SERIOUSLY! Why can't they make EVERY BIKE like this? Giant Boulder SE gets reconditioned!
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- I have a thing for practical bikes and this is about as good as it gets. This Giant Boulder SE checks off every box on my list, right out of the gate. Comfy saddle, relaxed geometry, upright handlebars, tons of gears, plump tires, inexpensive and functionally as good as anything else. With so much emphasis on performance, exercise, fanciness, weight and the latest trends, the cycling industry has led us all astray. Working on these older bikes from the golden era of practical bikes brings me great joy. Come along for the ride and appreciate some fine machinery with The BikeFarmer!
Man I wish i had more mechanics like you in my area. It's really a shame what these bike stores have become nowadays. On the flipside it's forced me to learn this stuff myself and find channels like yours! Keep up the good work!
Some no beer decided that ‘bikes’ should now be pronounced ‘booteeeek’
I just found a guy near me that is an older independent and focused on bike repair not sales but has a few used bikes. Great guy already helped me rebuild a 15 year old hard rock
The only reason I step foot in to a bike store is if a company refuses to ship bikes anywhere but to your local dealer for pick up. That and to try out all of the expensive new bikes without having to pay for them.
I love my small town bike shop here in rural Sedalia, MO. But if I have go to the Big City to visit, I go the bike boutiques to enjoy the track lighting, carpeted clothing dept, and of course, the $8.00 latte.
As a college girl I wore down a bike shop owner enough to offer me piece work assembling new bikes. When I got too fast at that, he put me on hourly and let me do repairs and eventually builds. Good times!
Your attitude towards keeping bikes up and running instead of forcing the shiny and new onto us is what keeps me coming back. love all the tips you give as it helps me keep my bike and my buddies rides up and running!
My father in law passed away a few months ago. We used to go on bike rides near our local farmland , here in England. This is going back nearly 25 years ago. As it happens, I found his old bike in his garage, unused in all that time. Like this one in the video, I've brought it back into service. Nothing like giving an old bike another chance of glory on the tarmac
Good job showcasing older bikes and telling people that an $80 bike is as good as an expensive bike for most real folks that just want to ride the neighborhood from time to time, I also watch other RUclips bike guys, but what I like about you is the real aspect of the channel, rather than showcasing their $13,000 mountain bikes in their prestige garages with their wall of new Park Tools, the fact that you are showing good used bike and a real (working) shop is awesome to see, the fact that you can just pull from bins of older parts shows that you have been doing this for sometime….keep up the good work.
I really appreciate your appreciation for decent cheap bikes.
One of the great things about bikes is their affordability, but we tend to forget about that while drooling over crabon fiber, electronic shifter and internal cable routing.
You're right there, mate.
The whole point of a bike is a cheap affordable form of transport. And not happy to rest on their laurels , bike manufacturers have sought to reinvent the wheel by introducing unnecessary technology which the majority of us just don't need. I'm a big fan of older bikes like these 90s mountain bikes and even 70s/80s road bikes
I can appreciate your desire to keep these old bikes on the road and get used instead of in the landfill or gathering dust in a garage. On the other hand, technology and engineering will continuously move forward whether you want it or not. Young engineers and sales people just out of college have families to raise, and without advancements in technology of all industries and sciences, they would be out of jobs. While I can appreciate the simplicity of a 7 or 8 speed chain drivetrain, I also get excited about the future of belt and shaft drivetrains with internal gears and ebikes. Im 60 and keep my mind young following new advances in technology .
I'm riding a mid 90s Giant Iguana that I converted to single speed. Perfect bike. Steel frame, 26" wheels, rack eyelets, mounts three water bottles, comfortable upright position. I'll be riding it until I die and it becomes my son's bike.
Loving the videos! Your style is very different and unique from a lot of others who focus on upgrading instead of fixing what’s there! Love it keep it up.
Yeah. I share this opinion with you
Yep lot of part swappers rather than fixers out there. I guess it can be cheaper to swap parts due to labour hour costs, depending where you live
Like the video be cause of you givi,NG the step byestep detail thankyou
Putting some kind of carpet or old bed sheet under the bike stand, can help to prevent tiny screws and other small stuff to disappear into the abyss, when they get accidentally dropped.
Honestly, I loved the seat being an issue. It makes me feel a hell of a lot less dumb when trying to do something that by all rights SHOULD be going together as easily as peanut butter and chocolate, and somehow is matching like oil and water.
Seeing how others problem solve such issues whether by accident or intent, is quite validating.
Great video, like always. You are an asset to your community, and the biking community at large.
Great video. I’m a practical bike fan too. I got a brand new Schwinn Varsity ten-speed when I was about 13 (I’m 77). It was my dream bike. I rode it through jr. high, high school and college. After we had kids it became my kids-and-groceries hauler.. I replaced the drop bars with uprights, added a comfy seat (do you believe it came new with a Brooks leather saddle? At $52 for the whole bike!), added a kid seat which doubled as my trunk for a grocery bag or my briefcase, and I rode it to work every day for years. By then I had 13 other bikes of all descriptions, expensive ones, home-built ones, you name it. But the Schwinn was my daily driver.
I tuned it myself, for years without a bike stand… just turned it upside down and worked away. Later one of my kids took it to college and rode it for another few years. By then it was almost fifty years old. Fifty years of curb hopping, Door County trails with a kid onboard, Madison city streets, state trails, UW and UWM campus bike racks. Finally we sold it at a garage sale and I’ll bet somebody is still riding it. Wish I’d kept it! Thanks for your awesome videos. Some day soon I’m going to drive down to visit your shop.
I like simple bikes too and lately I've been appreciating cable disk brakes. Seems to me they are easier to adjust and keep going than rim brakes.
They definitely make the minor wobble in a wheel between truing less mission critical.
Don’t talk stupid
Disc brakes are great -- never want something else. When you ride a lot in wet conditions (especially when it is dirty too) you will find that this is exactly what a practical bike needs! But I agree on the other points you made.
Discs on a road bike are crap
@@Tarmaccyclocross l supported my statement.
I recently started riding an ebike which came with hydraulic disc brakes. This was my first experience with disc brakes and I would not want to go back to rim brakes . They are superior in every way!
The beautiful thing about bicycles is that there are so many out there, you can ride whatever you want. I love disc brakes. I love rim brakes. I even love cantilevers. I do have one condition though: The brakes have to effectively stop the bike when I want them to. So long as they do that, I will probably give them the thumbs up!
@@Tarmaccyclocross Nonsense... but hey I have a couple incandescent light bulbs I need to get rid of... you interested?
I would never have the patience to deal with something like that saddle clamp. That's why I'm not a bike mechanic, I guess. Enjoyed the video! As for twisting spokes, here's an excerpt from Jobst Brandt's "The Bicycle Wheel": SPOKE TWIST
Spokes are, in effect, very long screws. Because they are so long, they act like
long springy torsion bars, especially when they are tight and friction in their
threads is high. 2.0 mm spokes have about fifty percent greater torsional stiffness
(resistance to twist) than 1.8 mm spokes, and straight gauge spokes have about
fifty percent greater torsional stiffness than swaged spokes.
During tightening, spokes twist as their nipples are turned. Torque that twists
spokes comes from the thread ramp and from friction. Thread steepness is a
function of thread pitch and diameter. Steep threads resist spoke tightening and
aid loosening. Frictional torque at a given tension depends on spoke diameter
and spoke and nipple materials. It can be reduced significantly by lubrication.
When a wheel with residual twist in its spokes strikes a bump, the spokes will
screw in or out of their nipples depending on the direction they are twisted.
Spokes that untwist cause alignment errors that require retruing. A wheel that
has been built properly will not need retruing unless the rim is bent from an
exceptional force.
To eliminate residual spoke twist during final tensioning, each nipple should be
overtightened then backed off by as much as a quarter turn. The amount of
overtightening should match the amount of twist that must be backed-off
(untwisted). A practiced hand can feel the twist-free position because, at this
point, the nipple turns in either direction with equal torque.
SP
THANK YOU! That was a really good excerpt, well written and explains the phenomena perfectly
@@VictorQuesada-bl1xk Jobst Brandt, r.i.p., was an engineering genius with regard to bicycle wheels. He was also an avid world cyclist. Highly recommend searching his name on youtube.
Very well stated for someone with no patience! 😂
Nice video and I appreciate your concern for the regular folks. Thanks! 🙂👍
Hell yeah, best bike is one that I can take apart and put together at home (or on the roadside) without losing my mind, easy to tune up and fix any part that fails ❤
Yep! That's why my bike has rim brakes and friction shifters and inner tubes.
You crossed the line, I love my hydraulic brakes
I still miss my excellent 90s hybrid with tires that were wider and worked on roads, paved bike paths and rail trails. It was a great commuter bike also.
Thank you! This video taught me a lot! I now understand more about how my bike works and I’m less intimidated to work on it myself.
YOUR NEXT HUGE VIDEO IS WE WOULD LOVE A CRITICAL BREAKDOWN ON A TRASHY NEW BIKE !! YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEND A NEEDED SHOCKWAVE TO THE BIX BOXERS when you drop the exposé!!! I ride scooters too btw but I stand in solidarity w/ all micro-eco -mobility systems LUV THE VIBE YOUR BRINGING!
Soothing to listen to while at work
Thats so sweet of you Scott!!!👀❤️
No, I don't think the seat clamp was boring - it was about as real world as it gets. And then you fixed the issue in the vice - that's why I'm watching your videos.
I always love your down-to-earth talks on the reality of general cycling.
I got a specialized hardrock at a garage sale for $20 all it needed was gear adjustment and the shock was ceased but got the fork freed and it’s been a great all around bike that I take to the store or to the river.
Yeah...I have no idea how much my bike weighs or how long or far I ride. I don't care. I just ride. No computers = no worries! oh, and both of my bikes are 30 + years old. Pure joy! And yes the Cypress an excellent new bike that sticks to the values of this channel. Keep up the rants, man. Love to hear em!
I totally agree with your opinion. I have been flipping bikes for a hobby a long time. But watching your video showed me a few shortcuts that I will use from now on. - Great video, thanks a bunch!
Right on!
I agree with your bicycle ethos about practical bikes, and also Giant does make a great ride
Appteciate the ethos rant on this one. I agree the industry has veered to far towards the complexity of a bike. The beauty of the bike is its simplicity and efficiency. I am a big fan of the used market and dig your focus on it. There is a lot of value in a used bike. Keep it up!
My heart sank when you upgraded the kickstand
Great work bringing a good bike back on the road. I like the business you got there, best of luck!
Great video and so true, bikes like these can go a long way. In 2018 I bought a well maintained second hand 2011 Giant Roam (rim brake). I paid around 350 for it and started using it as a commuter bike and now have done 22500 km (about 14000 miles) on it. Of course chain, pads and tires need replacing once in a while, but I still love it
Many thanks Bike Farmer!
I found myself really enjoying this long-form video. I have always liked to tinker with bikes, and sometimes I made matters worse with my limited knowledge. Besides offering many great tips and dispensing lots of practical information, you’ve inspired me to revisit my enthusiasm for tuning up my own bike and giving it some much needed TLC. You also made it easier for me to live with some the inherent imperfections that come with a bicycle. As it turns out, some of those minor creaks and annoying pings are just part of the package. Thanks for giving me permission to ride more and worry less 😊
Nice work. I've been thinking about flipping bikes for a while. You've inspired me!
you can make good money if you know what you're doing.
Excellent depiction of how repairs actually go. I had the same issue with a stretched out seat clamp on an old bike.
I recently bought a Giant Sedona from some old guy off of Facebook, $220 Canadian and it's actually a sick ride. No suspension fork, just 26" wheels, rim brakes, and a very comfortable upright riding position. I swapped out the Grip Shifts for some Shimano Altus clickers, put on some casual urban pedals, and I might put a suspension seatpost on it. For pulling my kids in the Chariot or just a lazy ride - it's great.
Just got a 2002 Gary Fisher from a pawn shop for $10 and fixed it up, wasn’t too bad, but love it
@@michaelmay9728That's a lot of bike for $10!
I just built up a 2010 Giant Boulder SE into a perfect neighborhood bike to carry around my kiddos. Absolutely love it.
I appreciate that you talk through your thinking and process of working on bikes. I am visually impaired and love wrenching on a bike, but like to hear comentary when watching someone else's video.
My old mechanic, before he retired, used to braise the ends of the cables instead of using those crimp on ferrules. He could then easily pull the cables, clean and lube them, and put them back. I haven't found a mechanic that will do that anymore.
It's a time issue. It's much faster to use the cable ends rather than mess with flux, solder, and a torch.
I've never had a bicycle computer but I'd like to try one. In some of them you can enter exactly how far one revolution of your wheel is, measure it on your own floor. Plus, a bicycle computer won't sell your personal data. I can see why you'd want nothing to do with them though. It's everyone's responsibility to study their own user manuals.
Great advice/channel! I’m a rebelling “cyclist.” I love rigid steel single speeds from early mid-2000s. Needed a bike for physical therapy/recovery. Now addicted. I build my own bikes from used parts on eBay. The bike industry has lost its mind with greed/complexity/meaningless changes etc. Thanks.
I like that you fix everything. most of bike Shops they exchange the parts just to sale you new part. you are awesome and honest.
it's a matter of personal preference, not a matter of honesty. There's plenty of merit to replacing parts. It isn't much more expensive and often requires less labor. Shops recommend replacement because in the long run, it's probably what's best for everyone. Since I'm flipping bikes, I try to keep my costs down, so I'll let many things slide. I'm still just doing it for the money ;-)
I'm with you. I think bikes reached their peak in the late 80's through the 90's where components and frames weren't so proprietary. I was a bike mechanic for a few years during that time.
I was a mechanic during that time as well. Not sure that it was the pinnacle. I was thrown off the front of my Pro Caliber many times. The new geometries are way easier to ride. That being said I feel hydraulics are not necessary. Cable disc brakes work extremely well and are very easy to work on. Maybe not as easy as v brakes tho.
@@trishaleaver3581 I hear you and agree to some extent. Today's bikes are objectively better in many ways, but they are far too proprietary. Components that will fit a Trek, often won't fit a Specialized, etc... Even worse, components that fit last year's Treks might not fit this year's Treks.
Innovation is all well and good, but there's a real need for some standardization and that seems to have been almost entirely discarded, much to the consumer's detriment.
Thank you for spreading the word. We need to stop buying disposable things like Walmart bikes
Thanks, I agree. I have been riding my Kona Nunu mtn bike since 2000 when I bought it new. One of my best purchases, easy to maintain.
Love your content. Like your philosophy re:practicality for the 98% vs the 2% of the elite cyclists. Thank you. Subbed.
I appreciate you showed your seat post trouble. Every once in a while I used to get some irritating little problem on a bike to puzzle through. That is bike mechanics. When I worked on old bikes I would repack wheel bearings if not moving nicely, unless the rim was a bit worn on the braking surface or it was really out of true. I know my tire pressure goals on each of my bikes (I have 7) but I don't pay attention to the car. Rely on car's sensor. What I preferred were 90s to recent fully rigid mountain and hybrid bikes, too many crappy old suspension forks that are a pita to deal with.
Definitely a difference between the stires and a locally owned "Shop", thanks for doing what you do.
it's much more fun bringing an old steed back to life than having a brand new bike, the challenges that come with fixing up those old bikes is a great opportunity for problem solving skills too.
Although there's plenty of new bikes with challenging set up issues that we can also learn from, old bikes have a different character and story to tell.
My GIANT Sedona DX is 18 years old but I can fix it, tune it and keep it going. I want to get a new one but the OLD ONE STILL WORKS Fine.!
I love your attitude! There is a place for the 1% ers than can afford those $12K - 15K bikes and good for them. I'll keep chugging along on my Sedona.
As I was watching your intro I was congratulating myself on having come to the same conclusions about what the best practical bikes are. There used to be quite a few people in Vancouver on CL doing it this as a side hustle or hobby, reselling and trading parts and so forth. Mostly cyclists these days.
One of the reasons I love bicycles is they are beautifully simple but it’s always funny when something simple and mundane can become a chore. I agree the complexity for the sake of aesthetics are terrible such internal headset routing should go the way of the dinosaurs.
When I switched to disc brakes on my MTB, there was a big difference (for the better), especially in the wet. Plus, I noticed climbing was a little easier when I went tubeless- less rotational weight.
I've been out of the road bike scene for many many years. I Cannot believe how cheap you can get a 90s mountain bike. Bikes that were $4000 when new. Couple hundred bucks and you're on the trails.
Excellent points. Folks want big box store cut rate prices and fail to understand their purchase should be seen as an investment. But in the past many bike shops were eager to make a sale prior to taking the time to educate buyers.
Road a 2006 Boulder SE from Buffalo to Albany last year with zero problems. We just put new tires, flat platform pedals, and handlebar extenders. Worked perfectly.
My 2003 Giant Iguana is jealous of the TLC this bike got. Mine has been my daily commuter for almost 10 years and it’s been a tank. I did get an overhaul done a few years ago but it hasn’t needed much maintenance besides that. It’s a very practical bike. Great video!!
I've had my Giant Alias for over 12 years now and its never let me down, that bike is a lovely colour by the way 👌
I get all you're saying and given what types of bikes have been sold well in the US in the past decades that is probably the way to go, BUT...
Hearing "practical bike" as a European I'm thinking
28' rims 56+ frame
slim Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires
mud guard
bike racks
front hub dynamo with fixed lights
rigid fork as a bonus
all of which could be had on a 2nd hand tune up for less than 300€
That's the kind of bike you see with people riding to work everyday over here.
My Dad's friend gave me two Dawn vices made in Adelaide , Australia for free as he is elderly .
I always put some spray silicone on sprung forks, and shocks too (bicycle or motorcycle).
I saw a "polished" wear pattern on the chrome fork of a buddy's motorcycle and sprayed it.
He had to totally retune BOTH compression/extension adjustments,
because his forks were NOW lubricated!
Actually, it hugely scared him on his first lubricated ride!!!
Big improvement that also makes seals last much longer!
Your videos are SO valuable!
Love watching them!
Gary
AKA: "Jason Stillwater" in the recumbent world.
I agree with every you say about cycle shops trying to sell you all the bike you can afford. Sometimes the area you live in dictates how much bike you need. I live in the mountains of Arizona and the hydraulic disk brakes are life savers, they will stop the bike on the steepest hills.
Good presentation. I found some encouragement and comfort when your wrestling match with the blasted seat clamp took place....made me think, so I'm not alone in this! (and I pick up a wrench every ten years, whether it is needed or not). and you dropped a washer! A trained and certified mech dropped a washer... now I can just grin, on my next dropped washer or nut, well, the experienced guy did it too. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I too find much pleasure in the well seasoned bikes, rather than the heart-stopping prices of these new ones. If I were on my way to winning the Tour de Frog, or the Whistle to Hell trail championship, I might thini otherwise about new things, but the amble about the local streets and alleys and the wonderful trails through our town's historic cemetery just don't need a $5K bike. Thank you for your video.
All of the other bicycle mechanics I know are absolutely perfect and only produce flawless, thorough work! They’ll even tell you about it! 😂🤣
preach it brother! Why do people buy Walmart or Costco bikes, only to sell it the following season? I ride a very early 2000 Specialized Expedition aka "the tub". It carries my fat a** around town. I just had my BIKE shop replace the original rear derailleur. The thing is a beast! I wish more folks thought like you!
God bless you kind LBS warrior - owner!
Spot on for your philosophy. I am so in agreement ❤
Nice you keep take off parts.
Some throw bikes away when they get some issues. but you made it work, and probably did not cost the customer too much. The bike wasn't in too bad of a shape. Not everything has to be thrown away or replaced.
I love those older bikes. I have a Sedona. Fun bike
I have around a 2006/2007 Giant boulder and it’s been a beast!
Watching you true the wheel while listening to you talk was real relaxing. I was really zoned in till you walked away.
the secret about these types of bikes is that once they have been assembled properly they almost never fail but just need a wee bit of love once in a while. Set and forget.
hmm, depends on what kind of riding you do, but not really... a bike is like a musical instrument, it requires constant attention to keep it in tune....
Been in and out of bike shops since the 70's, and I'll tell you what I'd do: smoke a fat doob and put on my favorite music.
The first bike I bought for myself with my own money was in the late '70s in Santa Monica, after a summer working at a take-out place on Venice Beach. Fat doobs and great music for sure! lol.
Thanks!
Thanks hey!
Love this! I picked up a 1988 Novara Ponderosa a little over a year ago for a couple hundred bucks. Tuned it up and put a new chain, tires, and swept back handlebars on it (for a comfy upright position). Also needed to put fenders and front rack on it but I'll be riding it for years or decades to come.
Thanks for defining “reasonable tire pressure” for bikes
As a long time bike rider. I live in a hilly wet area. I do advise anyone who uses their bike a lot and who can afford it to invest in hydraulic disk brakes.
Hydraulic disk brakes on the front are not just a bit better in the wet but hydraulic disk brakes are cheaper (need less) on the maintenance. I was changing break block at a £5.00 a pair, every 1 to 2 months. My disk break pads last 18 months and are £10.00 a pair. This cost saving is true for the rear break too.
You do need a forks that has fixing points in order to fit front disk brakes. As you need a frame that has fixing points in order to fit rear disk brakes.
It is true that we need less powerful brakes on the rear. As it is easy to lock up the rear wheel. What I realised after the rim wall of my rear wheel collapsed; due to the wheel being aluminium and the grit on the break blocks that easily grinds away at the soft aluminium. Is not just that back wheels are expensive but that a disk brake stops this ware from happening. As the breaking happens on a separate steel disk rather than the aluminium rim of the wheel.
So installing hydraulic disk brakes does cost a bit. In return you get better brakes (in the wet) and much lower maintenance cost breaks. There is a small matter of break fluid. Probably best changed with the pads every time or every other time depending on whether you hydraulic fluid is synthetic or not.
I agree with your comments about lack of lubrication on new bikes, cost analysis and the horrors of cheap bikes. I call 'em BSOs = bicycle shaped objects. I don't use anything above 8 speed and my current bike has a 6 speed freewheel on the back. Durable and practical. Not something cycle shops sell anymore.
Glad I stumbled across your channel. Listen, I do love my newer gravel and mountain bikes, but I do sorely miss the simplicity and quality of an earlier age. I have at least 6 80s era Trek road bikes that I work on, so you’re exactly what I find interesting.
Oh, and your watch says it all about your philosophy ! Love that.
I pulled my Giant Boulder out the shed after 10 years similar state to your Boulder SE (just a lot, a lot of spiders and webs).
If I follow what you've done, I'll be back cruising the coast and spraying some gravel...
I love your take on bike computers. It makes sense in this day and age to just use an app on your phone. These videos are awesome.
2nd time I’ve watched this. I think it was the first one I ever saw, and I subbed then. I’ve enjoyed all the learning, good entertainment.
Awesome! Thank you!
Hey my friend, ive just stumbled on ur channel, and man oh man u r the maestro when it comes to bike setup , ive just bought a used mtb and im watching u like a hawk to gain knowledge, great vid ur the man !!!! ❤...
I don't ride my practical comfortable bike anymore, because i moved to an area with lots of big hills. Now I got a road bike which is lighter and more suited for going up hills. I still don't have fancy stuff like disk brakes, or a radio, or cruise control.
Looks like a great bike for a kid to ride to school on!
I'm a bigger guy and I destroy single bolt seatpost clamps all the time, just like this. I moved to using the two bolt variety and with those the bolts just get destroyed over time, which is a much easier fix.
I bought a Norco Wolverine back in 2007 and I've been writing it through every winter since I've owned it and I've never had a problem with it
Preserving the cables makes sense to me. They are pre-stretched and still good.
Totally
I'm 59 years old and I have a Felt Z5 carbon fiber road bike that come this Spring, I will be converting it from drop bars to flat bars and changing it to be a comfort bike. I could care less about aero, but I am thinking that I love the bike, I'm just gonna repurpose what it was designed for...
Love videos I live in Rockford Illinois planning a trip your way after Xmas love to visit your shop
'A medium filth rag' 😆 that cracked me up
that giant bike is in good shape
You kept using the old upper on the seatpost. That’s where the problem was. I noticed right away and rewatched that part and was correct. Toss that upper.
I bought a gt aggressor pro for $350. I hope that one is ok. It rides nice imo but I’ve only owned junk Walmart bikes before. I have a 90’s Murray mountain bike I’m going to repair/ maintenance by watching you so I know what I’m doing by the time I service my gt.
I’d love to bring my bike in and watch your head spin. Ha Trek Roscoe 9 I converted to a hybrid. I love it.. got it on sale for $1900
You’re speaking my language! Bike prices are so high lately and there’s so much planned obsolescence built into them. It felt bad trying to sell a $650 entry level bike that was only marginally different than a bike from 20 years ago.
I love your attitude and your knowledge thank you so much
I'm naming my rear tire Johann Sebastian Back.
Nice looking bike
Request:
The spring trick around 1:09:00 seems really cool, can you make another video that's a close up of how you are doing things like that? I know much of your knowledge and skill lives almost in your sense of feel rather than sight, but on the video some things are a little hard to see / make out how exactly you did that. Maybe mount the camera to a helmet so we see what's in your sightline? You kind of show us at 1:20:00 or so, but it's hard to see black on black.
Praise!
I really like the points around 23:55 and 35:48 where you call it good enough. Tolerances are important for our lives, and many times it's not worth the incremental gains that you could get from obsessing over any one aspect of a bike like this. If it's a practical tool for mobility, getting a million of these functional is worth so much more than a 1000 of them up to tour de France levels.
Thank you for making this video, I feel much more comfortable and confident in my capacity to do more maintenance of my own on my bike. I have a real cheapo, and bringing it into the shop for some work would put me upside down on the value of the bike itself. That said, I see the value that basic care I can do myself can bring to my commute and rides with the kids. This is also a good view of what a bike mechanic brings to the table when you do go to a shop, and what you do to improve our overall riding experience.
Commentary:
Around the 1 hour mark: Firm feel on a kids / bmx / mountain / commuter bike has always worked for me too, but I have to say that it felt amazing to go from an underinflated tire to one that's pretty full as a kid.
Might want to use a magnet at 1:05:30 to keep things organized lol (I say as if I haven't had a whole tray of screws completely scatter across the floor).
Around 1:17:00 you mention that youtubers with clean shops are making content, not running a shop. I feel like that's fair. Some content creators like My Mechanics or ChrisFix are not trying to run a current repair shop that has to remain independently profitable, they are running a content channel with the background serving as their studio. Presentation matters in this format, so I don't begrudge them their style. You make a good distinction between a shop and a store in that sense, how one is a place where things are fixed and built, like a machine or wood shop, and the other is where finished goods are kept and sold.
Thanks again for making this video and for your creed/manifesto. We need more bikes like this, more shops like yours, and more people out there riding.
I agree with you totally about rim brakes, external routing and cable gears but then I'm also a mechanic. Nice refurbished Giant here though I'd have binned that saddle clamp