Repair limit for a Department Store Bike
by Steve ~ August 13th, 2007. Filed under: Maintenance & Repairs.How much is it worth investing in keeping a cheap, department store bike running? How much is too much? This is not a rhetorical question, or simply idle speculation. The Canadian Tire SuperCycle SC1800 cost $99 new. In its first 1700 Km (1050 miles) the BOD has undergone a number of repairs, most recently the replacement of its rear wheel, freewheel, two brand new Specialized flak jacket tires, and the replacement of the bottom bracket with a sealed cartridge unit. In total, I’ve invested about $140 in the bike. Within the next few months I expect to have to replace the chain, perhaps the front wheel. Is this too much? Is it worth it?The other question I need to ask is, after all these repairs, is The Bike of Doom still The Bike of Doom? Add in the cost of the repairs so far, and it’s a $240 bike, a far different machine than the $99 bike I bought. For that same $240, I could have bought a low-end, season-ending special from a Local Bike Shop that would have performed much better than the Bike of Doom and required far fewer repairs.
After all these repairs, is The Bike of Doom
still The Bike of Doom?
The reason I’m asking these questions is to decide whether or not it’s worth continuing to test The Bike of Doom. In many respects, I have already tested it to failure. I think most normal bicycle consumers, under these circumstances, would have dumped the Bike of Doom some time ago, realizing that throwing good money after bad is not a wise decision. On the other hand, I’m learning a lot about bicycle repair by keeping the Bike of Doom on the road. Now, with its recent repairs and upgrades, it runs better than it ever has before… it’s definitely a bike worth riding, at least for commuting. As well, despite its extensive repair record, it still looks like a cheap piece of crap, and nobody would likely want to swipe it, a point seriously in favour of keeping it on the road.
I think the Bike of Doom is still the Bike of Doom. Although $140 in repairs seems a lot when you consider the cost of the bike, that number is low compared to the cost of repairs I’ve put into my good bikes every year. So, I’m going to keep riding The Bike of Doom. The experiment is still on, and the conclusions are still up in the air.
- Can a cheapo department store bike be used successfully for commuting?
- How long will it last and what kind of repairs will be necessary to keep it running?
- In the end, is the investment of time and money in a cheap bike worth it?
- Would it have been wiser (and perhaps cheaper) to purchase a low-end bike from a Local Bike Shop as a commuter?
I don’t know the answers yet… at least all of them. I think I’ll have a better idea in March, a full year after putting the BOD on the road. I think I should give the bike at least that long. Spending money to keep the bike running is part of the experiment. I really do want to know how much it will cost (in blood, sweat, frustration, and dollars) to keep this bike on the road.
Besides, it’s fun to ride the beast. Please, don’t gag. I don’t mean fun in the same way that it’s fun to ride an efficient, high quality bike… I did 100 Km on my Jamis Coda yesterday in the annual Muddy Waters 100 group ride, and spent the entire time marveling at the simplicity and efficiency of the bike. No, it’s a different kind of fun altogether riding the Bike of Doom. There’s a special kind of pleasure in taking a cheap bike to its limits, in making a useless piece of machinery useful.
It may take a twisted individual to actually appreciate that kind of fun. What can I say? I never claimed to be normal.
Riding the Bike of Doom is definitely not for the timid or faint of heart.
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Read my lips: don’t buy a crappy bike!
August 13th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Several years ago, I needed a basic sport utility bike and couldn’t afford what I really wanted. Opted to buy a low-end late-season sale bike shop special ($300 US). Picked a good solid frame with cheap components. STarted replacing components after several hundred miles. Later replaced cheap wheels with decent heavy-duty wheels. Now I’ve got a solid utility bike. Given, I’ve spent a few times the cost of the original bike in upgrades, but the result has been a really good reliable bike.
August 13th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
I think you have an interesting project going. The rule of thumb in my business - aircraft electronics repair - is that a repair that costs more than half the price of a replacement unit warrants putting it on the scrap pile. This is a good rule for older bikes as well, because replacing expensive drivetrain parts can easily exceed half the cost of a new bike, just as you’ve discovered with the Bike of Doom. Someone with little mechanical ability would have scrapped it already. But if you’re willing to stick it out, riding the BOD until next spring and keeping track of the maintenance and costs will give an excellent idea of the true cost of a cheap bike. In other words, if someone wants to keep using a bike like this, they find it really isn’t cheap in the long run.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
[...] Repair limit for a Department Store Bike [...]
August 13th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Anne, I think that’s probably a sound approach, given that you’ve got a good frame with a comfortable geometry. In the case of the SuperCycle SC1800, however, I’ve read reports of frames breaking due to rust damage on the headset, near the seatpost, bottom bracket, or other places water can gather.
August 13th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Ed, I wish I’d heard of your rule of thumb before starting this project. I think you are correct in your comments about the expense of a cheap bike. A department store bike might be fine for somebody who already cycles and who is looking for a utilitarian bike, but they are not the way to discover cycling or experience its fun.
August 19th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I have so far invested $95 on my $99 Supercycle. Even if this bike has caused me aggravation
over the last few months… I have still become attached to it. Kinda of pround of what it has achieved… what I have achieved. I will be purchasing a better bike next year… but will keep this one… to kick around once in a while.
August 20th, 2007 at 1:50 am
Urbain… Aggravation is an integral part of the experience of owning and riding an SC1800, apparently. I saw on your blog that you’d put in 1,600 Km this year, including a four day trip, all of which is quite amazing. Getting a good bike from a local bike store will dramatically increase your enjoyment of cycling and probably increase the number of Km you ride. Your plan of keeping the SC1800 as a kick-around beater is practical. I’ve also become attached to mine and, although it does not even come close to delivering the cycling experience that a good bike can, it gives me a certain amount of freedom that I don’t want to give up.
August 27th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
For what it’s worth, I purchased my 105 level road bike for just over $600 on sale, could find a similar one on ebay for even less; and I’ve put over 4,000 miles on it commuting over rough pavement/gravel, rain and shine, and I’ve only replaced the tires and tubes for a grand total of around 50 bucks.
August 27th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Logan, that’s the kind of repair record I would hope for from a reasonably good bike. I have put similar mileage on my Jamis Coda, which probably cost the equivalent of your bike in US dollars, and have experienced a similar repair record. However, I wouldn’t risk taking it to work and parking it downtown. I’d never see the damned thing again, no matter what kind of lock I used.