..... 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 [s]hard[/s] 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 hardtailor
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
I taped the top tube as I'm short of leg and didn't want to pointlessly rub the paint away with muddy shorts. Also put some clear in obvious cable rub areas.
Didn't bother with the down tube though.
Bit of both in general - clean it properly every so often as its the best way to spot problems and keep the drive chain running sweetly. I did leave it recently and the mud caked around the rear mech froze solid in the cold and stopped it working. I've learnt from that mistake now.
loads of helitape everywhere, so I can ride hard and enjoy it. This is a fairly simple thing really, heli tape is wonderful stuff and will reduce the risk of cable/heel rub, bad stone impacts etc.
Unless you think it's uncool, it really is free country in respect of how you protect your bike..
Just bought my first ever batch of helitape.
My 853 frame has cable rub on the head tube which has gone through the paint and is starting to wear the metal. I want to stop it getting worse, wish I'd done it sooner 🙁
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.
This basically. It's one of the most expensive things I own and I want it to work well and last as long as possible, so I do look after it.
If it's going to get scratched/chipped or whatever when riding that's fine, but if it could just as easily [i]not[/i] get damaged by predictable, avoidable things like cable rub or dropping it on rocks when I stop then I'll try and avoid it.
teasel - Member
[i]a) Use the feeling-hard-to-ride-knackered-not-everything-is-working-properly hardtail
orb) Using the shiny FS and not having time to clean it[/i]
Why not get your wrench-head on (Kryton, geddit) and sort out the HT...?
I may be getting a new frame to build up n a while, which will demand all my attention & available money. However, I may not, and in that case all the OEM Shimano kit on the HT will be replaced with XT, and the Recon with a Sid. Until I know if the new frame appears I can't move on plan a or b....
OR
I may build the HT into a cotic/ragley-a-like for woodsy fun and just race the FS. Its actually lighter than the HT anyway.
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
Hang it on your wall and gaze lovingly. Periodically put more expensive bits on that won't improve the bike and continue to admire. Occasionally visit a trail centre car park for a bit of dressage.
Probably somewhere about the 'C' mark.
My frame is wrapped up in old inner tubes which offers a bit of protection to the paintwork, and also makes it look less attractive when it's locked up outside Uni.
I started doing this on my previous bike (Kona Kula) as a friend who I lived with pushed his bike into the hidey hole with mine and the brake lever took a fair bit of paint off the top tube.
In general use not abuse. If I crash and damage it then fine but otherwise take good care of it. Depends on the bike a bit too.
I'm more particular about my road bike and full suss as they were expensive, I'll fully clean them every ride if needed. My commuter is scratched and a bit rusty from being chained up outside everyday for 3 years it gets an annual service after winter but not much else. My cross bike is raced hard but goes to the start line clean and well maintained. My HT is kept working but only the forks and drivechain are cleaned regularly.
I used to use duck tape on all the areas that suffered cable rub, then discovered heli-tape so now use that - I try and ride it like I stole it and most of my bikes only get a brief hose down and chain lube when I get home, then maintenance when ever needed.
I have some carefully placed helitape to stop cable rub, needs a clean after Mondays night ride.