fast food culture we live in and I'm passionate about restoration, customization, preservation and improvement.
The Shamanarchist a men whit a💙
You sound exactly like me! 😁 I hate seeing things go to recycling when it only takes someone like ourselves to take the time and fix it good as new.
There's been a number of times I've done the same as you and bought a load of parts then realised " I'd be lucky to get my money back" it's at that point I first look at my kids bikes and think "I'm keeping it and replacing the kids bike, sell the old one" that way my kids benefit.
I can relate. Instead of throwing away, I like to fix, restore or re-purpose things. Doesn't matter what it is.
I build up bikes and resell them for about what I put in (or slightly less). I justify it as a "hobby". But really it's because I have some strange emotion when I see a really good bike that's just in need of love.
YES!!! 👍😁
If a bike has been neglected, it’s a good thing to revive it.
If it’s been abused to the point of failure, recognise that it has had its life.
Why is this so sad to read
@@SpinozicTroll ikr
Good bikes are sad to retire, but it that just means it was worth all the use it got!
if it was whipped like a rented mule, played kick the can with, the owner is a lazy disgusting individual, then thats what youre buying is a physical manifestation of their demise.
Cracked and bent old school frames sometimes can still be used as wall hangers. My friend has held on to Konas, GTs, classic Scwinns, etc. for display purposes.
Look at the positive side. That bike was no garage queen, it was ridden.
this kind of wear and complete lack of maintenence makes me think this was probably ridden to death by a homeless or very low income person
Dalton Bedore ...Or a kid having fun.
@@blipco5 exactly
It was ridden and hit by a car!
Justin Bhoner...It's hard to tell with kids (or adults) but they had piece of mind to strip the derailleurs.
I always look at bikes like this as parts bikes...for $20, you get a usable saddle, seat post, wheels, h-bars, BB, etc, all of which would probably cost more (in some cases much more!) if you had to buy them individually as a replacement for a worn or broken part on a "good" bike.
me too even if you sell parts on ebay or keep for future builds its a win win
Yep! I part up bikes like these for when I find nice frames with bad parts and bingo, one good bicycle! People take the frames for scrap too so it's a win win win situation
Yeah, $20 ain't bad for the parts he got.
(At least on the surface. Hopefully he didn't find more cracks lol).
If you're a glutton like me you'll pick up several parts bikes on the cheap ($30 or less) and have a good pile of used parts to fix up whatever bike you actually want to keep.
"Three quarters of a centimeter." I am literally laughing out loud. Old fractions die hard.
Rock on, RJ.
My rulers are metric. My tape measures are Imperial. My digital instruments swing both ways. Signed, Canada
I was seven when Canada made the switch. I rarely convert. I use each system indepedently.
@@BangTheRocksTogether UK - Waves. We use Imperial, the US uses a variation on this. Which means all the measurements are slightly bigger in the UK.
@@forevercomputing Whaaaat? An inch is an inch. The American gallon is unique...
@@BangTheRocksTogether Uh - no. An inch is not an inch. It's like Hello, vs Hullo.
We used "hullo" before the telephone, now we use "Hello" and "hullo" was just phased out.
@@forevercomputing I do not understand.
But that shouldn't surprise you...
25.4mm isn't the same thing as hello/hullo... or is it?
Sometimes, if it's a bike you've owned, you MUST restore it! I had a worn-out but much loved Gary Fisher, steel framed mountain bike from 1998. It is also the only bike I own with rack mounts. The frame was good, the original fork was replaced with a Rock Shox coil fork about 7 years ago, so I stripped and powder coated the frame. I replaced the drivetrain with an Alivio crank, a narrow-wide chain ring, and an 11-34 nine speed cassette. Yes, I could have put the cash into a modern bike, but now I have a retro but new looking bike with a modern drive train.
Hey Rj, im from phillipines technically south east asia,, for me u are the best bike mechanic in youtube. Every time that i had problem in bike .. I type the problem then you channel pop up,,,, ure great men
Hahaha ako rin.
I'm half Filipino...live in U.S. I would love an Ave Maldea frameset
@NebularCrystal same as you. Lol.
Strip it down, keep the useable parts and use them on future builds
I think that's what he has done like threes probably 3 useable parts
Berserker Nick watch the video till the end, that’s what he said.
Nah, you'd end up with just a large box full of spares you'd never use. If you use random parts from random stripped bikes you end up with an ugly frankenstein hybrid looking bike. Might as well just buy a nice shiny new bike.
@@darkknight17 He did say he bought this bike as a fun project, I get the feeling he had a good bike he uses for himself. But isn't the idea of spare parts to avoid breaking the bank on new parts later?
I found this video because I'm trying to decide whether it would be cheaper to buy a used bike or repair the clunker in the yard.
@@VerbenaHA
It's cheaper in the long run to just buy the new bike. Will last longer.
Thanks RJ. Nice step by step explanation of non-obvious flaws. I've finally learned to do a through evaluation of a bike before doing repair of individual components. A lesson hard won when I spent hours on a bicycle only to find that the seatpost was epoxied into the frame!
Great video! This is a perspective I haven't seen much in bike repair videos.
RJ - you got $20 bucks worth of parts AND still got a video out of it!! Instructional as always.
Did he pay $20 to buy it?
After the cracked fork, it was like a horror movie and the bike kept getting worse :(
LOL!
RJ The Bike Guy At least you could salvage some parts.
Usually when I see bikes with a trashed drivetrain I think singlespeed. You really only need one gear anyway.
Count your blessings! At least you know better than to buy a department store bike for$20!
People bring me that junk and I simply refuse the work.
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂
I am constantly facing a similar problem with my MTB (Scott G-Zero FX4 from 2006). I know that spend more money on parts than the bike worth, but I still do it. For me it's a sentimental thing. It is my first proper mountain bike. I had some unforgettable moments with this bike. If I want to sell it, it worth probably around 100-120$, however for me it's priceless.
If it was a desirable frame its worth keeping trust me. The feeling you get from a bike that fits your body is priceless
These are all great things to watch out for. Wonderful video. Good luck on your next fun build.
Thx
Absolutely fantastic video!! Thanks, I will definitely keep this in mind when I’m trying to give used bikes a new life. 🙏
Great video RJ. It helps you learn what to look for when you buy a used bike. I spotted that the fork looked bent as soon as I saw it.
I've recently done a similar project but the bike's frame was mechanically in way better condition than your's is. I've stripped it, took off the old paint and decals and gave it a nice respray, rebuilt it and all that took me around 20h of work. Now it's ready to be gifted to my niece (9) on Christmas :-)
Great things to look for on my next used bike purchase. You're the guy RJ. Thanks again.
Excellent rundown RJ. Thanks
I wouldn't feel too bad - you got a good number of working parts for $20, including shifters, wheels, and disc brakes.. Someday you'll buy a bike with a solid frame and crappy parts for $20, you'll marry the two, and have a nice bike for around $60.
True, good point, but waiting for the one can be hard
sounds like you're right. For me I probably wouldn't have noticed the frame being tweaked and would have tried but build it up anyway, nice that you have that frame tool.
th-cam.com/video/z9bPiAi_KQc/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/dUPAKqS3dt8/w-d-xo.html
I dont think you need the frame tool to see the problem with alignment. Just look at the wheel
String will work in a pinch.
Great video! I'm always picking up cheap or free bikes to fix and now seeing this will greatly help me with checking wether a bike is worth fixing or not 👍
Thanks for the tips on what to look for when buying a used bike. I especially like the finger spacing check on the rear wheel.
As a bike mechanic myself, I feel your pain RJ!
0.16 "But alas! My dreams were shattered". I guess the seat post wasn't stuck then. On a serious note this is a very helpful video.
No it wasn't.
I love your tutorials, very professional and straight forward. Now with COVID19 there are no bikes for sale so I'm buying cheap and flipping them for a quick profit. Your videos help a lot
just discovered your site. excellent information, presentation and more.
thank you
As long as the frame is okay it's always worth it. Agree with you don't bend an aluminum frame back. I ride aluminum now but I bought it new. If I was to buy used I would only steel.
Stealing is bad, mmmm k 🤓
i thought aluminum can be bent back a few times before it loses its integrity (including the initial bending out of alignment in the first place)? unless he just decided not to bother due to all the other issues? although he could have restored the frame which is the most expensive part?
I had a feeling it was going to be a problem with the frame, once you need to replace the frame you're basically getting/making a new bike.
Many thanks; learnt a lot here, especially regarding teeth health and frame alignment. Checking my TREK tomorrow!
That was an interesting video. Something I haven't seen yet explained. Thanks for sharing.
I bent my aluminum Mongoose frame by hand and it works perfectly fine lmao
Definitely the best option to scrap it, I would be checking all the parts carefully as well, this looks like it's been in a big wreck.
You are amazing! You answered questions I didn't even know I had!
I fixed my Trek with your help. It's been my favorite bike forever, but I always dreamed of having a red Raleigh. Two days ago I picked up a brand spankin' new red Raleigh at a thrift store dirt cheap! I'm so happy!
what's up I really appreciate your advice and videos, I just got into wrenching on bikes a couple weeks ago and you're incredibly helpful
Looks like it got run into. Seen a few bikes like that when people don't see it lying in the driveway and roll into the bike before they realise it's there. Particularly common with 4WDs/SUVs because of the terrible visibility.
exactly how I find them, bent back wheels
142 milimemers? Someone wanted to have it boost compatible?
Boost is 148
@@TonchoTonev It was a very tight fit. 5mm sounds right.
142 is 12mm through axle spacing
@@MrAmorti nope, mine is 142 and is qr
141 is boost QR here's a link to the list www.halowheels.com/frame-spacing-hub-o-l-d-information/
Great video very informative and what to look out for.👍
Glad to see you're feeling better RJ
Hey you still got a good video out of it!
😂😂 this is like every bicycle project of mine
Very interesting video! I just overhauled my 1981 Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-e-Koo and converted it to a 1x utility bike (grocery shopping, commuting, etc.) It cost overall about $700, but I now have essentially a new bike with a great steel frame, that has the Gary Fisher heritage. In my case, definitely worth the money, if only for sentimental reasons.
Your video gives a great heads-up to anybody who sees a cheap used bike for sale. I can't believe they hid the cracked fork!
Great video...came about issues i never thought of...Thanks a ton
At Bike Edmonton we are used to get bikes like that for donations. Usually the first thing we check is frame alignment as this is a big factor and we have used parts for almost everything else. The bike is still wort more than the twenty bucks as you can strip off the parts and use them to build other bikes. I personally like 1980's, pre suspension mountain bikes with lugged chromoly frames. They are almost always worth rebuilding.
So many bikes I find have a bent back wheel ! Did the fools back over them in the driveway where the kids dropped them ? So I take a good wheel I saved and viola, a good bike for a needy kid to ride ! I feel good about savings bikes from the dump !
Following along, and I was like also like "But the frame is still good, it has good bones. Oh frame is bend, yea we are done here". It seems like the wheels, seat and handlebars are all that is worth saving.
There are other small things, like headset, some fork parts for rebuild of another fork etc
Very useful. I recently bought an older Cannondale and I was planning on bigger tires mounted on another wheel set, also for a Cannondale. But the rear wheel is just too wide, I had to force the wheel set into the drop outs. Watching your videos and others like it I knew I could not safely mount the bigger wheel set because as you said, aluminum can't be cold set. And as an aside, I inherited a steel GT mtn bike with many shifting and braking problems, using your string method I found out the frame was way out of alignment. Looking at the super heavy weight construction of the GT, I decided to strip the parts and discard the frame. Bummer, but just too many welds on the triple triangle for a garage hack like myself to try and overcome. Wasn't worth it. Thanks for the videos.
Thanks! I am new to biking and I bought a used mtb on marketplace in my area. I have had to do some work and started to worry I messed up in purchasing it. I must say it is nowhere near as bad as this trek is. This was really helpful if I decide to purchase another used one. I will look for these issues.
I guess if the frame was completely a wash... I would cut the frame down into pieces and turn it into a wind chime. 😇😎
The decision was due to honesty. I have seen people selling defective products while telling that they work properly.
Scumbags
Nice video thanks for your work
Yes I agree with you it’s not worth’s fixing it . I always watch your videos.Keep it up sir I really enjoy it
Another sign you're getting too old, you start recognizing situations where the best thing you can do is walk away. *Before* you've sunk a load of time and money into them. (I'm borderline autistic, with a natural inclination to beat my head against a wall.)
Agreed. The best restorations are where the bike's financial value exceeds any cash sunk in parts and labour. Then there's the projects that are fun enough so you'll ride away with a neat bike for your effort, but no profit in the job. After that there are bikes that aren't viable, but you happen to have just the stuff to fix it up lying around. Then there's hopeless cases like this one. Take the saddle, seat pin, bars and stem, carefully checking they aren't toast along with the rest of the bike, and save yourself a bunch of time and headaches.
That's for home restorations, bike shops are a different matter. Something like replacing a drive chain can render the job uneconomical over buying a new bike.
Joe Kahno did you ever hear the saying older and WISER.
@@Magnabee97 Uh-huh, I also worked with some people who had ten years experience, and others who had one year of experience repeated ten times.
@@Magnabee97 No, that was the worst mistake I did in my life. Older doesn't mean wiser. Many people are born stupid, live stupid, get old stupid, and die stupid. Following their advice, just because they are old, AND SOMETIMES VERY REALIZED PROFESSIONALLY, is the worst mistake I did. Somebody can be very intelligent, but not wise at all.
That's exactly right LOL. I was born in 1964 so am starting to choose my battles more wisely
a TREK for 20 bucks!? Ill take it!- just turn it into a single speed
Monkadelic just put a chain on it, a replacement fork, and its a junkyard bike. Employees at a junkyard would love to have a rideable bike to use around the property. I'd be interested in the disc brakes if you're parting out. Best regards.
right on
For $20, who cares how it rides.
Frames bent...
Every time you pedal the rear tire is going to be scrubbing not rolling. The rear tire is going to wear out super fast.
Thanks for the tips for looking next time i look or buy user bikes!
Just subscribed! Tuning my bike up for the first time. The shifters are going to be pain, but I can probably muddle through it! Bummer on the rebuild. I've always wanted to build a bike up from scratch.
I just made this mistake 3 months ago by swapping parts on my MTB and costs me around 360USD thinking that I could learn something and still be able to use the old bike. In the end, I did learn how to fix a bike but its an expensive experience as it still doesn't feel right. After I felt its not worthy to continue the project, I ended up getting a new bike instead.
The point is if it's an old bike and haven't been well maintain in it's enitre life, scrap it and get a new one.
Awesome treck mountain bike I have same brand it extra large 19.5 and I see mechanic disc break new fork and freewheel pads too right
Your always make interesting videos. Keep going.
I forgot add, informative too!
Very useful video, thank you
Speaking of bikes that are too far gone. My neighbour wanted me to look at his sons bike because he'd had a crash and bent the rear derailleur. When he brought it round it was literally wrapped in the rear wheel. No problem. It's a steel bike, I can correct that hanger and maybe swap out the derailleur.
I did but as I was doing it I noticed the front derailleur was all twisted, the gear shifters were smashed, it has no grips, the brake pads were bent... The brake pads... Bent, oh and then the bottom bracket was completely loose and the pedals smashed. What got me though is the Crank arm was actually bent and you couldn't spin the cranks 😭
He asked me how much it would be to fix 😂 it was a generic youth bike so I just told him to give it to the scrap man. How does a bike even get that bad??
Wow! Yeah, that sounds bad. Sounds like a Walmart bike. They are made of cheap metal and parts. They bend/break easily.
After dealing with a couple of used bikes it's definitely been a painfully slow (and time costly) journey to know when it's not worth fixing. Helps when it was a steal I guess! How do you get such cheap, decent quality bikes??
This video is really useful specially for those who go for used bycycle, I wasn't aware of all these things to take into consideration when I brought my used bike, but thank god I had not land buying a junk☺️
Thanks for the tips fella👍😉👌
Since you were going to scarp the frame, I'd see what happens when I try to cold bend the frame back. I mean, as an experiment. I'm curious how far I could take it before it's really toast.
Ultimately it's probably cracked. So it's just a really bad idea.
Not recommended for aluminium, steel you can cheat a little 😂
First.
eyyyyy that´s cheating !!!!! hahahahaha
Ha ha😃
Awww Mann !!
(ノ•̀ o •́ )ノ ~ ┻━┻
Oh yeah you're the first to comment...... But not the first one to watch the video XD
@@infectiouspeanut7263 nope, he probably watched the video in editing a thousand times so he won there too😂
it's super funny cause i'm french (and i'm super glad you are using metric system) and it's extremely funny to ear someone talk about 3/4 of a centimeter, we just never do that lol (it's something you only do with imperial system)
I love your videos, even tho i do less bike repair (i'm setup now, and your videos helped me quite a bunch)
The imperial system is most popular in the US. It's something that came from colonies of Britain and we stuck with it. Metric is a standard in the scientific space just like anywhere really, But in general Imperial is much more common. Not everyone though.. I'm one of those that gets on better with Metric.
Wow. Thank God you said $20 at the beginning of this! I would've cried when you showed how far off the alignment was.
But my tears would not have lasted long. Doing the math on how much you'd pay for each of the parts in good shape, your $20 was well invested. Sweet!
With the frame & fork issues, it makes me wonder if that bike was in a major crash, fell off a small cliff, fell off a moving vehicle or got hit by a car.
O got by a car 2 daysago
Like others I like to fix bikes - there are always those that can’t afford new. But sometimes harvesting parts is all you can do. Safety is number one
Great insights!!!
Great video!! 👍 Thanks
This hit too close to home: recently I've been working on a 90's, big-box store mtb my family's had since before I was born. I planned on fixing it and just having some fun with it on lighter trails; but I've found more issues than success at this point. I think it's time for this bike to be reduced, reused and recylced.
(edited for spelling)
Cut it up and teach yourself alum TIG welding.
Kevin Hornbuckle sounds like a good plan 💡
I don't have a TIG welder and don't plan to buy one anytime in the near future. I barely use my flux welder.
I wanna do that I keep watching cars and cameras and grind hard plumbing
I will pray to St. Klaus that he bring you a TIG welder for Christmas. You are the kind of guy who would quickly conclude, "I should have gotten one of these a long time ago."
Go for it. Make a plan for setting enough money aside each month to purchase a inverter TIG welder. Don't settle for MIG for bike frames.
We'll see if I have just jumped down that same rabbit hole. I wanted to get a project bike and maybe learn a few things, so I popped for a Giant mountain bike at the local police auction for $10. The front hub was loose, and based on another of your videos I think some new bearing and grease will get it good to go. The left side crank arm and pedal were missing, and that was cheap enough to replace. We'll see what else is waiting for me. It is not a matter of good money after bad, but learning. And keeping my mind occupied in retirement. Thanks for your great content!
Great vid! 👍
Should be, "What to look for in buying a secondhand bike".
Rip to the trek bike....
You couldn't be more right. Salvage any usable part and scrap the rest.
The fork was the nasty surprise. I think the bike has so much more potential than one of the bikes i fixed up for my son, a real Franken-bike.
I had to replace the chain (one on it was new and still in packing grease; i cleaned it and it had damaged linked in more than one location) new rear derailleur (had the cheapest possible one on it), derailleur hanger (bent/stripped threads), new shifters/brakes, bottom bracket and crank, stem, handlebars, and brakes (caliper), seat post and saddle. All that is original is the frame, front derailler, wheels, and front fork. Yes, I'm an idiot, but i learned a lot and do anything for my kids. Only one possibly better bike has come along since but i missed putting an offer on it by minutes. At least i know he has a reliable bike that shouldn't have any major surprises.
The bike was like a rotten onion. Looked ok on the outside but slowly revealed its ugly layers as i set out to repair it. "Why is the chain jumping still? What is the knocking sound?" It took me for a nasty frustrating ride.
I have the same bike, I took pretty good care of it, they are very big bikes love the stance on them.
This is why I never buy used bikes from young people. I buy new frames from Alibaba and build.
Hmm funny you say that, I was totally screwed over buying used from a young guy. Then I started learning a lot more about bikes and bought a 1000 buck bike from a guy in his 50's for 200. It's just the most wonderful thing I've ever owned. Suddenly from having the shittiest bike in the entire city, I am the one getting looks of envy now :)
Nope, nope, nope. I've learned to stay away from low-end MTBs because they've had the snot beat out of them.
This was actually a half way decent bike. And the Klein I got at the same time as this one is also in rough shape. And that was not a low end bike.
trek dont make "low end" its at least a mid to top end, depending on the group set
@@bryanjudefernandez2195
Check the Trek category at all? They do have low end. They're just junk.
@@joewas2225 oh, well. Where I live. You can get real junk. Litterally Chinese made unbranded bikes with spring forks. Trek at least is reputable and has decent capabilities
@@bryanjudefernandez2195
Trek reputable & capable? 😂
Trek is junk. Want a real reputable brand & capable. Look at Scott bikes. Leagues better & cheaper.
Same!👍✔thanks for sharing this vid... i like to fix things...sometimes you have to call it a day.. 🤔
Great vid a thorough investigation. I just curb sale found one.
Sometimes I can't get the tip of my finger in either?
Lol
Then stay away from 12 year olds....
I thought "He's got a Trek for $20, WTH could he be talking about "Cutting' his "losses"?
Then I watched 2 minutes thirty-nine seconds of the video.
Yeah, RUN!!!
Ochipwa Greenspider You got me :))
I had to see this video 23 days ago hahaha!
thanks!
I worked as a bike mechanic for a while and would come across bikes that were really old and needed too much work for it to make sense. I would always let the customer know that it was not economicaly worth it unless they have some sort of sentimental value towards the bike. I always told them I was more than happy to fix it but I personally would not recommend it.
-Trek “lifetime warranty on frame” :p
For original owner. Not transferable.
Under normal use, not after beating the shit out of it.
@@chesshooligan1282 I don't get to decide the terrain most of the time...
@@OctogonOxygen024816
Sorry to hear that. A man should always wear the pants in a relationship.
@@RJTheBikeGuy Can't fault Trek too much in this area. The frame broke on my Trek 520 after 58000 miles. Of course I didn't have the original receipt and the shop I bought it at was long out of business. The local dealer was no help so I called Trek customer service. "Send me some pictures of where you've had your bike" the guy said So I sent a bunch of pics from France, UK, all over the place; they replaced the frame for free
I've owned and broken a lot of aluminum bike frames......and will never own one again. I'll gladly take the one pound weight penalty of having a chromoly steel frame so I can have a frame that can take far more abuse, and be self repaired. I'm not into disposable bike frames which is what aluminum ones are.
Just wondering abt hm you weight?
Do you use a hammer ?
bicycle repair man gives up. Save us bicycle repair man! We need you now more than ever
Great tips, I'll make sure and pull any tape before buying used 👍
Thank you, RJ even the professionals can't see always a cheap deal has good potential. I'm just starting out pick up a Trek 4500 mint no rust with some upgrades for $100. Unbeknownst to me sold my original owner 1988 Diamond Back Override 19" for $75!! Upgraded to the 4500!
Thanks for the video
thanks...i learned a lot from this video
Looks like seth’s bike hacks’ old trek! Loved the video!
Yeah, he rides like a dick on that bike. Probably that is what could happen.
Very useful and efficient
...and you still managed to make an informative video out of it!!
FWIW: Cold setting aluminum is certainly something to be cautious about. BUT, with these lower end aluminum frames, the aluminum is actually quite soft and setable for small bends like the one shown on this bike. I have straightened much worse with long-term success. This is similar to bending lower end aluminum rims to straighten rim damage. Higher end stuff, which quite obviously doesn't want to bend when you apply force to it, will dramatically fracture when you try to straighten it (similar some of the hardened DT Swiss and Raceface rims if you've experimented with bending them). Also, on this bike, although those chainrings are worn, they don't look bad enough to need to be replaced. AND finally, thanks for lots of great content about fixing instead of throwing away old bicycles and forks.