In 2005 had a man walk into the shop wanting his 15 year old bike repaired. It had sat for years and needed a lot of work. As I explained why the bike was not worth the investment and why he should just buy a new one I noticed he became very quiet and seemed to withdraw a bit. After I finished he told me that this was his sons bike and he had many happy memories of riding with his son during his teen years. His son had just been killed in Afghanistan and he wanted to ride his sons bike. He did get to ride his sons bike because we did our best refurb and somehow lost the invoice. Never saw him again but hope he is still riding that bike and found peace
Now, I totally get that...in fact, I prolly woulda done the labor for free knowing that story. Yes, that's a good reason to have a bike fixed up like this.
Yeah, some people lack the mental health which allows them to make reasonable decisions, but if they have the money and insist, well, so be it. Sentimental stuff has it's limits, but to each their own.
I'm the local "bike guy" in our little farm town as the nearest LBS is 30 miles away and do it as a hobby, I don't "charge" but I let them tip me if they want. During the pandemic I had a woman bring me a well worn box store Schwinn cruiser and wanted it fixed up. I told her what it would cost which was several times the value of her bike. She told me that she had used it to deliver papers with her 2 girls in a trailer behind her to make extra income when her husband was out of work and that it had more than earned it's keep. She wanted to keep it going as a reminder of the tough times and how they had made it through. I didn't accept the tip.
I do something similar mostly for the foodora Guy's i bring cheap new parts and fix bikes on the balcony belonging to foodora i take 150 crowns an hour if its less than half an hour they pay slightly more than I bought the parts for which is cheap because I buy in bulk so its still cheaper than in the store a lot and if I change their derailleur or something ill ask if I can have the old one..fix it at home and sell it refurbished later..and im changing a lot of tires people needs studded tires here in the winter..the bike on the video ill fix it for about 40 dollars and would told him to just use the tire's until the ice comes
Please Don't. You just had me choked up. What a story from the lady! If I were you, i would even add something as a surprise/gift onto the bike so that more memory is added. 😊
From an economical stand point, it's really up to the customer. And personally I'm glad it didn't just end up in the landfill, from an environmental view.
From what I’ve gathered from the bikefarmer lore to this point, If he traded it in for a new one, Andy would have fixed it up this trek anyway and sold it used as well or at least recycled what he could from it.
Yes there is a real environmental cost as well!! I recently brought 5 bikes to a shop for tune ups and parts to get them all running smoothly for guests at the lake. And I am so glad. Yes it cost 700$ for bikes that no one would probably buy, but now we have 5 extra bikes that avoid the landfill and all run really nice and are comfortable, and best of all, won't get stolen..
Regarding putting a dirty cassette on a new wheel, while I am doing other stuff like installing the tires, I throw the cassette into the ultrasonic cleaner. Virtually zero extra labor on my part. I also do it when I have to replace a spoke; throw the cassette in while I true the wheel. Just a little extra value for my customers that at least in my mind sets my work apart.
I agree 100%. The fact that any mechanic would not do that when they have the perfect opportunity to do so, the cassette is off the freakin' bike, speaks volumes about the mechanic and not in a good way. It would make me question everything else they do.
@@ethrrr yeah. I have piles of used 8sp 26” wheels lying around because this doesn’t happen all the fucking time. All the wheels you see are dead. You’re not the only one thinking it and you’re not the only one totally wrong about what you’re thinking.
I was taught by a friend to ask “is there sentimental value in the bike?” when checking in a bike like this. You never know. It could have belonged to a loved one who passed, they could have a special attachment that is their motivation to ride, or some other reason. I’ve had so many of these types of repairs, and this question at check in has been a great way to make a connection with the customer and the repair. Love your content and reference it daily at the shop 😂
A lot of the time people haven't ridden a bike in over 15-20 years , but they still own their 20+ year old bike that's still in good condition such as this Trek . They want to get back into riding , but don't understand how much bikes have evolved , especially during the past 8 years or so as they think that a bike is just a bike. I have a friend that owns a 1996 Stumpjumper that he purchased brand new , he rode it for about 10-12 years then had 3 kids so he lost interest. He decided to get back into MTBing this spring , he likely dumped $200 into the Stumpjumper to get it tuned up as he was too stubborn to get a modern bike even after me preaching to him. Needless to say , after my 2nd bike ride with him he noticed that my modern bike with 29er wheels etc.. seemed to ride better than his and he asked if he could try it. 2 days later he bought a modern bike.
@@manchesterexplorer8519 Yeah. Or maybe he just understood that most of those modern "inventions" are just gimmicks degrading the overall bikes utility.
@rosomak8244 They're not gimmicks , modern geometry and larger rims drastically change ride quality. I own a top-spec 1992 Kona Hei Hei Titanium 26er mountain bike . As sweet as it is, the bike rides like a children's bike compared to a modern bike. I've been pedaling since 1980 as I've ridden plenty of old bikes.
My wife was like “what are you watching??” but I was captivated. I often spend more money to fix something than it costs to replace it with new mainly because I’m trying to keep it out of the landfill. Love this video, great value for the owner, money well spent!!
My son is riding almost this same bike at school. His is a 950 from 1990. It was left in my college house in lieu of the owner's portion of the last electric bill. It's been painted three times, lives mostly outside, and has been through four sons and five universities without getting stolen. It's using parts from five or six other bikes, ebay, and a craigslist SRAM groupset that I was pretty excited to get for free. I didn't have time to get it back in shape before he had to go back to school so I took it to the local bike shop and the guy treated it like it was made of gold. Almost $200, but for some reason seeing that old thing working well made me weirdly happy.
Same with me. A young woman came in to my shop with a 40+ year old "sit up and beg" bike. She wanted a full tune up and it needed a LOT of work, including a new rear wheel. I explained all that was required and what it would cost. Much more than a new "town bike". She took the bike home and came back with her mom because her mom had questioned the cost of the service. I went through the same explanation. When asked what type of riding she wanted to do she told me that she was going off to college and was going to use it to ride around campus like her mum and her grandmother before her. I can't remember what brand it was but it a classic, roller brakes, Sturmey Archer 3sp etc (possibly Raleigh). I went on to say that given that it had such a rich history and that it would be a shame for it to get stolen or vandalized she should buy a new bike and restart the tradition and use her grandmother's bike for special occasion rides. We sold her a new bike with all the accessories and serviced her classic for free. ALWAYS engage with the customer in a conversation about how much their bike means to them and why. You will hear wonderful stories about how important bikes are in people's lives.
I'm a HD Mechanic for a mining equipment company and my most-used tool is a Channellock Code Blue 8" adjustable wrench that is always in my back pocket...🤙
@@matthewsherman8085 Would rather buy a 200$ torque wrench than destroy a seatpost, stem, groupset. I understand what youre meaning but you probably wasted that money a 1000x in your life. Now i own it, even if i only used it a dozen of time. Its there when i need and not more trouble to use it.
It's always great to see older bikes get a lease on life, one of my favorite types of repairs to do personally. I repaired an old internal 3-speed bike from the 50's or 60's and it's still seeing use to this day.
I think I enjoyed the conversation more than the bike work (Which is what Im here for). This was a pleasant video to sit through. Being this transparent isnt something you see very often these days. Thank you for what you do! Subb'd
Two months ago I brought my 30 year old bike to a bike shop to update it. They said there are no spare parts for it anymore and that it was totally pointless to repair it. I would have to buy a new one. Nonsens. I spent $ 700,- on tools and parts in online bike shops, it was all there. Top quality materials. And did everything myself. The frame was hand built to my specs, I have been cycling in 20+ foreign countries with it. Now, it is just like a perfect new bike! Good to ride another 30 years on it without any worries. It wasn't hard to do it myself at all.
Thumbs up to your customer. There’s something to be said for keeping great simple machines, and the people that repair them going. I just finished refurbishing a 1970 Mercier with the dynamo and lights and riding it makes me feel like a kid again!
My father bought me a 1995 Trek 830 for my first mountain bike when I was 12. Now at 41 I own 3 of them as they are excellent bikes to get around on. I have 1 hanging on the wall inside my home that I still take time to look at it when I walk by. I understand this guy's love for his bike, and nothing else can compare to it. My attachment to the 830's and nostalgia of my "no care in the world" teen years will not allow me to get rid of these. I have a few modern MTB bikes, but still find myself occasionally down biking my old mountain bike trails for the Feels...
I just had the local bike shop replace the headset on myTrek 830 last week. It was my father's before he passed away and has been a trusty commuter bike for me since. You don't shoot a good horse!
People complaining in your comments section…. Apparently, my brother has tuned into your channel. Bet he hasn’t ridden a bike since he was a kid many, many years ago. But he’s an expert on any topic like many of your other viewers.
New to cycling and new to your channel. You make the repairs look so easy, but hey, your the expert. You certainly know your stuff, and love, love your sarcasm.
Many of us develop personal relationships with our bikes. More so than other mechanical things. We notice when things aren't right eith them. Feel grateful when they get us home safely...
Great decision to fix up. Why not? You just saved a bike and no doubt made the customer very happy. When I spent £650 for a bike back in 1985 my dad went bonkers. Then he bought a caravan to see all the spots I hit in Derbyshire every weekend. The hours I spent carefully tuning it up and maintaining it was purely therapeutic. I did learn something new watching this, cheers, subscribed.
I bought a 1997 Trek 830 SHX a couple years ago from FB marketplace, had it recently serviced and new tires put on. I just put on new grips and pedals and I freaking love it. I'd much rather give new life to an older bike than buy new.
The Google algorithm brought me here because I was researching Trek 820 bikes. Thanks for the video! My wife and I just bought bikes and I bought a Trek 820 that seems to be similar vintage as this; it may also be the same paint scheme. We each paid $200 for our bikes but I believe it was money well spent vs buying a Walmart or similar bike for the same amount. The shop put on a riser handle bar vs the flat and put on a cushioned seat for mine and everything was already set on my wife's. It is in decent shape body wise with some scuffs and nicks in the paint but not too bad. I know nothing about bikes and they are for us to do some riding around the neighborhood and local parks. We couldn't justify the cost of new bikes and I was very hesitant in buying a department store bike so used it was. My wife was concerned about used as I looked at another Trek for the same money and it really was beat up but hers is in better condition than mine so all is good! I guess the person who wanted this fixed figured he/she knew the bike and whatever is on it may be better than something for $400 at a local store not including a used bike.
I didn’t read all the comments, but I wanted to suggest using a bit of baby powder on the rim tape in order to make it a bit easier to install those new tight tires on the rim. It always helps!
My son has a trek 800. Left the front wheel outside his car when he drove home. We sourced all the parts and got it sorted. These old treks are great. Funny thing is I ordered a 27 inch front wheel for his 26 inch bike. It works. Adjusting front break was fun.
That Trek 800 reminds me of the 820 I bought new at age 12. Cleaned out my bank account to do it. Great bike, great memories! Yes, the repair was worth it!
I have an identical bike, also needing some love. Mine fits me perfectly. These old US made TREKs may not be worth much, but they are good solid bikes.
Honestly I learned new knowledge in this video. One thing I want on my next bike is hydraulic disk brakes. I have tweaked rim breaks for decades and done with it. Thank you for sharing.
A 25yo Trek 800 isn't a terrible bike, and what is happening here is just overdue maintenance. I would say that if you cannot do this kind of basic maintenance yourself, if you have to pay a shop to do these very simple tasks, you are going to be better off investing that money in a new bike. All bikes need maintenance, and the more frequently you keep up with that maintenance, the cheaper and easier it will be. I am currently riding a 32yo 1992 Trek 820, very similar to this bike. I paid $25 for it at a local charity shop 10 years ago, totally disassembled it, cleaned it, repainted it, and re-greased everything, then reassembled it with new tires, tubes, grips, and rear rack. This Summer, I installed new Continental tires and tubes ($65), a new Serfas saddle ($30), and new Ergon grips ($40). I also added a few small accesories like new Cat Eye lights front and rear, a new bottle cage, and a new handlebar bag. I'm thinking of buying a new threadless stem adapter and a longer, adjustable stem (about $40 total, I think). But, I did and do all the work myself. If I had to pay someone else, this bike would not have been worth maintaining.
I'm sorry, but not having the skills or not having the time are two very different reasons behind overdue maintenance. In MY humble opinion the only one who gets to say if it's worth it is the owner. No one else, period. If a bike mechanic (or a car mechanic for that matter) tells me otherwise, than there's usually something else going on, like wanting to make quick money on a second hand sale, or having too much work to do.
the paintwork is in amazing condition for its age and it looks great too so I can understand the rider wanting to keep the bike, particularly if there's a genuine connection to it. sometimes the value is higher than the price tag.
I have a '94 Trek 8000 with like, converted to miles, 52.000 miles on it and it looks and rides like new. There is no way on earth that I will ever sell this bike. I would rather have to sell my house than my bike. The (special) memories, I will not go into details, that it has makes this one very special. Life is made from memories for me and I can surely understand that customers feelings.
Couple years ago I rebuilt my trusty old Schwinn Voyager GSL hybrid with over $600 in parts with the help of bike expert friend. He tried to educate me during the process, but it was so much new info at once. This channel is at least the equivalent to a community college course, and with every video I feel more confident to do solo adjustments or repairs with a growing collection of bike-specific tools. It makes for a lot of fresh challenge and satisfaction after wrenching on cars for years.
My wife had a Trek 830 that was partially lugged. The feel of the frame was fantastic. If someone loves the bike and wants to spend some $$ to keep it rolling, good for them!
You did it right, advising the customer the cost will exceed its value, making the decision to proceed the customer’s. I’ve done a few memorable rebuilds on old (1970s) bikes. My favorite was an early 1970s Italian made Liotto Super road racer, which turned out perfectly. The one that definitely wasn’t worth the cost was a complete rebuild, including a new paint job, of a standard department store kid’s 20” bike. I told the customers, and they wanted the work done. So, I did very well for them. Wether it’s worth it isn’t just a dollar figure.
Thank you for your service. I'm learning a lot from your videos. They have given me the confidence to start flipping bikes. Very little profit so far, but not losing money. My hope is that with knowledge and experience, things will get better. Maybe with a little luck, this will help fill my personal stable.
Its worth it. DIYed nephews ole Trek 820 from early 90s repacked wheels headset. Bottom bracket needed replaced. Pedals Grips n saddle. Freewheel was gummed up. Cleaned up ..good for knocking around
I have to say, the labor in the US is very pricey. In my country (Chile), for a bike like that and for 1/4 the amount of your labor you get a full disassembly, I mean full: wheel hub bearings, headset, bottom bracket, rear derailleur even pulleys and transmision. Cleaning, lub, assembly and adjust all. I'm not trying to belittle your work, just different economies.
Thanks for the content. Struggled with the brakes on my wife's trek 820 from 1990. Tried everything even the spray lube. Butchers wax finally fixed it! Like your customer she loves the bike and didn't want to upgrade. So I keep it going. Thanks again
I bought a used Trek 620 made in USA. I didn't know that was Waterloo Wisconsin. It was at a bike shop some person had on consignment and finding it made my day. I upgraded with Ritchie, TRD, and a Brooks saddle parts and love this 18 speed with friction french derailleurs. Keeps me riding remembering younger days. Im 72 and still love riding bikes. Thanks for all the bike repair tips. My grandkids bikes have those type of brakes. I found them difficult to adjust.
There are two reasons to "optimize" everything on a bike: 1) You compete or make a living on the bike, or 2) It's your bike and your money, and you just want to. Two years ago I bought a vintage Motobecane for a decent price, spent too much to have it shipped, and then spent that much again -- and a lot of time -- to make it better than it was from the factory. I did all that to have the bike, appreciate its classic beauty, and ride it once in a while. When you look at the price of a new bike of similar capability and quality, and the lack of QC they typically get, spending "more than the bike is worth" to make your old bike last another twenty or more years is often financially sound. If you're refurbishing a bike to sell, "good enough" is where you stop.
I have worked on my own bike since the first one that my parents bought me at an auction that had solid tires. Yet I just learned a lot from you. Nice video man.
Having repaired 100's (1,000's probably) of bikes of that era, 400$ is probably worth it as long as we can still get a chain and cassette for it. That you've discussed it at length and he likes it, that's key. Laughing at the lemon pledge (Roger). Well done dude.
Great video! I had a trek 800 that was a 1992 model. I used it as my winter commuter bike for three years and it was awesome! I got it for free and didn't have to do anything but put new tubes in it. It had the original tires and was in perfect condition.
Do the work yourself and save $$$ I replaced everything on a bianchi road bike. The only thing I had a bike shop do was replace the bottom bracket because I didn’t want to buy 2 tools. Old bottom bracket was different than the new one.
I started casually practicing bicycle maintenance on summer vacation and ended up swapping and fixing a lot of parts of my over decade old hybrid bicycle. It's so old that its parts are really cheap and it's also mainstream enough that they're commonly found in stores. Browsing one of the bicycle stores near me I found that this bicycle with a similar level of feature set is around 1500 euros to buy new for some reason even though this thing was only 699€ in 2013 brand new. Only part I had to get done at a local bicycle store was the bottom bracket because it was completely stuck and I couldn't get it off even with the tool and leverage using my whole body weight. Now it's a joy to ride and last month I put over 200 kilometers in just commuting on it.
Clarification: It’s cheaper to go to the store and buy something new than to *pay someone else* to fix the old one. If you do it yourself it's way cheaper to fix the old one.
It's cheaper to buy new in the UK because we're not paying what it costs a local to pay their landlord's rent. Everyone who isn't a landlord or who isn't aspiring to be one knows what the reason is that everything's died.
LOL - sarcastic, know-it-all mechanics are the best. I love how he goes right for the peanut gallery while filming - hilarious! Used to work in a shop with mechanics just like this - they had their own funny sayings for everything, too.
My “gravel bike” is a hand-me- down Trek 6500, Aluminum hard tail with elastomer front shock. It JUST worked well on some dirt trails and is nice on terrible roads where I moved. Running 1.7 inch tires with light tred…worked out well on the trails today. Glad I grabbed it a few years ago when someone didn’t want it. I do my own work.
I refurbed my 20 year old Rockhopper last year. New cushy wide fast rolling tyres, light weight cassette, chain, upgraded wheels, brakes, grips and pedals… Basically all the parts that would/should have been replaced over the years anyway ( I did change the chain & tyres once years ago). Yes it was slightly costly, but it’s a fantastic bike now, even better than new. I did it because I love my old bike, but it has also worked out less than it would have to buy an equivalent modern hardtail mtb/atb, so a win win situation really.
I just found your channel and I love it. Being born in the late 70's and growing up working on bikes almost my entire life I can relate to a lot of what you talk about in your video's .
My philosphy: If you like mechanical projects then the cost of refurbishing/repairing a bike to this extent is just the cost of a fun project. If you don't like mechanical projects but have sentimental value with the bike, then that's the cost of maintaining a memory. Without either of those, then it's better to get a new-to-you bike of the same cost and let the mechanic sort it out from the parts bin during the winter.
those giant wheels you use are pretty nice, I like the tread pattern and now the bike looks like new. great looking bike, perfect around town comfortable ride. great video once again!
2020 I put $800 with heavy custom wheels, Brooks seat, BB7 brakes and right levers , wide ebike tires, better racks, and 180mm rotors on a Kona Splice hybrid that was $700 in 2014 when I bought it. For me it was worth it as it is my daily rider/commuter/utility for a bigger meat sack. Ugly blue alloy tractor on 700c 47mm tires but gawd is it smooth 3x8 that just eats up the hills and streets around me town A frame out build of a 94 Trek 940 for a family member and it is her daily rider. The Trek was $100 on FB and has $400 in new and parts bin. The bike fits her and made her a daily bike rider. Love the channel and retired industrial mechanic don't always agree on all the mechanics BUT meh, heh...your stuff rolls and rides down the street. I am still learning new stuff every episode.
if a tube holds air its good, no reason to replace tubes, i told the customer imma change his tubes and use his old one on another bike... lol you gave me newfound appreciation for bikes with you little talk sharing your view on how amazing they are
I absolutely get where the customer is coming from, and am guilty of the same emotional decision. I have a Saracen Element 3 from around the year 2000 which benefited from new wheels, tyres, upgraded air-fork, 1x10 drivetrain conversion, cable disc-brakes to hydraulic disc-brakes, etc... Went to town and replaced the bottom bracket and pedals too! We are too quick to throw things away...
Gratified to hear you say you'd put bars with some rise and sweep. 10 or 12 years ago I bought a typical flat bar single chainring MTB turned utility-commuter, rode it 20-35 miles a day, and just couldn't make the flat bar work for me. I put more upright bars on it, which changed how I sat, so it needed a slightly wider seat. Well, now I had a comfort bike with slightly above average components, which annoyed me, because I'd gone out of my way to get something "better" than a comfort bike. 😂
Haha... 'One Potato' rant :) Yeah, the bicycle is amazing. I've got over 10 carbon bikes in my house (which you're always putting sh*t on, laugh). Nice shiny blue bike.
I save and reuse tons of things (other than bikes) to avoid waist and keep them our of the dump. The "not going to the dump" factor alone often makes it well worth it to me.
I have an old entry level Trek bicycle that I bought back when I started a very rigorous grad school program. That 33 mile ride I took every Saturday morning was so essential to surviving the coming week that, to this day, I still maintain and ride that bike. I have another newer CF bike for recreation, but I use the Trek for bike travel. My LBS has finally accepted that I’m gonna keep my Trek forever.
10 bucks for a dork disc install when you already had to remove the cassette to put on the new wheel. Freebie in my book, for a spoke guard *but not to be negative, I think it’s awesome that you’re sharing knowledge and you make good videos. Cheers
Like trekker said, those spoke protectors are $$$. I’m fairly certain they are not available in bulk, or at least none of my suppliers have them, so whatever they cost on Amazon is what most shops are probably paying for them.
This is WORTH IT!! I liked and subbed early on into this video. Hell, I had no idea who this guy was. Glad I did! Man, I used to make RUclips vids and I can't imagine the editing and wrenching etc. Well done bike farmer! BEHOLD! The Bike Farmer!
Well, been with you since you had 1000 subs, look where you are now, good things sell themselves they say;). Still love the way you make your videos and enjoy your comments. Keep it up!
Recently bought that tire from a Giant Shop and they asked wanted a new tube. I answered no thanks and he had a funny face. Replaced the tire using perfectly okay tube. Works great. Your funny and enjoying your site. Keep up the good work.
Have a 95' Mongoose ATB That had those cranks. Bike shop said it would cost me $ as Shimano did not pay enough for the swap. Cranks would of been Tourney a down grade. I told the guy to F off Ill do it myself with a FC-M361 crank
@@bigtrucklittlerv7969Your bike shop is talking crap. Stop dealing with them, and contact Shimano Customer Service/Service Centre directly. You won't have to pay to have your cranks swapped - Shimano will pay the shop directly and cover that 15-minute job that requires no extra parts or materials. Tourney cranks aren't a downgrade (except in name), because the modern Tourney cranks are more than a match for old Altus cranks. They are both riveted steel rings, and I expect the newer four-arm Tourneys to be lighter. If they already knew me at that shop, I would never go back, after that response and misinformation.
I feel like I could have fixed this for about £30. Pads are like £1 off ebay, tyres about £10 for a cheap pair, inner tubes another £2 each and a second hand wheel for about £5. 400USD (About £330) is crazy for such a piece of junk.
I have that same bike but it’s silver with black and yellow lettering. My dad bought it for me as a way for me to spend time together when he went on his daily 20 mile bike rides. He passed away 18 years ago and I still have my Trek 800. I ride it every chance I get.
In June (2024) was my bike's 30th birthday. I made him/her a birthday present: A new Shimaho XT group set and a new rear wheel for 1400 bucks. Now it's as good as new.
New Viewer here from WEST ALLIS....YEA!!! . Yes! I subscribed. Nostalgia.....hmmm. I used to be a US Cycling Cat 3 cyclist. So I get loving an old bikes. However, I tend to stay within 5 year of the newest bikes. I'm 55+ now. So NO I don't need "This Years Model" My Elvis Costello Album of the same title is as close as I get to that! I own a few Specialized models that are 2 to three years old now. I've had Treks and others and would much rather explore the two to three year ole models at this age. I suppose when I'm 70 I'll stop.....maybe. I'll have to check out your shop after the New Years. I look forward to getting something old or new, we'll see.....
What I see in this video is a happy customer. Looks like it was decently well-maintained as well? Glad that frame is not going into the landfill, as another viewer mentioned. And from experience, sometimes it is nice to have a slightly undersized bike!
$120 for a 26" basic rear wheel?!? Good grief! That shouldn't be more than $60-75. I'm not saying you're gouging folks - your cost for that wheel must be ridiculous. I can't believe what inflation and the supply-chain issues have done to the cost of bike parts.
We go about bike mechanics in a similar way. "It's good enough for who it's for" is a solid approach. I loved your subtle but not-so-subtle jabs at the bike snobs. However, toeing in the brakes helps with brake noise but it doesn't have to be a dramatic toe (i.e. don't have to eyeball it, you'll do too much every time). I use a zip tie and place it between the rim and the rear of the pad (I want the toe of the pad to be closest to the rim in the direction of travel; so towards the front of the bike). After I put the zip tie between the back end of the pad and the rim, I disengage the upper spring arm and also loosen the pad bolt. The pad should settle unevenly, but not by very much because the zip tie is between the back half of the pad and the rim. I then tighten the pad where it sets after I've lined it up with the rim (which I see you doing naturally). Most of the time this not only solves the noise problem but the braking efficiency improves greatly after you get equal engagement from both arms. I haven't tried roughing up the rims before, but I have roughed up pads when I get noise even though I toed the pads. Not trying to add to the noise, just trying to add some actually constructive comments.
120$ for basic 26 wheel? What? You can buy 29" dt swiss m1900 rear wheel for that money 😅 10$ for pice of plastic which everyone removes? Bruh.. what a wild scam...
It’s definitely not a scam. I’m literally so transparent I make videos about it and release it into the wild. Your comment is insulting. Watch something else.
Hey, I've got the same Trek 920 CroMo SingleTrack that my folks got me when I was 16 (mid-90's) and I will ALWAYS repair that bike no matter the cost. It will take the frame snapping in 1/2 for me to get rid of it. It's the best bike I've got for bombing through downtown hills, allies, and car traffic.
In 2005 had a man walk into the shop wanting his 15 year old bike repaired. It had sat for years and needed a lot of work. As I explained why the bike was not worth the investment and why he should just buy a new one I noticed he became very quiet and seemed to withdraw a bit.
After I finished he told me that this was his sons bike and he had many happy memories of riding with his son during his teen years. His son had just been killed in Afghanistan and he wanted to ride his sons bike.
He did get to ride his sons bike because we did our best refurb and somehow lost the invoice. Never saw him again but hope he is still riding that bike and found peace
Now, I totally get that...in fact, I prolly woulda done the labor for free knowing that story. Yes, that's a good reason to have a bike fixed up like this.
@@joearnold3594 I'm sure you searched high and low, but sometimes when an invoice is lost there's just nothing to be done 😏👍
Was that a rear cassette spacer or a cock ring ???
Breaks my heart.
@@outlaw7x77 they did do it for free. Lost the invoice.
Guy must really love this bike. If it's worth it to him, then it's worth it.
I agree. I have my Cannondale 35 years. It's in better shape than this Trek but it's a little small but i love it.
Sentimental value just can't be replaced. While I'm not like that (with bikes) I understand completely.
Yeah, some people lack the mental health which allows them to make reasonable decisions, but if they have the money and insist, well, so be it. Sentimental stuff has it's limits, but to each their own.
Some bikes just feel right.
Put him on a modern 29er , even an Ozark Trail from Walmart for 30 minutes and he'd want nothing to do with that old Trek.
I'm the local "bike guy" in our little farm town as the nearest LBS is 30 miles away and do it as a hobby, I don't "charge" but I let them tip me if they want. During the pandemic I had a woman bring me a well worn box store Schwinn cruiser and wanted it fixed up. I told her what it would cost which was several times the value of her bike. She told me that she had used it to deliver papers with her 2 girls in a trailer behind her to make extra income when her husband was out of work and that it had more than earned it's keep. She wanted to keep it going as a reminder of the tough times and how they had made it through. I didn't accept the tip.
I do something similar mostly for the foodora Guy's i bring cheap new parts and fix bikes on the balcony belonging to foodora i take 150 crowns an hour if its less than half an hour they pay slightly more than I bought the parts for which is cheap because I buy in bulk so its still cheaper than in the store a lot and if I change their derailleur or something ill ask if I can have the old one..fix it at home and sell it refurbished later..and im changing a lot of tires people needs studded tires here in the winter..the bike on the video ill fix it for about 40 dollars and would told him to just use the tire's until the ice comes
Please Don't. You just had me choked up. What a story from the lady! If I were you, i would even add something as a surprise/gift onto the bike so that more memory is added. 😊
You don't charge for costs and only get paid if they want to?
Yeah, no. Be yourself dude and have some self respect, you'll be much happier.
From an economical stand point, it's really up to the customer. And personally I'm glad it didn't just end up in the landfill, from an environmental view.
I pull those bikes out of a scrap metal yard, fix them up and can't get $80 for them ($CAN)
From what I’ve gathered from the bikefarmer lore to this point, If he traded it in for a new one, Andy would have fixed it up this trek anyway and sold it used as well or at least recycled what he could from it.
Yes there is a real environmental cost as well!! I recently brought 5 bikes to a shop for tune ups and parts to get them all running smoothly for guests at the lake. And I am so glad. Yes it cost 700$ for bikes that no one would probably buy, but now we have 5 extra bikes that avoid the landfill and all run really nice and are comfortable, and best of all, won't get stolen..
@@BeHappyByBikebikes are to use.. not prospect for value....
I fix my bike, because when I'm broken, my bike fixes me! ❤
Hell yeah brother!
Great comment. True words.
this.
That's beautifully said!
A bike is a simple machine we can still grasp the function of easily enough.
And also some of them seem to possess a soul.
Regarding putting a dirty cassette on a new wheel, while I am doing other stuff like installing the tires, I throw the cassette into the ultrasonic cleaner. Virtually zero extra labor on my part. I also do it when I have to replace a spoke; throw the cassette in while I true the wheel. Just a little extra value for my customers that at least in my mind sets my work apart.
Goodman Russ, 👍💪🤙 5 Star Customer Service There.
I agree 100%. The fact that any mechanic would not do that when they have the perfect opportunity to do so, the cassette is off the freakin' bike, speaks volumes about the mechanic and not in a good way. It would make me question everything else they do.
Am I the only one who thinks 400$ is way too much for this job. He has so many wheel lying around, I bet there is something like this in a good shape.
@@ethrrr yeah. I have piles of used 8sp 26” wheels lying around because this doesn’t happen all the fucking time. All the wheels you see are dead. You’re not the only one thinking it and you’re not the only one totally wrong about what you’re thinking.
We don’t have an ultrasonic but I’ll make sure to give the cassette a nice clean up. Customers notice things like that
I was taught by a friend to ask “is there sentimental value in the bike?” when checking in a bike like this.
You never know. It could have belonged to a loved one who passed, they could have a special attachment that is their motivation to ride, or some other reason.
I’ve had so many of these types of repairs, and this question at check in has been a great way to make a connection with the customer and the repair.
Love your content and reference it daily at the shop 😂
I'm highly sentimental. I bought a used 20 year old bike that's prob not worth much but I bet I'd probably wanna keep it around long term.
A lot of the time people haven't ridden a bike in over 15-20 years , but they still own their 20+ year old bike that's still in good condition such as this Trek . They want to get back into riding , but don't understand how much bikes have evolved , especially during the past 8 years or so as they think that a bike is just a bike.
I have a friend that owns a 1996 Stumpjumper that he purchased brand new , he rode it for about 10-12 years then had 3 kids so he lost interest. He decided to get back into MTBing this spring , he likely dumped $200 into the Stumpjumper to get it tuned up as he was too stubborn to get a modern bike even after me preaching to him.
Needless to say , after my 2nd bike ride with him he noticed that my modern bike with 29er wheels etc.. seemed to ride better than his and he asked if he could try it. 2 days later he bought a modern bike.
Surely no bike is a perfect design though, each has it's advantage points. @@manchesterexplorer8519
@@manchesterexplorer8519 Yeah. Or maybe he just understood that most of those modern "inventions" are just gimmicks degrading the overall bikes utility.
@rosomak8244 They're not gimmicks , modern geometry and larger rims drastically change ride quality. I own a top-spec 1992 Kona Hei Hei Titanium 26er mountain bike . As sweet as it is, the bike rides like a children's bike compared to a modern bike. I've been pedaling since 1980 as I've ridden plenty of old bikes.
My wife was like “what are you watching??” but I was captivated. I often spend more money to fix something than it costs to replace it with new mainly because I’m trying to keep it out of the landfill. Love this video, great value for the owner, money well spent!!
He's just repairing a bike, dude, the story is incidental.
Bikes get scrapped and the metal reused, they hardly "end up in a landfill"
I just like viewing tradespeople building and mending things.
My son is riding almost this same bike at school. His is a 950 from 1990. It was left in my college house in lieu of the owner's portion of the last electric bill. It's been painted three times, lives mostly outside, and has been through four sons and five universities without getting stolen. It's using parts from five or six other bikes, ebay, and a craigslist SRAM groupset that I was pretty excited to get for free. I didn't have time to get it back in shape before he had to go back to school so I took it to the local bike shop and the guy treated it like it was made of gold. Almost $200, but for some reason seeing that old thing working well made me weirdly happy.
A 950 from 1990 has triple-butted OX True Temper tubing, I believe. That is a much better frame than the one shown here.
Same with me. A young woman came in to my shop with a 40+ year old "sit up and beg" bike. She wanted a full tune up and it needed a LOT of work, including a new rear wheel. I explained all that was required and what it would cost. Much more than a new "town bike". She took the bike home and came back with her mom because her mom had questioned the cost of the service. I went through the same explanation. When asked what type of riding she wanted to do she told me that she was going off to college and was going to use it to ride around campus like her mum and her grandmother before her. I can't remember what brand it was but it a classic, roller brakes, Sturmey Archer 3sp etc (possibly Raleigh). I went on to say that given that it had such a rich history and that it would be a shame for it to get stolen or vandalized she should buy a new bike and restart the tradition and use her grandmother's bike for special occasion rides.
We sold her a new bike with all the accessories and serviced her classic for free. ALWAYS engage with the customer in a conversation about how much their bike means to them and why. You will hear wonderful stories about how important bikes are in people's lives.
What an amazing story! thank you!
Proof?
THIS! Bikes are so much more than just tools. They're prized, much-loved possessions with back stories and attached emotions.
This 71 year old lady really enjoyed watching this. 😊
are you horny rn?
Lol
@@WilliamBeaver-tb9nt what´s funny?
Derailleur adjustment is an art. You nailed it. Maybe if I watch more videos it will be easier to adjust.
can't blame the owner for wanting to tune up and keep his bike, thats one beatiful bike
I'm a HD Mechanic for a mining equipment company and my most-used tool is a Channellock Code Blue 8" adjustable wrench that is always in my back pocket...🤙
People who say that there is no need to use an adjustable wrench on a bicycle have never worked on a bicycle that needed an adjustable wrench.
i use mine waaaay too often tbh
Would rather strip a $2 nut or bolt than buy a one use $200 tool
Knipex plier wrenches are better than adjustable imo. Not cheap but much more efficient & useful.
@@matthewsherman8085 Would rather buy a 200$ torque wrench than destroy a seatpost, stem, groupset.
I understand what youre meaning but you probably wasted that money a 1000x in your life.
Now i own it, even if i only used it a dozen of time. Its there when i need and not more trouble to use it.
Or bought expensive carbon part.
Ride the bike you love, love the bike you ride. This guy loves the bike, respect.
It's always great to see older bikes get a lease on life, one of my favorite types of repairs to do personally. I repaired an old internal 3-speed bike from the 50's or 60's and it's still seeing use to this day.
I think I enjoyed the conversation more than the bike work (Which is what Im here for). This was a pleasant video to sit through. Being this transparent isnt something you see very often these days. Thank you for what you do! Subb'd
Two months ago I brought my 30 year old bike to a bike shop to update it. They said there are no spare parts for it anymore and that it was totally pointless to repair it. I would have to buy a new one.
Nonsens. I spent $ 700,- on tools and parts in online bike shops, it was all there. Top quality materials. And did everything myself. The frame was hand built to my specs, I have been cycling in 20+ foreign countries with it. Now, it is just like a perfect new bike! Good to ride another 30 years on it without any worries.
It wasn't hard to do it myself at all.
Thumbs up to your customer. There’s something to be said for keeping great simple machines, and the people that repair them going. I just finished refurbishing a 1970 Mercier with the dynamo and lights and riding it makes me feel like a kid again!
I'd pay a lot to get my first bike back. Dark orange Columbia, single speed from 1967. By far, the best Christmas present in my life.
My father bought me a 1995 Trek 830 for my first mountain bike when I was 12. Now at 41 I own 3 of them as they are excellent bikes to get around on. I have 1 hanging on the wall inside my home that I still take time to look at it when I walk by. I understand this guy's love for his bike, and nothing else can compare to it. My attachment to the 830's and nostalgia of my "no care in the world" teen years will not allow me to get rid of these. I have a few modern MTB bikes, but still find myself occasionally down biking my old mountain bike trails for the Feels...
nice!!!
I just had the local bike shop replace the headset on myTrek 830 last week. It was my father's before he passed away and has been a trusty commuter bike for me since. You don't shoot a good horse!
Those memories are priceless
I still have 820 that I bought in 93
I work at a shop and we do stuff like this all the time. Folks just really love THEIR bikes.
People complaining in your comments section…. Apparently, my brother has tuned into your channel. Bet he hasn’t ridden a bike since he was a kid many, many years ago. But he’s an expert on any topic like many of your other viewers.
New to cycling and new to your channel. You make the repairs look so easy, but hey, your the expert. You certainly know your stuff, and love, love your sarcasm.
Many of us develop personal relationships with our bikes. More so than other mechanical things.
We notice when things aren't right eith them. Feel grateful when they get us home safely...
Yeah close relationships with cars and motorbikes is also a thing, dude.
@@garymitchell5899, I wonder. It would be interesting to find out what makes someone attached to their vehicle.
I had no intentions of watching an hour long video of someone refreshing a 25 year old bike, but here I am. Love your channel, dude.
Thanks hey!
Great decision to fix up. Why not? You just saved a bike and no doubt made the customer very happy. When I spent £650 for a bike back in 1985 my dad went bonkers. Then he bought a caravan to see all the spots I hit in Derbyshire every weekend. The hours I spent carefully tuning it up and maintaining it was purely therapeutic. I did learn something new watching this, cheers, subscribed.
I bought a 1997 Trek 830 SHX a couple years ago from FB marketplace, had it recently serviced and new tires put on. I just put on new grips and pedals and I freaking love it. I'd much rather give new life to an older bike than buy new.
Plus you've got a vintage springy chromo steel whip now.
@@josepha8759 yup. The thing is a tank.
The Google algorithm brought me here because I was researching Trek 820 bikes. Thanks for the video!
My wife and I just bought bikes and I bought a Trek 820 that seems to be similar vintage as this; it may also be the same paint scheme. We each paid $200 for our bikes but I believe it was money well spent vs buying a Walmart or similar bike for the same amount. The shop put on a riser handle bar vs the flat and put on a cushioned seat for mine and everything was already set on my wife's. It is in decent shape body wise with some scuffs and nicks in the paint but not too bad. I know nothing about bikes and they are for us to do some riding around the neighborhood and local parks. We couldn't justify the cost of new bikes and I was very hesitant in buying a department store bike so used it was. My wife was concerned about used as I looked at another Trek for the same money and it really was beat up but hers is in better condition than mine so all is good!
I guess the person who wanted this fixed figured he/she knew the bike and whatever is on it may be better than something for $400 at a local store not including a used bike.
I didn’t read all the comments, but I wanted to suggest using a bit of baby powder on the rim tape in order to make it a bit easier to install those new tight tires on the rim. It always helps!
My son has a trek 800. Left the front wheel outside his car when he drove home. We sourced all the parts and got it sorted. These old treks are great. Funny thing is I ordered a 27 inch front wheel for his 26 inch bike. It works. Adjusting front break was fun.
That Trek 800 reminds me of the 820 I bought new at age 12. Cleaned out my bank account to do it. Great bike, great memories!
Yes, the repair was worth it!
I have an identical bike, also needing some love. Mine fits me perfectly. These old US made TREKs may not be worth much, but they are good solid bikes.
Looks like a cool bike, glad he fixed it and is still riding it
Honestly I learned new knowledge in this video. One thing I want on my next bike is hydraulic disk brakes. I have tweaked rim breaks for decades and done with it.
Thank you for sharing.
You may find hydraulic disk brakes require even more tweaking.
A 25yo Trek 800 isn't a terrible bike, and what is happening here is just overdue maintenance. I would say that if you cannot do this kind of basic maintenance yourself, if you have to pay a shop to do these very simple tasks, you are going to be better off investing that money in a new bike. All bikes need maintenance, and the more frequently you keep up with that maintenance, the cheaper and easier it will be.
I am currently riding a 32yo 1992 Trek 820, very similar to this bike. I paid $25 for it at a local charity shop 10 years ago, totally disassembled it, cleaned it, repainted it, and re-greased everything, then reassembled it with new tires, tubes, grips, and rear rack. This Summer, I installed new Continental tires and tubes ($65), a new Serfas saddle ($30), and new Ergon grips ($40). I also added a few small accesories like new Cat Eye lights front and rear, a new bottle cage, and a new handlebar bag. I'm thinking of buying a new threadless stem adapter and a longer, adjustable stem (about $40 total, I think). But, I did and do all the work myself. If I had to pay someone else, this bike would not have been worth maintaining.
It's a 30 yr old from 96'
I'm sorry, but not having the skills or not having the time are two very different reasons behind overdue maintenance. In MY humble opinion the only one who gets to say if it's worth it is the owner. No one else, period. If a bike mechanic (or a car mechanic for that matter) tells me otherwise, than there's usually something else going on, like wanting to make quick money on a second hand sale, or having too much work to do.
the paintwork is in amazing condition for its age and it looks great too so I can understand the rider wanting to keep the bike, particularly if there's a genuine connection to it. sometimes the value is higher than the price tag.
I’m 63 and love that they created a gear for me to ride the Ozark hills where I live! 😉
Gotta have low gears for our hills and hollers. Glade Top is the state's best kept secret.
I have a '94 Trek 8000 with like, converted to miles, 52.000 miles on it and it looks and rides like new. There is no way on earth that I will ever sell this bike. I would rather have to sell my house than my bike. The (special) memories, I will not go into details, that it has makes this one very special.
Life is made from memories for me and I can surely understand that customers feelings.
Couple years ago I rebuilt my trusty old Schwinn Voyager GSL hybrid with over $600 in parts with the help of bike expert friend. He tried to educate me during the process, but it was so much new info at once. This channel is at least the equivalent to a community college course, and with every video I feel more confident to do solo adjustments or repairs with a growing collection of bike-specific tools. It makes for a lot of fresh challenge and satisfaction after wrenching on cars for years.
My wife had a Trek 830 that was partially lugged. The feel of the frame was fantastic. If someone loves the bike and wants to spend some $$ to keep it rolling, good for them!
You did it right, advising the customer the cost will exceed its value, making the decision to proceed the customer’s. I’ve done a few memorable rebuilds on old (1970s) bikes. My favorite was an early 1970s Italian made Liotto Super road racer, which turned out perfectly. The one that definitely wasn’t worth the cost was a complete rebuild, including a new paint job, of a standard department store kid’s 20” bike. I told the customers, and they wanted the work done. So, I did very well for them.
Wether it’s worth it isn’t just a dollar figure.
Thank you for your service. I'm learning a lot from your videos. They have given me the confidence to start flipping bikes. Very little profit so far, but not losing money. My hope is that with knowledge and experience, things will get better. Maybe with a little luck, this will help fill my personal stable.
Wow ! 120 dollars for a wheel ! I thought things were cheaper in the US. That wheel would be about 50 quid in the UK.
That's an inexpensive wheel. Most are 200 plus.
Thanks for the straightforward reporting of what goes on in your mind while you are doing your work. Keep it up! Greetings from.Jeddah, Saudi.
Absolutely worth it since he tried others and couldn’t find anything to make him happy.
Its worth it.
DIYed nephews ole Trek 820 from early 90s repacked wheels headset. Bottom bracket needed replaced. Pedals Grips n saddle. Freewheel was gummed up. Cleaned up ..good for knocking around
I have to say, the labor in the US is very pricey.
In my country (Chile), for a bike like that and for 1/4 the amount of your labor you get a full disassembly, I mean full: wheel hub bearings, headset, bottom bracket, rear derailleur even pulleys and transmision. Cleaning, lub, assembly and adjust all.
I'm not trying to belittle your work, just different economies.
Just living in the US is expensive.
I still have my first specialized I bought as a teen and 15 years later its still going strong!!
Thanks for the content. Struggled with the brakes on my wife's trek 820 from 1990. Tried everything even the spray lube. Butchers wax finally fixed it! Like your customer she loves the bike and didn't want to upgrade.
So I keep it going.
Thanks again
I saw Howling Brakes in concert, live. Greatest harmoniica ever!
I bought a used Trek 620 made in USA. I didn't know that was Waterloo Wisconsin. It was at a bike shop some person had on consignment and finding it made my day. I upgraded with Ritchie, TRD, and a Brooks saddle parts and love this 18 speed with friction french derailleurs. Keeps me riding remembering younger days. Im 72 and still love riding bikes. Thanks for all the bike repair tips. My grandkids bikes have those type of brakes. I found them difficult to adjust.
There are two reasons to "optimize" everything on a bike: 1) You compete or make a living on the bike, or 2) It's your bike and your money, and you just want to. Two years ago I bought a vintage Motobecane for a decent price, spent too much to have it shipped, and then spent that much again -- and a lot of time -- to make it better than it was from the factory. I did all that to have the bike, appreciate its classic beauty, and ride it once in a while.
When you look at the price of a new bike of similar capability and quality, and the lack of QC they typically get, spending "more than the bike is worth" to make your old bike last another twenty or more years is often financially sound. If you're refurbishing a bike to sell, "good enough" is where you stop.
I have worked on my own bike since the first one that my parents bought me at an auction that had solid tires. Yet I just learned a lot from you. Nice video man.
Having repaired 100's (1,000's probably) of bikes of that era, 400$ is probably worth it as long as we can still get a chain and cassette for it. That you've discussed it at length and he likes it, that's key. Laughing at the lemon pledge (Roger). Well done dude.
Great video! I had a trek 800 that was a 1992 model. I used it as my winter commuter bike for three years and it was awesome! I got it for free and didn't have to do anything but put new tubes in it. It had the original tires and was in perfect condition.
This is the curse of our times, it’s cheaper to go to the store and buy something new than to fix the old one. It’s sad.
what?
new bikes cost more than cars now are you sure we live in the same decade?
Do the work yourself and save $$$ I replaced everything on a bianchi road bike. The only thing I had a bike shop do was replace the bottom bracket because I didn’t want to buy 2 tools. Old bottom bracket was different than the new one.
I started casually practicing bicycle maintenance on summer vacation and ended up swapping and fixing a lot of parts of my over decade old hybrid bicycle. It's so old that its parts are really cheap and it's also mainstream enough that they're commonly found in stores. Browsing one of the bicycle stores near me I found that this bicycle with a similar level of feature set is around 1500 euros to buy new for some reason even though this thing was only 699€ in 2013 brand new. Only part I had to get done at a local bicycle store was the bottom bracket because it was completely stuck and I couldn't get it off even with the tool and leverage using my whole body weight. Now it's a joy to ride and last month I put over 200 kilometers in just commuting on it.
Clarification: It’s cheaper to go to the store and buy something new than to *pay someone else* to fix the old one. If you do it yourself it's way cheaper to fix the old one.
It's cheaper to buy new in the UK because we're not paying what it costs a local to pay their landlord's rent. Everyone who isn't a landlord or who isn't aspiring to be one knows what the reason is that everything's died.
LOL - sarcastic, know-it-all mechanics are the best. I love how he goes right for the peanut gallery while filming - hilarious! Used to work in a shop with mechanics just like this - they had their own funny sayings for everything, too.
Love the videos, keep it up! I could watch these videos all day.
Old trek 800s are amazing, we love getting them at my local bike kitchen, since they turn into really reliable commuters.
Love ya, man.
Put the guy’s old reflector back on the new rear wheel.
My “gravel bike” is a hand-me- down Trek 6500, Aluminum hard tail with elastomer front shock.
It JUST worked well on some dirt trails and is nice on terrible roads where I moved.
Running 1.7 inch tires with light tred…worked out well on the trails today.
Glad I grabbed it a few years ago when someone didn’t want it. I do my own work.
I refurbed my 20 year old Rockhopper last year. New cushy wide fast rolling tyres, light weight cassette, chain, upgraded wheels, brakes, grips and pedals… Basically all the parts that would/should have been replaced over the years anyway ( I did change the chain & tyres once years ago). Yes it was slightly costly, but it’s a fantastic bike now, even better than new. I did it because I love my old bike, but it has also worked out less than it would have to buy an equivalent modern hardtail mtb/atb, so a win win situation really.
I just found your channel and I love it. Being born in the late 70's and growing up working on bikes almost my entire life I can relate to a lot of what you talk about in your video's .
Thanks hey!
My philosphy: If you like mechanical projects then the cost of refurbishing/repairing a bike to this extent is just the cost of a fun project. If you don't like mechanical projects but have sentimental value with the bike, then that's the cost of maintaining a memory. Without either of those, then it's better to get a new-to-you bike of the same cost and let the mechanic sort it out from the parts bin during the winter.
those giant wheels you use are pretty nice, I like the tread pattern and now the bike looks like new. great looking bike, perfect around town comfortable ride. great video once again!
2020 I put $800 with heavy custom wheels, Brooks seat, BB7 brakes and right levers , wide ebike tires, better racks, and 180mm rotors on a Kona Splice hybrid that was $700 in 2014 when I bought it. For me it was worth it as it is my daily rider/commuter/utility for a bigger meat sack. Ugly blue alloy tractor on 700c 47mm tires but gawd is it smooth 3x8 that just eats up the hills and streets around me town A frame out build of a 94 Trek 940 for a family member and it is her daily rider. The Trek was $100 on FB and has $400 in new and parts bin. The bike fits her and made her a daily bike rider. Love the channel and retired industrial mechanic don't always agree on all the mechanics BUT meh, heh...your stuff rolls and rides down the street. I am still learning new stuff every episode.
nice!!
I just took my 15 yr old 29" Iron horse and turned it into a single speed after exploding my gears. Love it.
All this bike really needed was straightening of the wheels, grips, and tightening of some bolts and adjustments.
Guy turned a $60 job into a $400 job.
@@MrEcted He didn't even regrease the headset or any other stuff that would likely love to have it...
@@MrEctedGotta make that cash somehow. Def should have tried fixing the wheels
if a tube holds air its good, no reason to replace tubes, i told the customer imma change his tubes and use his old one on another bike... lol
you gave me newfound appreciation for bikes with you little talk sharing your view on how amazing they are
I absolutely get where the customer is coming from, and am guilty of the same emotional decision.
I have a Saracen Element 3 from around the year 2000 which benefited from new wheels, tyres, upgraded air-fork, 1x10 drivetrain conversion, cable disc-brakes to hydraulic disc-brakes, etc... Went to town and replaced the bottom bracket and pedals too!
We are too quick to throw things away...
Gratified to hear you say you'd put bars with some rise and sweep. 10 or 12 years ago I bought a typical flat bar single chainring MTB turned utility-commuter, rode it 20-35 miles a day, and just couldn't make the flat bar work for me. I put more upright bars on it, which changed how I sat, so it needed a slightly wider seat. Well, now I had a comfort bike with slightly above average components, which annoyed me, because I'd gone out of my way to get something "better" than a comfort bike. 😂
Haha... 'One Potato' rant :) Yeah, the bicycle is amazing. I've got over 10 carbon bikes in my house (which you're always putting sh*t on, laugh). Nice shiny blue bike.
I save and reuse tons of things (other than bikes) to avoid waist and keep them our of the dump. The "not going to the dump" factor alone often makes it well worth it to me.
Well 400.00 for a full treatment is a deal compared to the exact model new for 2500.00
I have an old entry level Trek bicycle that I bought back when I started a very rigorous grad school program. That 33 mile ride I took every Saturday morning was so essential to surviving the coming week that, to this day, I still maintain and ride that bike. I have another newer CF bike for recreation, but I use the Trek for bike travel. My LBS has finally accepted that I’m gonna keep my Trek forever.
10 bucks for a dork disc install when you already had to remove the cassette to put on the new wheel. Freebie in my book, for a spoke guard
*but not to be negative, I think it’s awesome that you’re sharing knowledge and you make good videos. Cheers
The spoke protector itself costs $10; he is not charging extra labor to install it.
Like trekker said, those spoke protectors are $$$. I’m fairly certain they are not available in bulk, or at least none of my suppliers have them, so whatever they cost on Amazon is what most shops are probably paying for them.
damn, cd´s got expensive these days ;D
Great attitude, bet it really keeps customers coming back.
As someone who has dumped $1200 into a Trek 750, I get it.
This is WORTH IT!! I liked and subbed early on into this video. Hell, I had no idea who this guy was. Glad I did!
Man, I used to make RUclips vids and I can't imagine the editing and wrenching etc. Well done bike farmer!
BEHOLD! The Bike Farmer!
Skip the plastic and save the customer $10. A chain can fry a wheel, but those 14g steel spokes can handle a chain slips.
I Loved my Trek 820 I earned as a kid in Scouting!!! Loved it! The frame was Great and I would STILL Love to have it today!!
Of all the things I fix on bikes, i find v-brakes the most fiddly+frustrating time suck...truly a "technology" I am glad to avoid!
Canti brakes >
Well, been with you since you had 1000 subs, look where you are now, good things sell themselves they say;). Still love the way you make your videos and enjoy your comments. Keep it up!
OG!
OPE! dropped a comment.
Love the content. ☺️
Recently bought that tire from a Giant Shop and they asked wanted a new tube. I answered no thanks and he had a funny face. Replaced the tire using perfectly okay tube. Works great. Your funny and enjoying your site. Keep up the good work.
Altus CT90 crank is a recall item.
Have a 95' Mongoose ATB That had those cranks. Bike shop said it would cost me $ as Shimano did not pay enough for the swap. Cranks would of been Tourney a down grade. I told the guy to F off Ill do it myself with a FC-M361 crank
@@bigtrucklittlerv7969Your bike shop is talking crap. Stop dealing with them, and contact Shimano Customer Service/Service Centre directly.
You won't have to pay to have your cranks swapped - Shimano will pay the shop directly and cover that 15-minute job that requires no extra parts or materials.
Tourney cranks aren't a downgrade (except in name), because the modern Tourney cranks are more than a match for old Altus cranks.
They are both riveted steel rings, and I expect the newer four-arm Tourneys to be lighter.
If they already knew me at that shop, I would never go back, after that response and misinformation.
Thanks for the reminder that you are right and we the watchers are not. Once again fantastic bike renewal and your equally enthusiastic commentary. 🇦🇺
I feel like I could have fixed this for about £30.
Pads are like £1 off ebay, tyres about £10 for a cheap pair, inner tubes another £2 each and a second hand wheel for about £5. 400USD (About £330) is crazy for such a piece of junk.
But you weren't paying the bill. You saying it is a piece of is just your opinion.
This repair would not be less than $1000 around here.
I have that same bike but it’s silver with black and yellow lettering. My dad bought it for me as a way for me to spend time together when he went on his daily 20 mile bike rides. He passed away 18 years ago and I still have my Trek 800. I ride it every chance I get.
In June (2024) was my bike's 30th birthday. I made him/her a birthday present: A new Shimaho XT group set and a new rear wheel for 1400 bucks. Now it's as good as new.
New Viewer here from WEST ALLIS....YEA!!! . Yes! I subscribed. Nostalgia.....hmmm. I used to be a US Cycling Cat 3 cyclist. So I get loving an old bikes. However, I tend to stay within 5 year of the newest bikes. I'm 55+ now. So NO I don't need "This Years Model" My Elvis Costello Album of the same title is as close as I get to that!
I own a few Specialized models that are 2 to three years old now. I've had Treks and others and would much rather explore the two to three year ole models at this age. I suppose when I'm 70 I'll stop.....maybe. I'll have to check out your shop after the New Years. I look forward to getting something old or new, we'll see.....
Thanks!
Thanks hey!!
What I see in this video is a happy customer. Looks like it was decently well-maintained as well? Glad that frame is not going into the landfill, as another viewer mentioned.
And from experience, sometimes it is nice to have a slightly undersized bike!
$120 for a 26" basic rear wheel?!? Good grief! That shouldn't be more than $60-75. I'm not saying you're gouging folks - your cost for that wheel must be ridiculous. I can't believe what inflation and the supply-chain issues have done to the cost of bike parts.
We go about bike mechanics in a similar way. "It's good enough for who it's for" is a solid approach. I loved your subtle but not-so-subtle jabs at the bike snobs. However, toeing in the brakes helps with brake noise but it doesn't have to be a dramatic toe (i.e. don't have to eyeball it, you'll do too much every time). I use a zip tie and place it between the rim and the rear of the pad (I want the toe of the pad to be closest to the rim in the direction of travel; so towards the front of the bike). After I put the zip tie between the back end of the pad and the rim, I disengage the upper spring arm and also loosen the pad bolt. The pad should settle unevenly, but not by very much because the zip tie is between the back half of the pad and the rim. I then tighten the pad where it sets after I've lined it up with the rim (which I see you doing naturally). Most of the time this not only solves the noise problem but the braking efficiency improves greatly after you get equal engagement from both arms. I haven't tried roughing up the rims before, but I have roughed up pads when I get noise even though I toed the pads.
Not trying to add to the noise, just trying to add some actually constructive comments.
120$ for basic 26 wheel? What?
You can buy 29" dt swiss m1900 rear wheel for that money 😅
10$ for pice of plastic which everyone removes?
Bruh.. what a wild scam...
It’s definitely not a scam. I’m literally so transparent I make videos about it and release it into the wild. Your comment is insulting. Watch something else.
Hey, I've got the same Trek 920 CroMo SingleTrack that my folks got me when I was 16 (mid-90's) and I will ALWAYS repair that bike no matter the cost. It will take the frame snapping in 1/2 for me to get rid of it. It's the best bike I've got for bombing through downtown hills, allies, and car traffic.
the best bike in the world is your bike, no matter how old it is.