Tune Up, Turn Down (For Now)

Over time, even the best things tend to wear down, but with the proper care and attention, they can become like new again.

My bike - The Bike With No Name - is no exception. We've spent nearly three years together, creating countless memories over countless miles. I mean, I could probably try to count the miles if I wanted to, but I have plenty of other things to occupy my time.

Anyway...if I were to estimate, it had been about 4,000 miles since his most recent tune up, and (as I'm sure you can imagine) he'd grown a little long in the tooth once again. I was a little more proactive about it this time around, planning to do it in February when bike shops aren't busy. I'm using proactive in a very liberal sense - ignore that whole 4,000 mile gap.

He was returned to me early last week after just one weekend in the shop, and I know he may not look much different to you, but to me, he looks nearly new:

Admittedly, you do have to look closely to see the real beauty of a new crank set, with the flashy stickers still attached:

I paid extra for hyperdrive 

And a new rear cassette and chain (both by Shimano, if you're interested in that sort of thing):

I always found the term "original" appearing on a replacement part to be rather ironic.

And that was really all I needed this time around. Combined with labor and parts, the total was around $200. Thanks to a very generous Christmas gift from my girlfriend, I paid far less than that. She's the greatest.

If you combine the regular maintenance I've done myself, with the two tune-ups I've had over his lifespan, I'm still below $1,000 in repairs. To some, that seems like a lot, and I know you can buy a brand new bike for far less than that. Still, there's a sentimental value that my bike holds in my brain space, and I'm willing to pay to preserve that. I also know how he handles, and I like the comfort level I have when I'm behind the bars. In my opinion, that's priceless. Which brings me to...

The best part about a tune up: testing it out! Our maiden voyage wasn't anything spectacular, but a good test nonetheless:

That's a full load to take to the recycling center, which has become my most frequent destination of late. At the very least, I know he can handle my day-to-day routine (not that I was ever worried about that). I did open it up after the drop-off to see what he could do, and there will surely be some adventures to come.

They're going to have to wait though, because I'm in need of a bit of a hiatus from this blogosphere. Most of my cycling these days is pretty routine, and I feel like in my current situation this blog isn't offering very much productivity for me. Fear not, for it's not going anywhere (I've taken several of these breaks over the years). I just need a mental tune-up, if you will.

In the mean time, I look forward to sharing The Bike With No Name's 3rd birthday with you (on February 28th), and 30 Days of Biking (in April) is not too far away after that. Happy Wednesday, everyone!