Just pulled apart the Formula wheels I bought at 50% discount from Planet X for the first time since I bought them in 2010. Bearings still smooth, no sign of mud ingress, wheels still true! Run these on the hardtail I use as a holiday/hack/winter bike. I reckon 5k Kms on these wheels. Needless to say impressed and got me thinking of other components I have had really gotten 'value' from. I also have a set of 2005 Marzocchi All Mountain SLs on their second set of seals and probably 5th oil change on the same bike! Oh and a 9 yr old set of Formula Oros that have never been bled!
So, what components/bike parts have given you long and faithful service - given we hear so much about the stuff that knackers out at the sight of some mud?
Up till recently my main road bike was sporting all original ultegra 6600. (C. 2005)
Original cassette but new chain big chainring and jockey wheels.....
I don't want to think about the miles it has done.
It lives on as my turbo bike now.
DMR V12 pedals with titanium axles, been on various bmx's since 2006 and still going strong
DMR V12 pedals with titanium axles, been on various bmx’s since 2006 and still going strong
Bet they've acquired some 'patina' over the years!
Surly Instigator forks, swapped between four frames since 2007 and shortly to migrate to their fifth frame.
Avid BB7s, used for 12 years and now in the spares box, to be pressed back into service one day.
Hope Pro 2 hubs, in use since 2007 with one change of bearings each. Original front rim, rear replaced four years ago when it started cracking round the spoke holes.
Hope headset, in use on various frames since 2007. Just changed the bearings for the first time.
I made some canny purchases in 2007...
Must be some pretty old Shimano SPD pedals around. I had a 20 year old set that were still going strong.
Surly Instigator forks, swapped between four frames since 2007 and shortly to migrate to their fifth frame.
Avid BB7s, used for 12 years and now in the spares box, to be pressed back into service one day.
Hope Pro 2 hubs, in use since 2007 with one change of bearings each. Original front rim, rear replaced four years ago when it started cracking round the spoke holes.
Hope headset, in use on various frames since 2007. Just changed the bearings for the first time.
I made some canny purchases in 2007…
Not surprised with the Hope hubs, mate of mine is running I think a mid 90s set on a Merlin MALT he uses as a commuter. Still sound good!
The SPDs on my new Pegasus are the same 959s I bought as upgrade for my M2. Reckon that was 2000 or so...
Must be some pretty old Shimano SPD pedals around. I had a 20 year old set that were still going strong.
Just reminded me my Shimano DX spds are prob 10 yrs old. Prob had two services. They just get on and do the job so well they are forgotten about....
On the flip side, I think my shi**iest purchase ever were a set of Fox 32 RLs. Lasted one winter and stanchions ate themselves. £500 quid down the swanny and have never touched Fox since for a fork, even though I know they fixed the cheese stanchions years ago.
10+ years on the 'zocchi fork on the tandem, also spd pedals, crank arms, front wheel ( more like 20 years old) thudbuster - infact most of the bike.
Infact most of my bits on other bikes are 10+ years old. Frame and forks on my road bike are 50+ years old
Some XT M737 cranks that are currently on the singlespeed. Bought new in 1995.
I think they're sporting a similar vintage Pace ring.
Also some Primo Tenderiser flat pedals, still going strong after 22 years (bought 1997 I think).
Most of my kit is old. Ha.
I have some Shimano deore brake levers* which are from 2004!
And some 25.4 mm Easton low rider carbon bars. Both in action on the slop bike.
🙂
* the pistons died in 2006 ,had some slx ones on since then!
Admittedly the bike hasn’t actually been ridden in the last 3 years but there’s a set of 1992 Cook Bros cranks on my Klein that I’ve owned since 1998, having bought them from a friend.
In current use it would be a 1996 Flite saddle.
Does a Carradice saddlebag count?
Used my Camper Longflap most days since 1996.
The Brooks B17 saddle on my singlespeed is a month or two younger 🙂
Me 🙂
Sadly my longest lasting item is my Vaude DrBike rucksack. Sadly because the zips died properly on one commute this week 🙁
It's of 1993 Vintage, used most weeks since purchase.
Still in use an early 90 Flite.
Still have some spd 737, the first model Shimano made,.
I don't imagine we will be having quite the same thread in 10 years time about 12 speed groupsets and wireless droppers....
A pair of Shimano M540 SPD pedals purchased in 2005 or 2006 that lasted until last year, in other words, my entire SPD "career".
They started to need more frequent bearing maintenance on the last few years and then the races got shot
The XT cranks that time forgot and hope brakes carved from whale bone
Some XTR M970 cranks, got 3 of them on various bikes and still can't see past 'em. I did get a set of carbon ones to replace them and discovered they weighed exactly the same.
Also an old Roval rear wheel, which was on my first ever decent mountain bike, and has been in half a dozen since, including my last Soul which got stolen- the wheel got recovered by the police and is now sat on a shelf, waiting.
I have 2003 Deore disc brakes still going strong. Bled maybe twice
Specialized Low Pro mag pedals. Had them 15 years and not had to touch them. Still run smooth, pins are getting a bit low.
Hope Mini brakes I've had since about 2002 as well as the xc hubs cant recall ever changing bearings in them, did snap an axle though. Have some Magura Asgard forks since about 2005 too.
1999 Brooks b17 here.
Its looking a but cut up now, still mega comfy
Until last year:
~2000 XT M750 9 speed shifter (was working fine but now sold on eBay)
~2001 Woodman bars (still in cupboard)
I have some Time Atacs that I bought in 1998 and are still going strong, having been through at least 6 different bikes...
Another one here with some Deore M525 hydros still going strong! Been on a couple of bikes and have never failed me which is one of the reasons I always eventually upgrade to Shimano brakes. Avid and Formula have been shit in comparison.
My hack bike is the bike I received for my 13th birthday - 28 years ago.
It's on it's original 1990;
- Chain
- Cassette
- Chainrings
- Bottom bracket
- Headset
- Wheels (hubs re-greased a couple of years ago for the first time)
- Front and rear mech
- Cranks
My 1992 Eldridge Grade is still on its original XT combined brake and shifters. Apart from the frame and front wheel, I think they're the only original bits left. Lovely sand-cast things they are, none of your modern plastic rubbish.
Two Flite Genuine Gels still used every week on a Smuggler and a Decoy. They were from 1991. Still love them, no idea how they still look okay.
My commuter is on 2001 Crossmax 29 which still look and feel brand new.
I've got a deore rear mech from 2003 I think which is still going on a spare bike.
I’m still using XTR M950 V brakes and rear mech, and an early 90’s flite.
Various that I think qualify. Most appropriate to here, a 1987 Stumpjumper, now local hack and tourer (has front and rear racks for a full set of Carradice panniers), original frame and forks, on original wheels, rear cassette, derailleur, shifters, and saddle - things changed: brakes canti to Vs, shorter stem, chain, chainset (original was biopace, still have it somewhere!).
But one of my road bikes, a 1979 Brian Rouke, has its original shifters, derailleur- the first version of Dura Ace, from 1980, frame and forks, seatpost and saddle original but think everything else has been changed.
My single speed Avid Juicys haven’t been bled for over 12 years and are perfect (I dare not touch them).
Nowadays I’m amazed by the life on a few things but not by: modern sus (forks and shocks), most modern brakes (brilliant when working but don’t last long), modern chains and cogs, dropper seat posts, tyres, and grips, - all these things now work so well but just don’t last long!
Various that I think qualify. Most appropriate to here, a 1987 Stumpjumper, now local hack and tourer (has front and rear racks for a full set of Carradice panniers), original frame and forks, on original wheels, rear cassette, derailleur, shifters, and saddle - things changed: brakes canti to Vs, shorter stem, chain, chainset (original was biopace, still have it somewhere!).
But one of my road bikes, a 1979 Brian Rouke, has its original shifters, derailleur- the first version of Dura Ace, from 1980, frame and forks, seatpost and saddle original but think everything else has been changed.
My single speed Avid Juicys haven’t been bled for over 12 years and are perfect (I dare not touch them).
Nowadays I’m amazed by the life on a few things but not by: modern sus (forks and shocks), most modern brakes (brilliant when working but don’t last long), modern chains and cogs, dropper seat posts, tyres, and grips, - all these things now work so well but just don’t last long!
Why the double post?
I have some Hope Mono Mini brakes that have been in continuous active service since 2004.
Nowadays I’m amazed by the life on a few things but not by: modern sus (forks and shocks), most modern brakes (brilliant when working but don’t last long), modern chains and cogs, dropper seat posts, tyres, and grips, – all these things now work so well but just don’t last long!
I'd hazard a guess that suspension fork longevity peaked when Marzocchi were at their prime, most older forks I see still in use seem to be some variant of Bomber/All Mountain, with an occasional Manitou Nixon thrown in.
With that in mind I think full suspension bushes, pivots etc. are immeasurably better designed and last longer than 10-15 yrs ago
I have a front mech still in use that must be 25 years old at least.
My Cotic Rocket that I built up from a frame is using the cranks that came on my first susser in 2011. Not a lot to go wrong with cranks! The grips were also from that bike but they *looked* eight years old...
I'm still running the original fox float shock on my 1998 Marin Eastpeak. The shock has only ever had 1 full service back in 2007 after the rebound damping circuit failed. When it came back from TFtuned there was a note from Tim Flooks commenting on what amazing condition the shock was in.
most of the rest of the components on the bike have been replaced have been replaced after they wore out or broke
Seatpost original 1998
Fork Marzocchi Z1 FR 2002 bought second hand and fitted to the bike in 2008
Shimano XT rear derraileur 2003
Shimano LX Octalink chainset 2003
Shimano Deore disc brakes 2008
Shimano Alivio shifters 2008
Main pivot bearing last replaced under warranty in 2012
I have SPD's on my Kona Lava Dome that I got on my 16th birthday in 1994. They have never been serviced or had bearings replaced, just an occasional squirt of GT85.
I have a 1991 Marin with original bits on it, except for vbrakes without levers and new rear mech and chain. I have a year 2000 Sunn endure with period upgrades still going strong. the zocchis on it are year 2002 and have had two lots of new seals. The ISIS bottom bracket is a raceface and has had two rebuilds and the brakes are 2002 4 pot shimanos and work perfectly.The year 2000 v8 pedals work well enough too. I have a 2006 4x bike with zocchi drop off fork that is still on its original seals. All the other bits are fine too.
I've got a Chris King 1 1/8 headset from when he/they first released an ahead headset.. not sure when that occurred but I'm assuming 1990 ish.. its still in use on my Swift. I also have the threaded Chris King that I removed at the time.. but that's just sat in a box for nigh on 30 years but doesn't count.
I still use some Shimano 959's from the beginning of time..
Still use a pair of the original Time ATAC pedals from the mid 90s. Originally used for courier duties in that there London and now they are on my On One 456 bike that I leave in the UK for my ever more infrequent visits.
Used them this very morning - pair of XTR calipers from 2008(ish). No longer joined to Dual Control shifters!
Still have some blue 90s Hope hubs on the original bearings, but the bike is just hung up unused.. waste really, I'm sure a retro non-disc braked type person would love em!
Original Hope M4's & XC hubs on my 'Trusty Rusty' HT (which was fillet brazed together in 1990) along with an XT front mech that I put on when I changed from bottom to top pull.
Just been out on it.
Still running my 2006 Time ATAC XS Carbon pedals, with the original cleats and the Shimano SHM121G shoes bought at the same time, latter two on verge of retiring after the big increase in my cycling time in recent years.
My oldest component is a GT seat clamp from about 2009, still running on my latest hard tail build. The last remains of my old GT 😄
But Vault pedals have done well, plus my earliest X0 cranks have progressed across a few bikes. Still though, everything I've got really only goes back just over 10 years as that's as long as I've been riding off road. Ridden bikes since a kid, but nothing remains of anything over the years, except maybe a 20 year old bottle cage that I've been using a few times recently just to see if I'd like to go back to a bottle.
I have an RaceFace x-type bottom bracket that has moved bikes three times from roughly 2006, at the time some people were only getting 6 months out of this brand and style BB however it seems one good one slipped through the net and went from my DH bike to the full suss until it died and now is on my hardtail.
My Orange C16R still has the original crankset and only had a new BB a month ago. Not bad for a 1996 bike.
2001 Dura Ace cranks and mechs on my TT bike. The brakes are 1999 Ultgra.
2001 Dura Ace brakes and mechs on another bike.
All still going strong.
My oldest component is a GT seat clamp from about 2009
2009? That is basically still new in my world.
Probably a Hope TI rear hub i bought for my 94 Marin Indian Fire Trail which i eventually turned into a ss road bike, easily done over 80,000 miles (1994 to 2010, i suspect it's closer to 100k) with perhaps a couple bearing changes, still going strong as is the indian fire trail despite being 26 years old. I've not been able to ride it for the past 8 odd years but my bro still uses it.
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I have a rear wheel that I bought for my Trek Y5 in 1996. Hope XC hub, with a rim that was replaced in 1999 (so has ‘rim brake capability’)
It’s older than my son and my oldest pair of pants 😲
I’m still running the original fox float shock on my 1998 Marin Eastpeak. The shock has only ever had 1 full service back in 2007 after the rebound damping circuit failed. When it came back from TFtuned there was a note from Tim Flooks commenting on what amazing condition the shock was in.
most of the rest of the components on the bike have been replaced have been replaced after they wore out or broke
Seatpost original 1998
Fork Marzocchi Z1 FR 2002 bought second hand and fitted to the bike in 2008
Shimano XT rear derraileur 2003
Shimano LX Octalink chainset 2003
Shimano Deore disc brakes 2008
Shimano Alivio shifters 2008
Main pivot bearing last replaced under warranty in 2012
How did you manage to get a 14 yr old main pivot bearing replaced under warranty?!
1998 Rs7 chainset, it's on the bike I towed the kids to daycare with this morning.
How did you manage to get a 14 yr old main pivot bearing replaced under warranty?!
The frame and pivot bearings were sold with a lifetime warranty, I still have the receipt and the warranty registration form.
Its so long ago I got the date wrong, I checked my e-mail and it was 2009 when the bearings were last changed. My local bike shop had to post the frame back to ATBsales, when the mech hanger got bent in the post they replaced that free of charge, excellent service :o)
I had a set of m970 xtr cranks for a long time, had them on my vagabond when i sold it despite offering a very substantial discount to the new owner if i could have kept them!
I think there's an old 8 speed lx or xt front mech in my spares bin that im saving for a gravel build.
Road bike has 7800 DA groupset.
Some hope xc hubs in 26 wheels awaiting a new life when i decide what to do with them. I really fancy a custom hardtail, i really liked the ideas of some of the Sick bikes but the two On-Ones sit either side of what I was after. I think I want a Scandal, but with another 15mm on the reach and an offset qr135 rear end.
Nothing massively retro, but plenty of old-ish stuff.
Oh, and front Hope Mini (not even Monmo Mini) disc brake still running on SS Kona. In fact I think there's still the original rotor on that as well, its a little indented surface - not wafer thin yet though, and a pretty old Hope XC/bulb hub on it as well.
1991 Syncros Pro Post still in use on commuter (the type with the hole for the d-link).