Relative Something

I am not buying a new bike. I’ve come close a few times over the last few years, but haven’t taken that last step.

Last June, as the date of my annual bike trip approached, I knew that I had not prepared my 18-year-old Trek 520 touring cycle to the degree I prefer. It wasn’t in optimum condition, but I figured I could make do. I was right. I made do.

In the middle of that week of the trip, I visited the mechanic and asked for his opinion of my chain. I knew it was worn, and due for replacement, I just didn’t know how worn. There is a gauge that very quickly demonstrates the level of wear. If you wait too long, the stretching of the chain will wear the cogs of the gears enough that you need to replace the cassette of gears along with the chain. I waited too long.

At that point, since the mechanic didn’t have the replacement cassette I would need, he suggested just riding the rest of the trip and having the work done later. It took me until last weekend, a month after getting home, to finally commit to taking care of it. I considered ordering the parts and doing the work myself, but I was interested in consulting with someone about the task.

I was wondering if it deserved an upgrade in quality of parts. I was also wondering if other parts should be getting simultaneous attention. That brought me to the question of whether the bike itself was worth the additional investment I was considering spending, or if I should get back to thinking about a new bike as replacement.

I took it to my local shop and was lucky to receive the attention of the owner, the very person with whom I was hoping to talk. Taking into account how many miles I estimated to have put on the bike in the years I have owned it, as well as the type, and frequency, of riding I do, he offered the opinion that the bike was well-worth the investment to get it back into top condition.

It already has a replacement set of wheels from original, with upgraded quality hubs. They will overhaul the wheel bearings, true the wheels, replace chain and cassette, change some cables and housings, and calibrate everything. I won’t even get my hands dirty. It will cost a small fraction of the price of a new bike, and it will feel like brand new to me.

I am very happy to get this done. He even gave me a tour of the new purchase options that were the next step up from mine for road riding, which was very generous, since he knew I had no intention of buying.  (To my good friend, Murph: Yours was right in the ballpark, if I had gone that route! [Thanks, again, for the offer]) I am satisfied that my old touring machine is still a good match for me. His opinion was that a switch in bikes might buy me about 2 or 3 mph on my average speed, which I would gladly welcome, but for my riding, it’s really not a factor. I’m fine, right where I’m at.

My friends will just have to keep working hard on their new bikes, or they might find that I am actually able to pass them.