Parts already obsolete?

I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)

wrote:

I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)

Two words for you: e, Bay

On 9 Sep 2005 09:02:50 -0700, wrote:

I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)

Put 3-4K miles on it each year and in 3-4 years you'll feel you're worth
the award of a new bike, eh?

jj

In article . com,
wrote:
I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

7 speed cassettes and chains are still widely available and probably
will be for a while. If you're worried, just buy a couple of extras now.

wrote in news:1126281770.193405.15990
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)


Oddly enough, I just got that speech from a backup LBS. I wanted to
replace the 6-speed cluster on the Trek 400, and they're talking about
bending the frame to see if an 8 will fit.

Now, when the angle from the selected chainring in front to the gear on
the cluster in the rear deviates from 0 relative to the bike, efficiency
starts getting lost. This means that 5 or 6 speed clusters must always
be a solution to somebody's riding style -- the upgrades lose
efficiency for some group of riders. They're throwing out a good thing
for a worse thing.

Is that right, or isn't that auto-industry bull-dinky?

--ag

Wrote:
I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)
No problem!

First, the number of gears is not an indication of being obsolete.
Case in point, many prefer a double crank rather than a triple, which
results in 67% of the gears... Both are equally modern, and both are
easily available. And for the cassette, I personally don't need my
gears so closely spaced that I need a cassette with 9 or 10 gears...

Second, you can still find plenty of parts for 20+ year old bikes at
various locations as long as you don't worry about having the latest
bling...

BTW - My 3 year old Giant is a 24 speed. I would have been happy with
21, but on the specific model I wanted, it came with 24. The
difference in number of gears is more of a personal preference and/or
marketing issue rather than more or less obsolete. If you are happy
with your 7 speed cassette you will be able to replace it with the same
cassette for years to come.

In my opinion, if you change in preferences, abilities or fitness you
are more likely to want a different bike than to just change the
gearing.


--
dgregory57

wrote:
I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride.


But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

Will I go in there only to find out I have to go to 9 speed, get new
shifters, replace the frame, buy a new bike, sign over my first born
male son, etc.. ? :-)

I doubt it. The bicycling market is a lot more segmented than the
advertisers would like you to believe. There are people crusing around
town on 3-speed bikes, using Nexus hubs, singlespeeds, top-of-the-line
Campy and Shimano gear, and wild concoctions of their own design.

Also, changing / modifying your cassette is a pretty simple upgrade.
You can, for example, buy older cassettes on online auction sites, or
get creative and mix and match your own.

The derailers and shifters won't really care, unless you add more or
take away some cogs from the cassette spindle. Everything should work
fine.

I'm with you in that I, too, don't like to buy into this forced
obsolesence to keep the consumers coming back every few years for new
stuff. There are 10-15 year-old bikes in thrift stores that work just
as good as new ones (or will with a little TLC).

Don't worry too much and just ride!

jj wrote:

Put 3-4K miles on it each year and in 3-4 years you'll feel you're worth
the award of a new bike, eh?

But that's the thing - I don't want to buy a new bike in a few years.
Maybe I'm old-school and not enough of a good little move-up consumer,
but I thought a bike could be a frugal choice for transport (and one I
could work on, replace parts, myself). My frame should last a long
time (Giant aluminum), but may as well die in 3 years if it would
require bending/rewelding to fit different gear technology.

--The Frugal Luddite

On 9 Sep 2005 10:48:49 -0700, wrote:

jj wrote:

Put 3-4K miles on it each year and in 3-4 years you'll feel you're worth
the award of a new bike, eh?

But that's the thing - I don't want to buy a new bike in a few years.
Maybe I'm old-school and not enough of a good little move-up consumer,
but I thought a bike could be a frugal choice for transport (and one I
could work on, replace parts, myself). My frame should last a long
time (Giant aluminum), but may as well die in 3 years if it would
require bending/rewelding to fit different gear technology.

--The Frugal Luddite

You may be frugal, but do you not spend money on something that has great
meaning to you?

In four years of riding 3,000 to 4,000 miles per year, you'll have advanced
to a level that's beyond your current understanding. You may be just a
small threshold from riding at a level that your old bike may not be
suitable. After 16,000 miles of riding (and yes, the Al bike should last
that long) your perspective may be different. A person doesn't often get to
that level of commitment without being changed. Once I reach that level,
I'm buying a bike that's under 18lbs.

Be aware that no matter what you do, you'll have to buy new tires, new
tubes, new chain, among other things.

jj

wrote:
I bought a new Giant bike (hybrid). It has a 7-speed Megarange in the
back (14-34T), which is great and fine for me. Now I've been reading
about how they (Shimano) keeps coming out with more speeds every so
often.. Now, I don't care frankly - I'm not an upgrader or equipment
nerd and I'm not made of money - I just ride. But, will I be *forced*
into replacing all of my components in a couple few years when I need
to replace the cassette?

No. There is a lot of 7sp stuff, and 6, and 5 out there now. Even if
that all disappeared, which is unlikely, all you would need to do is
get the appropriate 7 loose cogs and appropriate spacers and build your
own cassette.

My commute bike is an 18 year old model, getting 3500+ miles/year of
use. The shifters, brakes, derailleurs, and cranks are still original.
I have replaced the chainrings, seatpost, stem, and handlebars, the
latter 3 mostly for comfort. The 6sp freewheel is two years old, still
being manufactured today, and was replaced when the original unit came
apart one morning dropping hundreds of tiny ball bearings on the
street. The hubs are not the originals, but I have the originals. The
hubs on the bike are 26 year old models, smooth as silk, plan on them
lasting another 25-30 years or so.

Bottom line: manufacturers make new things to attract new customers
and lure some old customers into upgrading. But there are lots of old
school part around, some still being made. Treat your bike well and
hope it will last a few decades during which time you will replace a
few parts along the way.

- rick