So... I used mine today after 2 1/2 years of it sitting in the garage. Worked perfectly. It got me thinking - it must be 15 years old. It’s all original. Done probably thousands of bike washes including about 30 24hr races, mostly muddy and mostly being used continually. The only time it ever hiccuped was when we were filling it from the lake at Eastnor and it got jammed by a massive dead fish.
It did stop working once. I ended up in email contact with the chap who made them. He said it was very unusual for one to actually go wrong, suggested something must be stuck in the switch. Indeed there was, a big piece of dry Mayhem mud. Cleaned out and... perfect.
At the risk of jinxing it, is there a rival for most reliable product ever?
Shimano m520 pedals must come close. They just refuse to die.
My gravity dropper is pretty solid
My Epic has had everything replaced on it except the original LX front mech which is now 17 years old and still refusing to die. I've got an XTR one to go on in the parts bin but refuse to fit it until the LX one is worn out, but looks like that's never going to happen.
Shimano m520 pedals must come close. They just refuse to die.
If you've not already seen it, a little history of the humble PD-M520
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/the-20-year-history-of-the-shimano-pd-m520.html
Some of the M520's I'm using must be at least 15 years old and I can't think they've given any trouble in that time, despite zero maintenance.
The square taper bottom bracket.
But for true longevity albeit with maintenance.
Cup & cone...anything*.
*Of a reasonable quality.
I too have an original Dirtworker thats still going.
520’s were my first thought as well.
I’ve also got a Flite saddle on my road bike that is 15 years old at least.
I've got an original Dirtworker too, as has a mate. Probably bought around 2006.
The 520 pedals have to be up there.
Original Lumicycle Halogens were hard to beat back in the day!
Original shimano XT 4 pot disc brakes from 1998/99. Set them up back then and never needed bleeding again. They're on my SS now that gets used in the winter.
+1 for an original dirtworker, mine is almost comically battered but it just won't die!
Also, Thomson seatposts, got a 27.2 one that must be 17+ years old and you have to get pretty close to notice any signs of wear, now on it's 5th bike.
I’ve got a 1992 Flite saddle on my gravel bike.
Strangely I dug my dirt worker out after many more years the 2 and it didnt work 🙂
O ring on the gun had cracked and it didn't fire up. Not really had chance to look at it yet to see what is wrong.
M520 +1
My dirtworker must be about 10 years old as well, never use it though, always thinking I should start using it again, but never get round to it.
JoeBlow track pump can't be far off that as well, only thing I've done was to fit a topeak superchuck.
Original Lumicycle Halogens were hard to beat back in the day!
I still have my LED converted halogens, along with a smudge battery, absolutely bombproof, but my hatred of strapping batteries to my bike and a few exposure torches mean they never get used, sadly.
Nobeerinthefridge
JoeBlow track pump can’t be far off that as well, only thing I’ve done was to fit a topeak superchuck.
I still have my LED converted halogens, along with a smudge battery, absolutely bombproof, but my hatred of strapping batteries to my bike and a few exposure torches mean they never get used, sadly.
Exactly the same here!
I've got an old Joeblow pump that I must have had since around 2003/4.The stroke is a bit graunchy, but it still works fine.
I also converted my Lumicycles to LED with the 'teapot' ebay drivers & some XPG LEDS.
I had the battery revived with a new one (Trigger's Broom!) from Smudge & unfortunately they do tend to sit unused & unloved....
The issue is the size of the battery (I went for a bit of a whopper to get me through the night at the 24:12 without charging) and the fact that the XPGs are beaten by more modern lights with XML and newer LEDs.
I should really get rid of them, but can't do it.... 🙂
Aye, me too, but you'd get bugger all money for them, I really should use them on the commuter.
I think that Pinkbike article isn't quite right...I recall SPDs being used widely in about 1992, maybe 91 on pro racer bikes...but that says it was invented in 2000...maybe this shape of the SPD was, but the SPD itself is older than 20 years...
Cancel that, I'm reading more of the article and it has more detail!
I've got a set of Shimano 959 pedals I bought in 2004. They are currently on the trainer still spinning perfectly. Beyond an occasional clean, they've not been touched
I've got some 1996 XT SPDs still in regular use (weekly), only been greased twice - the grease effort was remove spindle, push some grease in body and reinsert spindle.
I found my original one, if anyone wants it, still works and got hose and gun etc. Free to a good home!
Exposure lights - my Joystick and Mk 1 Diablo still going strong after 12 years, and the Diablo had a FOC repair long out of warranty which is great service.
Sturmey-Archer hub gear. Over 70 years old and still good for a 150km day, including 40+km of the HT550 route.
Just add a few drops of oil, keep the cable adjusted, and it'll probably still be going strong in 50 years.
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I've often wondered if British cars had been built to the same quality as British middle class bikes from the 1890s to the late 1960s, then would we all still be driving Morris Minors... 🙂
Goby, I've just DM'd you.