Bike Chain Repair
Should I repair my Trek 950 or get a new bike?
I have an old Trek 950 mountain bike from 1989. It’s in fair condition, the frame has some rust spots, the chain and tires are newer, but still pretty old and it shows its age. This morning, the left shifter broke (Shimano Mountain LX) — the cap on the top of the shifter flew off (lost) and something broke inside. Now I have to hold it forward with quite a bit of tension to keep the derailleur in place. It’s only rideable as long as my thumb holds the shifter in place. Should I take it to a shop for repair or move on and get a new bike? I doubt those components are made any more. I don’t ride trails any more, just street cycling.
Get her fixed up man AND consider a new bike. I personally feel you can never have too many bikes and you can use them for different things.
The Trek MTB you can slap some street tires and fenders on it and make it your “heavy-duty”. You could then invest in a sweet roadie for your fast rides and tours. Just an example.
You might hook up one day with a gal who has no bike. Now you have an extra.
Never toss or undersell a good bike and Trek has always made good bikes.
There’s also a wee moral issue for fanatics like me. You can’t just toss away something that’s been faithful to you. You’ve put a lot into that bike and she’s probably given you way more back and I don’t think you’ll feel good just chucking her away.
That’s what people who don’t give a sht about anything else but themselves do. It’s a consumptive mentality that should be foreign to cyclists. We’re independent folks for the most part and do-it-yourselfers. We love adversity.
How to fix a bicycle chain
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