….. on using & abusing or wrapping your shiny bike in cotton wool (hypothetically speaking of course)?

use and abuse , no ‘copter tape on my bikes

depends. my mtbs get ridden in all conditions

My good road bike otoh only comes out in the dry.

c) Use but don’t abuse. Take good mechanical care of it, take a bit of care about where you lean it and how you car rack it, and ride it hard.

Some bits of protection on mine. I’ve seen alloy frames worn through with cable rub and my heels-in riding position always demands some chainstay protection. Other than that, they get well used.

All used with no respect at all, like a hammer to drive in nails.

When not in use, cleaned, preened, buffed, stripped, tuned, stroked and fully respected.

Ride it….it ain’t a chuffin handbag.

i’m not precious about my bikes, but i do try and keep on top of maintenance.

geared bikes get cleaned when they come back in – having said that i found the drive train from my 29er covered in dirt – must have been there since may 😳

I am not precious about them but I do maintain my bikes well

Couldnt really care less, dont mind them getting destroyed. But I do like my bikes to work properly so I do maintain them.

c) Use but don’t abuse

^ This

Use and not be scared to abuse if situation dictates, however I’ve spent a lot of money on it so I’m in no hurry to wreck it.

Well used but maintained enough to not fall apart all the time. I always buy used frames so they tend to be a bit scratched up already.

c) Use but don’t abuse. Take good mechanical care of it, take a bit of care about where you lean it and how you car rack it, and ride it hard.

+1

I put clear on the rub areas why knacker up a pefectly good frame, cables and grime can cut deep into the alloy in only a few rides.
If you spend a grand or more it makes sense to protect it , the rest of the frame just gets left to the elements, and always a chainstay,lizard skin or the like,if anything to shut up the noise of the chain slowly grind its way through 😀

i ride my bikes not into keeping them shiny and scratch free 🙂

Use it hard. Ideally crash it first ride out and get a decent scratch or dent in it – I did with my current bike. A nice little dink in the chain stay after going over the bars coming down Wansfel Pike

Clean it look after it but above all use it as it was intended.

look after it and ride the f*** out of it then get a new one

bit of both 😉

Bit of both. I look after my bike the same way I look after any other expensive tool, I don’t drop it on the floor or kick it about but I know it’ll sometimes be in harm’s way when it’s used as intended.

The more paint nicks means you have taken it to all the places you should be.
Although, I will ride for 2 hours and spend an hour and some change cleaning it afterwards. Depending on the mud.

Scratches are like scars, they tell a story and add character

Built it to be ridden! Wash it and maintain it regular look after it
mechanically. Battle scars are there to show the adventure you’ve had.

WET – Ride it, wash it, oil it…
DRY – Ride it, check it, maybe oil it…

Repeat over and over again.

I’m not precious, but…

Where have we heard that introductory structure before? 🙂

C here as well.

c) Use but don’t abuse. Take good mechanical care of it, take a bit of care about where i lean it and how i car rack it, and ride it hard like the mincing coward that i am.

I treat my bikes like I treat my women!

When I’m not riding them I keep them chained up in the cellar, every now and then I take them out, lube them up and have a fiddle around with my little tool.

This morning I am finding myself indecisive about my lunchtime time limited-ride. It comes down to:

a) Use the feeling-hard-to-ride-knackered-not-everything-is-working-properly hardtail

or

b) Using the shiny FS and not having time to clean it

:-/

Mountain Bike:

Use & abuse… but show the love after each ride 😀

Road Bike:

I just use & abuse… little bit of love now and then.

Oddly I never applied bike tape tape when the bike came new ….. But covered the thing in it months later after it was chipped and scratched to shit!!

I’ve often regretted not putting a bit of tape on a bike a few weeks after buying when it’s covered in rub marks. I’ll try and remember next time. I’d rather not scratch them, but if it happens it happens. I ride all of them in all conditions, and am no stranger to the jet wash.

I carefully taped the last frame I built up, spent ages making sure it was all nicely defended against cable rub and the like. I then promptly went out, dropped it on some rocks, and got horrendous mud-related chainsuck. The top tube and chainstay are properly scraped up now, ah well… 🙄

I grind my commuter into the ground. God knows what’s in the rear hub, but it isn’t bearings anymore.

I’m quite particular about my road bike though.

LIke to get muddy and like to clean em after.

a) Use the feeling-hard-to-ride-knackered-not-everything-is-working-properly hardtail

or

b) Using the shiny FS and not having time to clean it

Why not get your wrench-head on (Kryton, geddit) and sort out the HT…?

As for mollycoddling a bike, especially one you intend to race and use to take part in events, I’d be inclined to get as much riding time on the machine as possible so as to allow you to become at one with the beast, young padowan…

I hate it when my bike is clean. It spoils my ride because I try to keep it clean, so avoid puddles and bits I know will be muddy.

I’m in a real quandry now – I’ve just had the frame powdercoated (well I’m off for a few weeks with a separated shoulder) and I’m cleaning up a few other parts too so first time back will be a real mince.

Making a mental not to ever buy anything in the Classifieds from the “well hard” contributers to this tread…

Heli tape. Good maintenance. Then rag the cr.p out of it.

ride it like i’ve nicked it , but clean and maintain properly