[Closed] How do people keep bikes so mint?

They don't ride 'em. Simple.

I also reckon that how much a bike is worth tends to be inversely proportional to how much its ridden

ie: Santa Cruz Carbon full suss covered in Chris King and XTR = two sunny rides a year

Hardtail covered in dings, scrapes running a mish mash of XT/SLX. Standard Shimano fare = out every weekend and two night rides a week minimum

I have wondered this too.....

Wheel removal scuffs my lock-ons and remote lockout, X-lite bar ends are well scraped up which is why I went for plain alu to start with, forks scuffed, peedals gouged to bits, seatpost looks like I've gone at it with a Dremel etc.....and I think I am too 'precious' sometimes!

What really amazes me is people who have obviously been out for a blat in presumably the same conditions as me, but have no sign of dysentry derriere or any sign of clag infested bike, while mine is straining under 5kg of collected clag.

i ride mine - just look after it ....

got a few scuffs but nothing to write home about !

brooks saddles dont wear out they just wear in 😉

dont need to put the bike upside down to take the wheels out ....

i wash mine when the muds still wet. given up with mucoff, too much faffing involved. its still streaky and still has the usual scratches and rub marks.

a bikes for riding, not the mantlepiece.

So where have you been recently...Leith Hill tower or Peaslake bus stop? 😉

TBH I try and look after my bikes...if I know the cables are going to rub I'll put a bit of helicopter tape or if I get a puncture, I won't just flip the bike over anywhere it'll get scratched. However, any marks, dings etc it gets out on the trails whilst just riding along then I'm fine with that.

Sticky backed plastic is my secret...

That and having a downstairs wet room helps a lot too.

Mine to. I keep it very clean and lubed for every ride like I was going to a big deal race.
But it's still scuffed, scratched and chipped all over.

Peaslake is murder for it I must admit. I know a bike looks sound once it's been cleaned but how a person can ride exactly the same trail as me and be spotless to my clag covered self is beyond me.

I find the best solution is simply not to care! My bike's covered in scratches & dents, but it's always (reasonably) clean and in (resonable) working order! Just ride it 🙂

[i]So where have you been recently...Leith Hill tower or Peaslake bus stop? [/i]

Christ that was muddy last week! The bike actually dried/cleaned itself a lot on some of the sandier trails round there but at various points on the ride the back wheel simply wouldn't turn with the amount of mud on it.
2 rides took out the brake pads front and rear - I don't get that even in the Peak District normally!

We saw various amazingly clean bikes too, our only thought was that the people had just started their ride.

Wash after every ride, spray in WD40 - mud dosent stick then. Pedals are battered, but thats all. Lots of clear sticky tape where cables could rub. Im sure after a year there will be a few dings and scratches, but I plan to respray it after a couple of years.

I think the fact that I wash mine very well all the time makes it look like new every ride. My washing routine and set up makes it fast and simple.

but have no sign of dysentry derriere or any sign of clag infested bike,

What Binners said but also you can mimimise damage by:-

Don't use a bike rack, don't put bikes in back of car with other bikes, don't ride with other people or let them 'test ride', only ride when it's dry or keep a hack bike for real gloop, use frame protection from new and clean after every ride or not at all, ride with a bit more care ie. [b]try[/b] and avoid rocks, go s/s, be a bit more careful when you park up, lay the bike down or do maintenance - it's not that hard (usually) to find some nice soft grass when you turn the bike upside down, is it?

HTH

Photoshop

I think chips and scratches build character! Still though I wish I hadn't used the downtube gripping bike rack on my freshly resprayed frame, bit of electrical tape and bish, bash, bosh jobs a good un.

I try to keep the drive train clean, but the rest of my beloved 5 Spot is a right state.

[i]Christ that was muddy last week![/i]

Yeah was up there yesterday. Ranmore was a bit claggy in places but most paths/bridleways were okay. Bit I really noticed was the first loopy bit of Yogurt Pots...only improved once into the more tree lined section

Mudguards front and rear for claggy riding and wash the bike when wet. Silicon spray helps but don't get it anywhere near the discs.

Dibbs - doesn't car shampoo generally have wax in it? Bad idea for brakes etc I'd have thought?

after most of my rides i give it a right good clean and when its dry i just go over it with a cloth to get the bits u missed and keeps the paint work shiney, any other bits that are too hard to get to use muck-off and a old brush and it looks like new 🙂

I reckon there is a connection between just how wide the trail gets when there is a muddly patch and all these clean bikes. I tend to go straight down the middle but it is amazing the lengths some people will go to to avoid a muddly puddle.

Wash my bike as soon as possible. It still ends up looking like crap though. Old bars, shifters and levers are battered from crashes.

Dibbs - doesn't car shampoo generally have wax in it? Bad idea for brakes etc I'd have thought?