Up until July last year I was getting sick of paying (yet again) more massive maintenance bills. So from then onwards I started recording them. When I added it up it turned out that I seem to be paying even more than I expected.
From July to December I paid a total of £686 in maintenance costs. £686 for a 5 month period. This period seemed nothing unusual. That's £137 per month to keep a bike maintained. It did 1680 miles in that period.
It didn't even perform very reliably, failing twice in that period ( causing a wasted round car trip twice and a struggle to get back with a broken bike - a taxi ordered in one case!) so this wasn't even really enough to keep on top of things.
At that rate I reckon it is £1644 for the maintenance of that bike per year assuming that average maintenance cost is the average.
The start of 2017 has been even worse.
The bike is a Specialized Camber Evo 2015 and it doesn't even have a dropper post.
I can buy a much better bike than that for less than £1644 (the estimated maintenance costs for the year) what with discounts on previous years models, cycle to work scheme, etc.
I get repairs done by a local mechanic where labour is far, far cheaper than a bike shop.
Is it worth continuing to maintain this bike or sell it? (though I'd get very little for it, as it currently requires approx £300 worth of repairs to get it in 'good mechanical condition' according to the local mechanic.
That's bonkers. What the hell is it getting spent on?
How can the bike need £300 of repairs when you've spent so much on it already?
Do you do any maintenance yourself?
The £300 estimate including new pivot bearings, multiple repairs to the braking system, new rear wheel required, new rear mech all immediately while a new chain & new bottom bracket bearing are due to need replacing soon). Also the rear shock needs a service as it hasn't been done for a while and the fork needs new bushings.
I never do any big repairs myself (only small maintenance tasks like changing pads, chains etc) as I don't have time , I'd much rather be riding than stuck in the garage
Hmm whats going wrong with it, is it being fixed properly and are you using cheap/rubbish parts?
An XT Groupset with brakes is less than your July to December spends so what is going wrong.
'good mechanical condition' according to the local mechanic - including new pivots, multiple repairs to the braking system, new rear wheel, new rear mech all immediately while a new chain & new bottom bracket bearing are due to need replacing soon
Whats wrong with the bakes? Unless you have smashed them are they covered by warranty?
Do you replace chains often enough to avoid trashing the entire drivetrain?
What the hell did you do to the rear wheel and mech?
Singlespeed hardtail FTW!!
Rigid if you think you can take it.
Crazy amount you're spending!
Whats wrong with the bakes?
Are they Shimano??
It's not difficult to learn how to do basic maintenance yourself. Plenty instructional videos on youtube and articles on the biking websites. A lot of the manufacturers have downloadable material as well.
Once you have an idea something needs done, do some research on how to swap out parts, a basic set of tools to do run of the mill tasks won't set you back an awful lot. That will substantially cut back your costs.
I suspect someone is taking advantage of you if you are spending that much that frequently maintaining your bike. Perhaps if you share your location then nearby forum users can recommend somewhere else?
Are they Shimano??
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/content/seh-bike/en/home/news-and-info/warranty0.html
If they are they are covered by a 2 year warranty so before you get anything done check if they can be sent back.
I live in Hindley and the bike mechanic is 0.5 miles away. I've only just moved from Hag Fold so these repairs were mostly done by the mechanic in Hag Fold. But the new mechanic has similar sort of prices so far.
The brakes need repairs, they are Shimano Deores. I'm suffering from contaminated brakes, Apparently the Olive insert is leaking mineral oil all over the pads and discs. The mechanic says it needs a new olive insert, assume re-bleeding, a new rotor (as the contamination is so bad it's beyond cleaning - apparently) and definitely new pads.
Rear brake just needs new pads as far as I know.
I've just added it up again and July - December came to £751! I must have missed something last time.
1st July £52 new discs
7th July basic repairs £5
9th July new freehub body £30 + £25 fitting
31st July £11 new brake pads
1st Aug £31 attempt by mechanic to fix contaminated brakes including new pads
4th Aug £30 forks repairs
14th Aug £15 more forks repairs ciclip had come off
14th Aug £15 brake bleed
19th Sep £4 new spokes
26th Sep £55 replacement headset bearings and wheel trueing & re-nippling some of the corroded spoke nipples
26th Sep £15 new pads
28th Sep £80 full fork service got sick of having constant fork problems despite several repairs done by the Hag Fold mechanic so went to someone else (Rebound Suspension in Horwich) and the problems still came back very soon later (and just had it fixed again by local mechanic for £52 a couple of weeks ago but tha'ts another story altogether).
14th Oct £220 replaced entire drive train and replace bottom bracket
17th Oct another basic £17 repair not recorded what it was
17th Oct £36 new brake bleed kit & mineral oil, funnel - attempting to fix on-going brake problems myself
17th Oct 2x new brake calipers £50 plus new brake lever £20 in attempt to do repairs myself
3rd Nov 2x new tyres £40
Strangely no record of any repairs done for rest of November, December & January, IIRC I was just riding and putting up with the shit performance of the forks and brakes rather than throwing more money away trying to fix them.
Then in early this month I paid £72 for full fork service (had no choice, it had locked up completely), wheel & drive train repairs and got told the bike still needs another £300 spending on it to get it in good condition.
I could possibly get some money back by sending 2x Calipers and 1x Brake lever back to Shimano ?
But I doubt they'd refund me for all the contamination on the brake pads and rotors, and all the brake bleeding jobs that come with changing calipers/levers/olive inserts/, which each time it is done, it's either a shit job for me or £15 to the mechanic (I prefer the latter option)
Do you replace chains often enough to avoid trashing the entire drivetrain?
Yes I get 3x chains out of it until I replace the cassette and the chain ring. I estimate I'm doing well over 2000 miles until I have to get the lot replaced.
1st July £52 new discs
7th July basic repairs £5
9th July new freehub body £30 + £25 fitting
31st July £11 new brake pads
1st Aug £31 attempt by mechanic to fix contaminated brakes including new pads
4th Aug £30 forks repairs
[b]14th Aug £15 more forks repairs ciclip had come off[/b]
14th Aug £15 brake bleed
19th Sep £4 new spokes
26th Sep £55 replacement headset bearings and[b] wheel trueing & re-nippling some of the corroded spoke nipples[/b]
26th Sep £15 new pads
[b]28th Sep £80 full fork service got sick of having constant fork problems despite several repairs done by the Hag Fold mechanic so went to someone else (Rebound Suspension in Horwich) and the problems still came back very soon later (and just had it fixed again by local mechanic for £52 a couple of weeks ago but tha'ts another story altogether).[/b]14th Oct £220 replaced entire drive train and replace bottom bracket
17th Oct another basic £17 repair not recorded what it was
17th Oct £36 new brake bleed kit & mineral oil, funnel - attempting to fix on-going brake problems myself
[b]17th Oct 2x new brake calipers £50 plus new brake lever £20 in attempt to do repairs myself[/b]
3rd Nov 2x new tyres £40
Right the stuff in bold - if the circlip came off the froks 10 days after they were fixed you don't pay for that one.
Got to ask how did your spoke nipples get corroded? Get on top of cleaning!! (I had it once after a couple of race stages on a beach but thats been it and lesson learned)
Your fork issues - seem to be chucking cash at people who can't fix things there - again one of those that probably could have been fixed first time around.
You have new calipers and still have leaking hoses? Suggests they are not fitted properly
Whats trashed the drive train in 4 months?
Right the stuff in bold - if the circlip came off the froks 10 days after they were fixed you don't pay for that one.
Your fork issues - seem to be chucking cash at people who can't fix things there - again one of those that probably could have been fixed first time around.
Yes and the mechanic at Hag Fold kept charging for repeat problems which I felt was a rip off because it should have been fixed first time. But I didn't want to go to Rebound Suspension and pay their much higher prices plus the inevitable 4X trips in the car (1# Drop it off #2 Drive Home #3 Pick it up #4 Drive back home). Anyway I went to them in the end and got more issues earlier this month and the local mechanic at Hindley said that Rebound Suspension did an awful job and said the forks were missing a circlip. He claims now that he has fixed everything on the fork except the Bushings, which will require more money thrown at them if they are to be fixed.
Whats trashed the drive train in 4 months?
The cassete and chain ring is alright. The drive train only needs a new chain as the current one has done 880 miles and is getting near the 1% wear point on the chain checker tool.
The rear mech needs replacing because the current one is bent, not sure what's caused it but I suspect I was storing the bike in a way that was bad for it for those 4 months only. (this has now been addressed)
Got to ask how did your spoke nipples get corroded? Get on top of cleaning!! (I had it once after a couple of race stages on a beach but thats been it and lesson learned)
The wheels & nipples are still the original from May 2015 so is it not just usage that's caused it ?
The mechanic says its better to replace the wheel when the nipples get in that state.
Jeez... I bought a second hand Trance over a year ago. I've bled the brakes in that time. That's it. Of course, now I've mentioned this the bike will no doubt fall to pieces.
The wheels & nipples are still the original from May 2015 so is it not just usage that's caused it ?
I have 8-9 year old wheels in the spares that have had a solid life, current wheelset are over 2 years old and never had an issue. You can buy a decent wheel also, is he going to build them for you or just order one? If the rim and hub are decent you don't need a new wheel just a rebuild.
At this point I'd suggest going to the shop that sorted your fork.
The brake stuff sound like a right mess and should have either been diagnosed as a fault for warranty or with Shimano it's often cheaper to bin and replace.
I keep my bike in good working order, but this is so complicated on scratching my head at your bad luck. Cheap parts on my Reign have caused more maintenance than previous builds so there is value in buyingvdecent parts - however...corroded nipples? Are they alu? I use brass in my wheel builds and pretty much dont give a famn if they corrode a little. I replace stuff when it breaks - your mechanics seem to be replacing things like aircraft mechanics - replacing before predicted failure - that costs money.
"The mechanic says its better to replace the wheel when the nipples get in that state."
No way, get decent hubs like Hope or Kings and theyll last a lifetime. Then again my old man has a wheel truing stand.
Your bike mechanic is taking the piss.
Your bike mechanic is taking the piss.
This. You've spent waay more than mstomhoward and I have in the same period, and we have 11 bikes between us.
Who is suggesting that work needs doing, you or the mechanic?
Simple, learn to do it yourself or get a bike shop who are trustworthy.
The one you're using are taking the p in my opinion.
YOu need a better mechanic and a better maintenance routine. I get more than 2000 miles out of a single chain for example
The brakes need repairs, they are Shimano Deores. I'm suffering from contaminated brakes, Apparently the Olive insert is leaking mineral oil all over the pads and discs. The mechanic says it needs a new olive insert, assume re-bleeding, a new rotor (as the contamination is so bad it's beyond cleaning - apparently)
That's a new one. I've never had a rotor that can't simply be wiped off with some solvent.
Suspicious cat, etc...
I get more than 2000 miles out of a single chain for example
That's not a realistic expectation to be fair. I'm fastidious with cleaning, but 7-800 miles from a chain isn't unreasonable.
Spesh wheels are infamous for their shit alu nipples, but you don't need new wheels.
Mechanic is definitely taking the piss. You don't need new rotors. If the calliper joint is leaking it's because they fitted it wrong. You replaced the sliders to stop the leaking, for them to say the repair is causing the leaking is just a total piss take.
Find new bike shop. Buy new SLX brakes. Clean rotors.
Maybe post up on STW the next time you have a problem and start saving the pennies 🙂
Definitely shouldn't be spending that money...
Bike mechanics course. Treat yourself! And if you are spending out on labour, there is an argument to replace rather than repair.
Wow, just, wow. Your mechanic(s), are/have been, taking the pi$$ royally out of you. Its time to buy some decent tools, and get on YouTube...literally every job is on there. Ive been Mountain Biking since 1988...you've spent more on mechanics maintenance in a few months than I have in 29 years!! Oh yes, and NEVER pay full RRP, which no doubts your LBS is charging...get on Wiggle or Merlin where most parts are way cheaper and learn to sort things yourself.
Problems with brakes like that are ridiculous, you can buy a new deore brakeset for £80, so why would you pay so much to mend,
do you keep your bike well cleaned and oiled, and check bolts from time to time, that should save you a few quid..
A lot of my local guys charge time, and are quite happy for you to supply the parts.. no point paying double/triple the price
Granny, I live in goose green just down the road. PM me next time you need maintenance work/tutorial.
I charge 8 cans a day 😉
Holy ****! I haven't spent more than £300 total over 2 years and that includes a back end bearing replacement.
how long until this makes it to the STW facebook list of exciting posts 🙁
OP - are you an estate agent or banker?
Same as others above, some of those repairs and costs seem excessive compared to the parts and difficulty, others just seem inappropriate.
I'd also make another comment about accounting methods. You obviously do decent mileage to know how long chains last, etc., so that says you've had a bike for some time. You can't claim that it has cost you £137/mo if that estimate comes over a relatively short period, when the actual miles and months that led to that failure were before the period. eg: discs and freehub body. They might have lasted 2 years before needing doing, just because they needed doing in that 6mo period doesn't mean they 'failed' in 6mo.
Just making that point for two reasons; 1/ yes, stuff does wear out and it does have a habit of wearing out all at the same time. 2/ put some cash aside each month towards a maintenance bill - if it isn't needed, all good, if it costs a bit more you're still not having to suddenly find the total cost, or it might be the right amount.
Oh and 3/ get a HT singlespeed, and learn how to maintain your brakes. I treated mine to a new chain this year, £8, and it might need some new pads in a month or two depending how much it rains.
I've spent £69.99 maintaining my Anthem in 2 years, new chain, cassette and pack of 4 brake pads from disco brakes.
Go rigid. Use Deore. Spend on tyres.
x
About £50 last year on maintenance (new chain, some oil and new pads) but I save money by using my old pants for rags.
Maintenance is very easy, doesn't take much time and can be quite relaxing with some Radio 4 and a couple of beers (it's better than watching telly).
You've spent more on maintenance in 6months than my whole bike cost, and in the 2 years I've had it cost me £10 when I chewed the BB trying to remove it using cheap tools, so went to a mechanic. Once.
Get a less complicated bike if you can't maintain it yourself,a hardtail or SS, learn some spannering.
Get a new mechanic that isn't taking the piss.
Does seem you are being had. The only way you should be paying that much in 'maintenance' is if you use it like me as a blatant excuse for shiny new parts 😆
Hasn't then Camber Evo got a Reba on it? they're normally pretty reliable forks. I'd be really surprised if the bushings are worn to replacement in less than a year!
I think since May last year when I built my current bike, I've replaced some brake pads!
Take the bike to this guy in Chorley :-
He fitted a new drivetrain to my bike [parts supplied by myself]
and an XTR bottom bracket [supplied by the shop] for the grand total of £71
I would ask him what parts are required and ask him to give you a price , if it seems excessive ask him for a fitting only price and pop up to merlin cycles and save a few quid.
OP do you check your bike over before and after a ride and how often do you clean and lube it?
Putting a muddy bike in the shed and pulling it out again for the next ride is going to increase wear massively over a properly cleaned and lubed bike.
Sounds like the mechanic is employing the well-practiced car main dealer technique of throwing new parts at the bike at the customer's expense without bothering to get to the bottom of the problem.
New brake discs because the old ones were too contaminated to fix? That IS taking the mickey. Just stick 'em in the dishwasher on the hottest programme and they'll come out sterile.
Maybe the OP needs to get a full rigid bike with 1 x 11, that won't need much maintenance.
You said that you'd rather be out riding than stuck in the garage...but those costs explain why you can strike a happy medium. The costs are ludicrous, especially the costs for repeat issues. Fine, spend some money periodically on more specialist stuff like fork servicing and wheel building, but learn some of the easy stuff and it's doesn't really take long and saves a packet. The BB for instance: buy the tool and it's a 15-20 min job and will only cost for parts.
I'm no fan of fiddling for the sake of it, but as Gunz said earlier it's quite nice to do it with the radio and a beer - plus you get a nice satisfying feeling doing it yourself knowing everything has been cleaned, lubed and checked.
I just remembered, you said main pivot bearing? Aren't spesh frames warrantied for life?
That's really bad. Although we've only heard one side of the argument it sounds like unless the OP cleans their bike in the dishwasher or carwash they're being completely taken for a ride (ahem, sorry).
A large chunk of the work sounds like it should be warranty (brakes, and fork after the initial repair)!
The bearings aren't, as per Santa Cruz for example, iirc. That said, in the combined prob 6 years/3 Spesh fs bikes I've had, none have needed the bearings doing.
Shimano brakes are so easy to sort yourself, especially with the videos on Youtube (and the help you'd get on here). I recommend Deore brakes to anyone who wants decent, cheap stoppers. Not had anyone come back and say they're leaking - and the ones on my son's bike have needed 1 bleed in 2 years use (riding to school every day in all weathers...)
Shimano brakes are so easy to sort yourself
Yep, by binning them and buying more. They're priced to be replaced, not fixed.
I have bike [b]maintenance[/b] costs - things needed to replace and keep it going..
Then then bike [b]bling-bling[/b] costs - unnecessary purchases just 'cos...
Your expenditure shadows BOTH of these!!
Your mechanic is laughing all the way to the bank there.. £51 for discs.. blimey.
DrP
I've just bought a camber. 😯
I'd buy a simple hardtail (or rigid) bike if I was you, then if anything goes wrong on you FS you can simply ride the new one and learn to fix the old one yourself.
I still use a mechanic for lots of bits, but only because I value my time and work away all week.
As soon as I saw the new rotors on the list it set alarm bells ringing.
IPA or finishline disc brake cleaner should suffice to get anything off them.
You would be better off just buying new bikes and selling the old one every few months at this rate!
£10 last year. (wheel re-trued). Something tells me were you to buckle a wheel you'd have it fixed then be back to have it 're-fixed' a few weeks later. Then a 're-fix' of the re-fix.
I'd definitely go for the 8 cans offer/option, meanwhile looking for a simpler bike or a [s]smarter[/s] better mechanic. Maybe both 😉
Can't be bothered to read this whole thing, but you are having the wool pulled over your eyes by that shop.
I'd concur, looking at that list of costs, at least half of those is their fault and should be no cost.
To be fair with the drivetrain, if worn enough chain it may mean cassette and full RRP LBS price on a fancy cassette these days if it's 11/12sp is monstrous (and they'll probably spec XTR or similar). However it's way more likely the chain will run on for way longer (even if they used a chain checker). Heard a few stories from friends where their LBS seems to advise replacing complete worn drivetrain each time they take the bike in for something unrelated.
I've just bought a camber.
Yeah, but... I'm sure you'd question £51 for discs..... 😉
(that being said, i've removed the discs from the tandem in the drive, so stop you ferreting about...)
DrP
Can't be bothered to read this whole thing, but you are having the wool pulled over your eyes by that shop.
The OP hasn't been using a shop as they're too expensive.
That sounds way too much - I did some rough calculations and my maintenance/replacement costs are about £40 a month, though I do it all myself. That includes things that didn't really need done like shock/fork services when there was nowt wrong with them, new tyres, new headset. Also includes 2 new mechs and a wheel rebuild as I seem to be good at breaking stuff, and 4 drivechain replacements over 2 years (Peak District grit and an aversion to cleaning).
Whilst I agree some of the things listed aren't quite right, a lot of the cost in there is just because the OP is riding a lot.
We can extrapolate his mileage to ~4000mi/yr which is a lot on a MTB.
'Normal' expenses for that much riding would be somewhere in the region of:
2x Full replacement of cassette/chain/front rings/jockey wheels/BB
2x additional chains
2x fork services (at least)
2x shock services
1x(?) pivot bearings/bushes
6-8x tyres
1x brake bleed
2x new inner cables
4 sets of new pads?
2x wheelset service and true
1x bottle of sealant
I've not done the maths on that lot as it'll depend on the spec of the stuff being used, but it will come to quite a lot especially when adding labour charges.
Clean disc brakes and pads with halfords bike cleaner and water, it's £6 a litre..!
You're being taken for a ride by a dodgy mechanic.
And brakes don't just need bleeding on a regular basis. They are sealed, nothing gets in or out. Fluid should last years and years.
We can extrapolate his mileage to ~4000mi/yr which is a lot on a MTB.
really? I do more than that sort of mileage in the summer and Autumn (jul-decemeber) but I reckon since then I've done about 100-150!! 😆 and then it'll pick up in the spring again!
£686 for a 5 month period.
How often do you ride? It might be cheaper to rent or take demo bikes out. Seriously. The bike shop at Cannock Chase, for example, charge £30 to take a demo bike out, refundable on purchase. £686 is nearly 23 demo rides over 5 months; if you're only riding once a week that easily covers it and that's before you factor in the purchase cost of the bike.
Granted bike shops might get wise to you taking demo bikes out every weekend 😉
As soon as I saw the new rotors on the list it set alarm bells ringing.IPA or finishline disc brake cleaner should suffice to get anything off them.
OP, another tip is that even badly contaminated pads can be returned to life with a bit of sandpaper and an hour or two in the oven. Granted it doesn't solve the root problem of why they are getting contaminated, but it will save you a few quid.
OP - how are you cleaning your bike?
molgrips - MemberAnd brakes don't just need bleeding on a regular basis. They are sealed, nothing gets in or out
It's getting in and out of these, because they're ****ed. But that should have been a warranty job, as should the fork (assuming the issues weren't caused by neglect, which tbh they might have been)
TBF- not all mechanics are honest and some will spot a deep pocket and a malleable customer a mile off. Particularly if you mention to them how you've already paid a fortune.
If you ride a lot, as it seems you do, then DIY maintenance saves a fortune- it's not just about the particular job that's getting done, it also helps reduce major work. Frexample, a basic fork lowers service is a pretty fast and easy job, even a full fluid change is straightforward, but it tends to be expensive in a shop and more importantly it puts off major maintenance and failures. And of course it helps keep the bike on the road too- every minute your bike is in a shop is a minute you can't ride it, plus pick up and drop off...
And the other advantage is, if you do need to visit a pro, you can do a wee bit of territorial marking and basically make yourself not a target for ripping off. (or, better still, find a good, trustworthy spanner man, ime most are... Though, I reckon that dodgy mechanics only really thrive where there's not much choice, so that's a nasty wee feedback loop)
(My dad insists on using a local mechanic for his car- the guy's a known thief but dad likes him. If my dad takes it in, it'll always come back with a bill full of bullshit. So since he won't go elsewhere, I convinced him to let me drop it off- so I go in, in my garage clothes, smelling of oil and maybe do a wee bit of car chat and mysteriously it comes back with a clean bill of health, because they're not stupid)
really? I do more than that sort of mileage in the summer and Autumn (jul-decemeber) but I reckon since then I've done about 100-150!! and then it'll pick up in the spring again!
Yes, really.
Go dig up the mileage thread, and most people doing that number of miles or more in a year are either commuting or doing half their miles on the road bike.
Although i'm tempted in this case to invoke the 'Strava or it didn't happen' rule.
DIY maintenance saves a fortune
Very true. I've recently resorted to getting the LBS to do some work that in the past I would have done myself, mainly due to wanting/needing to spend my time elsewhere. I've no complaints about the work, but labour costs don't half add up. Maybe my time isn't as valuable as I thought 😆
in the combined prob 6 years/3 Spesh fs bikes I've had, none have needed the bearings doing.
Same here. I've done about 3,000 miles on my 2012 Camber and all bearings are still going smooth.
£300 to change the bearings is a ridiculous price anyhow. Sounds like your mechanic has taken you for the proverbial ride.
OP - how are you cleaning your bike?
Sandblasting and mineral oil soakdowns by the sounds of it...
DrP
We can extrapolate his mileage to ~4000mi/yr which is a lot on a MTB.
really? I do more than that sort of mileage...
with a bike that seems to spend more time in the workshop than on the trail, 4k is pretty good 😉
If my tab was £600 in a 6 month period, then it'd probably include a complete new XT or 105 groupset.
Be interesting to know what kind of maintenance failure caused ride ending rides requiring a taxi. Mine so far is snapped chains, and then snapping the (rubbish) chaintool on a Spesh multitool. And friends have pringled a wheel beyond the point of rolling back to civilisation. Anything else pretty much is fixable with a multitool.
Costs can certainly add up though.
I've not the whole post but just seen your cost breakdown , your mechanic is taking the piss ! Find another one, there are plenty of good ones around who will treat your fairly.
Keep your bike clean. I ride in the Macc Forest region and I expect once a year to replace chain and cassette and I service fork by mojo when its required not yearly. Pads I change myself, and as for changing contaminated pads ... bollocks just take them out and use a little emery cloth/file gently just file top surface off and rebed them in.
And learn to do jobs yourself like recabling, new chainset,bottom bracket etc !
It is more expensive than roadbiking from a maintenance point of view.
Good luck in finding a better mechanic who is fair !
OP: I'd be looking at going on a bike maintenance course, it will be money well spent. Then get yourself a decent set of Allen Keys and one or two other tools like cassette removal tool and chainwhip and you'll be good to go. Tools are one off costs - once you have them then you just use them there and then, no need to head off to mechanic, etc.
Most maintenance jobs on a bike are pretty straightforward, you just need to be logical in how you approach them.
In the three years I've had my current bike I've probably spent £80 on LBS mechanics: fork service basically. The bike's done 7000Km in that time so there's been a few drivetrain and brake pad replacements and I replaced the original RF cheese bottom bracket with a Hope one. The wheels (Hope Pro 2 Evo with Hope rims) haven't been touched and are still true. I was considering changing the derailleur but when I checked it for play it was fine - I've changed the jockey wheels once and they are due to be changed again. All these are essentially consumables as they are lightweight components exposed to dirt and grime.
A lot of people missing the point that the OP said he didn't want to spend time doing his own maintenance as he'd rather be riding than tinkering. A motto that I can empathise with entirely.
@fifeandy - I know but he's actually spending more time not riding by having to take his bike to a mechanic and leave it with them along with the associated costs. He could fix most of the problems in the time it takes him to just get to the mechanic.
Yeah, but he's losing bike time to mechanicking (and taking the thing back and forward to shops, and spoiled rides) which offsets that. An hour or two on a pissing wet afternoon to win back ride time and reduce mid-ride issues is a good tradeoff. It basically becomes about uptime and downtime rather than maintenance time and ride time.
Depends from person to person doesn't it.
Using myself as an example, I take bike to work then drop it in the shop on the way home - costs me a max of 15 mins. I then get to ride another bike and dinner is just a bit later.
And as for the wet afternoon - i'd rather be staring at a wall bored out of my skull on the turbo, taking a nap, reading a book, playing the computer, doing the hoovering - pretty much anything than cleaning/fixing bikes.
30 mins on a mid week evening to swap out brake pads or twiddle the rear mech adjustment doesn't eat in to riding time.
Unless you're doing training 6 days a week, with 4 mid-week night rides.
Aside from the obscene costs, I'm with the OP here. I used to love hitting the man cave of an evening to tinker with the bike, and the only jobs I didn't do myself were wheels (building/truing) and suspension servicing. Nowadays I'm more inclined to let the LBS do stuff for me and I can conveniently drop the bike in during my lunch. Spannering involves giving up weekends or evenings which is the time that seems to be in increasingly short supply.
Fair points fifeandy, but it sounds like you have a good mechanic who's available when you need it, competent, and not out to empty your wallet. And also a second bike. The OP lacks at least 2 of these.
I don't have 30 minutes on evening Mon-Friday. I do train 6 days week so I'm out Mon and Thursday and looking after kids and Wednesday.
I can repair most thing on a bike and I have built them from scratch but simply don't have the time or the inclination to do maintenance but I do have a mechanic who I can trust.
A lot of people missing the point that the OP said he didn't want to spend time doing his own maintenance as he'd rather be riding than tinkering
I work on bikes for fun (our own collection of 13 between the 2 of us 😯 , plus for mates who pay me in beer/wine) but I accept that not everybody is of the same mind; however the fact he's created this thread suggests that he's re-evaluating how cash-rich and time-poor he is! There is a balance - many jobs can be done in less time than it takes to get the bike to a shop/mechanic with just some basic skills and cheap tools.
oh, and
On the other hand - I've never been inclined to do anything on cars beyond checking water/oil/cleaner levels and tyre pressures
this for me too.