Demystifying the bike mechanic and observing ethics in the bike industry

Bikes are a mystical thing.  As are the creatures who build them, repair them, build wheels, wrench at shops and work on pro riders bikes.  They posses alchemist like abilities to diagnose and prescribe remedies to solve any bike related mystery with a seemingly divination like methodology.  This is what myself and many others at one point believed in; that bike mechanics are wizards who do things beyond "normal" peoples abilities.  But how wrong we were...

Bikes are simple objects in principle

When I initially got into working on my own bikes I suffered from the preconceived notion that this stuff was half magic, half science.  The multi speed drive train was an enigma to me and working on bikes beyond the basics of single speed and fixed gear was daunting.  I didn't really know what I was doing until I started to dive in and get my hands dirty, only to discover that with some homework, elbow grease, perseverance and patience I could take care of most basic bike related mechanics with fairly basic tools.  Sure, if I wanted to press in a new headset or overhaul a bottom bracket there was an initial investment in the proper tools, but once the principles were understood and applied it started to become clear that even with so many different bikes with different designs out there in the world, I could wrap my head around how to work on them by understanding the fundamental parallels.  If these people out there in books and on the internet we able to do it, from novices to professionals; so could I and so can you.

There is a problem though; The multi-national, mega profiteering bicycle and component manufactures that spin this little bike world round are not doing everything they can to help make these things do able for the average DIY person, if anything at all.  It has become increasingly difficult to open up and repair bikes and their components as getting inside requires newer proprietary tools and highly specialized bits for such products.  Lets not even get started on Suspensions, hydraulics and electronics in the bike world.

Some badwomen showing the men that they can get it done solo

The less you understand, the more they profit

 Most bicycles today are designed and manufactured in a blackbox fashion that makes simple tasks far more complex than they need to be in the name of supposed convenience.  As a stark example, when brake levers and shifters are integrated into one large, enclosed unit of rubber and plastic it is no wonder that most people look at the thing and believe that its function is beyond their realm of knowledge.  Push a lever and get a gear shift with an audible "CLICK"; drop a gear and vice versa.  Look for an answer of how it works and you probably won't find an easy answer in the jungle of springs, cir clips, pawls, detents and more plastic. All of these facets are deliberately contained in a nice, smooth and seemingly featureless body of rubber and plastic.  The outward appearance is simplicity and seamless function, but the inner workings are a delicate dance of the razors edge of precision.  All of this stuff does indeed work initially; but when things get gummy and gooey inside as they inevitably will, springs loose tension, detents stop grabbing, pawls get stuck and operating on these these things can be a daunting task even for skilled mechanics.  The cost-benefit of such labor is so highly inverted in most bike shops that if the brifter (as Sheldon Brown coined the integrated shifter/brake lever term) can not function again with a basic flush and re-lubrication, the thing is often tossed and replaced with a new unit.

 It is not in the manufacturer's best interest that your repair comes cheap and easy, especially in the case of $200+ brifters that are wedded to your groupo or 7/8/9/10/11/12 speed drive train from such manufacturer (as of this blog post Performance Bikes sells the mid level, Shimano ST-5700 10 speed brifters for $200 on sale and $300 for the Ultegra 11 speed counterpart).  Usually by the time someone's brifter wears out there is already a new, "better" upgrade to have hit the market with 1 more gear, or a new pull rate or new cog spacing that requires a new brifter, derailleur or cassette. If the upgrade doesn't occur, its just as lucrative to have the product disposed of only to pressure the consumer into buying a replacement if they wish to continue the drive train marriage that they initially invested lots of money into. When this happens no one learns anything, fill-in-the-blank component manufacture and bike shop get to make a much more cost effective sale (plus labor for installation), product is wasted, and the whole magical mystique thing continues on.  The consumer is never told that had they spent their money more wisely (against the discretion of bike shop salespeople and the brands that back them) they would see a higher return on their purchase in the form of easier and less expensive repair, extended longevity and a more user friendly product. 

This is what the inside of your brifter looks like. Most of these will be quickly discarded  :(

Simple gear means simple fixes

  This bike wrenching thing is pretty universally applicable, accessible and as stated earlier nearly anyone is capable of doing it.  When presented as the basic function that bike mechanics can be, it opens up a new world for "home mechanics/hobbyists" and those who wish to be able to do most basic repair themselves.  When things like wheels, drive trains and bearing assemblies are designed in ways that function as simply but effectively as possible, it allows for intelligible and repeatable repair with fewer and fewer proprietary parts, tools and knowledge.

The fact of the matter is that bicycles and their inner workings do not need to be over engineered, super complex feats of technological alchemy to do what they have been doing very well for a very good while.  If you look at the design and function of a road or cruiser bike from the the 50's and beyond, you will see that not a lot has changed even with the many refinements that have occurred along the way.  It is only due the relentless focus on corporate earnings that we see such forced "innovation" in this massively competitive market that gives us back such obsolescence, complexity, and lack of cross compatibility.  It is simply not in the best interest of the bigger powers that be to have your bike and its components to last for 10+ years and be highly serviceable for low cost.

A simple, well designed bicycle.
Most of these parts can be opened up and worked on many times over with few tools.

Getting started

 

If you want to either buy a complete bike and begin servicing it or start from the ground up with just a frame and fork; here are a few of the things I would recommend after having gone through much trial and error throughout the years with various bike builds and repairs both at home and in bike shops.

1.  Getting a reliable bike frame (steel will outlast and outclass just about anything) that uses commonly accepted industry standards.  1" or 1 1/8" head tubes for a variety of fork replacement options. A 68mm bottom bracket shell that will work with an incredible amount of bottom brackets, be it newer outboard style bearings or square tapered units allows myriad option.
2. Selecting wheels that use conventional spokes, materials and designs.  Regardless of whether or not you prefer disc or rim brakes: there is a reason why aluminum clincher rims, stainless steel spokes and 32/36 hole hubs have constantly been used for well over 70 years.
3. Using a drive train that will allow you to mix and match cassettes/freewheels, shift with confidence and be serviceable.  For those of you who don't know me well, my ideal drive train is a friction setup that allows for near 100% interchangeability.  If needed one could use  Suntour shifters, Shimano derailleurs, Campagnolo hubs, an atom freewheel, sugino cranks/rings and a Sram chain all on the same bike.  Good luck finding a modern, off the shelf bike like this.  The initial setup for friction shifting is very simple and the upkeep is even simpler.

Purchasing within your means is key to doing this all in a non stressed, fun fashion.  There will be marketing pressure that pushes the importance of having tons of gears, ultra light weight material and super modern components, but if you can only afford an inexpensive used 70's road bike, work within your means and make the most of it.  Some of the most incredible and cost effective bike builds I have seen and taken part in have come from 70's and 80's frames that have been graced with ergonomic bars, comfortable saddles, racks for hauling gear, wider tires and lower gearing for practical riding.  Even if practical riding is not your thing and you just want to go fast, all of the aspects above can still be applied to such a bike.

Someones old Raleigh that got some good love. All the aforementioned upgrades brought this beauty back to life.

Sticking it to the man: Grant Petersen and Rivendell Bicycle Works

Grant Petersen.  You can't really utter this name in a room full of bike people without getting more mixed opinions than you get shades of color in a hand full of paint swatches.  The guy and his Rivendell Bicycle Works are legendary, notorious, misunderstood and massively important all at one time.  For those of you who don't know, Grant Petersen is the founder and owner of the 23 year old Riv (will refer to as so from here on) who specialize in what many would consider (and perhaps Grant himself) bicycles that maintain the fire of time tested, comfort oriented, practical frame designs and bike builds that have an emphasis on the aesthetic value of lug work, unique color selections and clean, smooth lines that suggest and achieve a rugged elegance.  Building the frames around componentry that boasts simplicity, interchangeability and accessibility are one of the staple facets that underscore Riv.  Grant, along with his friends and helpers who have come and gone along the way at Riv have helped breathe some greatly needed fresh air of no-frills, do it yourself, keep it simple mentality into the psyche of a speed-of-light-changing bicycle industry.  To look deeply at what Riv seems to stand for would entail one to simultaneously look at Grant himself; for the previous is not substantiated much without the latter.

 of one of the Riv employee bike builds.  This bike does a good job of checking off
all the marks that make a Rivendell bike what it is in my eyes.

Bridgestone Cycles

In the mid-80's Grant landed a job as the marketing director for the stateside division of Bridgestone Bicycles and began splicing his philosophy and ideology into bicycle design and marketing for the company.  It would be easy to get lengthy by going into depth about the prolific nature of each of the many bicycles (MB, XO and RB series all being considered) that grant and his team helped design; suffice it to say that with the correct viewing glass, Bridgestone's USA division (Bstone from here on) stood out as an absolute diamond in the rough during a time when the waters were convoluted and muddy.  As the race oriented nature of the mountain bike boom (and road for that matter) saw bicycle frames built and spec'd with frighteningly light weight materials, component design that often functioned on a razors edge and metal bonding processes that compromised fatigue life; Bstone was giving the proverbial middle finger to the inertia that seemed to suck in just about every niche of the bike industry at that time.  

Bstone was like a sore thumb that the industry couldn't quite push down.  From the deliberate use of lugs in the frame construction to the continued outfitting of friction shifters in a time when marketing and selling a bike without indexing seemed like financial suicide, Bstone was pushing durability and simplicity as the modus operandi while being perceived as a seemingly fringe outlier in cycling.  Thanks to grants visions, what sound like some strings of good luck, flexible leadership at Bstone and some amazingly Honest-to-god marketing; the company put out some incredible product and imagery that will be remembered for a long time to come.  After having poured 10 strong years into the company, Bstone closed the doors to it's U.S.A division in 1994.  Regardless of what varying degree of input and creative freedom Grant did or didn't have at the company, it's importance would have a long lasting effect in the cycling industry for years to come.  Fast forward to October of the same year and Grant, carrying the same torch started Rivendell Bicycle Works with the little money he had after a short stint of unemployment.

a photo of Grant looking slightly proud and borderline embarrassed as he holds a 1993 MB-1
.. those bi-lateral forks tho ;)

 Riv's Importance today

After founding Riv Grant maintained the same level of dedication through not only his product line but also an infrequent mail order magazine called the Rivendell Reader that seems to be somewhat of a holdover from an early mail-only news letter called the Bob Gazette.  These zenes along with the Riv seasonal product catalogs of the time offered a deeper insight into the thoughts and questions of grant and his small company.  Articles spanning the subject matter of fishing to the practicality of double sided, non-clip in style pedals was staple material in his anything-sorta-bike-related approach to the proliferation of the company's identity, or lack thereof.

So here we are; its October of 2017 and I find myself half jokingly, half seriously entertaining the notion of spending what by my standards is a hefty chunk of change for a birthday gift to myself.  As a bicycle builder/teacher at our non-retail, city/grant/donation funded community bicycle shop I make little cash: enough to save here, spend there, and dream a little in between.  I want and have for some time wanted a Riv frame set even though I have had bicycles that closely parallel what various Rivs frames would offer.  I might not actually acquire one anytime soon, but a Joe Appaloosa touring frame would certainly be right in line for the last touring bike I would ever need or possibly want to own.  Though a very similar build can easily be accomplished almost entirely with vintage and second hand bits, the new spin on classic design, geometry and overall build principle that Riv brings to the table is very much worth supporting in my opinion.

I would be kidding myself if I said I have not taken some inspiration for "mountain bike" builds
from photos of well built bikes like the bombadil, hunqapillar and atlantis. 

Though you could easily acquire a slightly less expensive, mass produced, modern equivalent of one of their frames (the Surly cross check's nearly identical geometry to the Atlantis for example), its important to see that by spending the extra dollars you solidify a lifetime investment (assuming you keep the thing and don't ride "enduro" level trail on it) that will not only outlast your components and look beautiful while doing so, but will help put some dollars into the pockets of a great little state side business.  There simply aren't many companies left that parallel the quality, goals and ideologies that Riv endorse.

After reflecting on the matter I find that its not so much that I need a Riv as it is that a huge part of me wants to contribute to one of the last standing sticks in the cogs that compose the inner workings of our mostly ass backwards bike industry.  I see Riv as just that, a company that is not afraid to follow its values through the thick and thin of things, regardless of brand recognition, monetary gains or fill-in-the-blank incentives to sell out.  Though certainly not the only one, Riv is a company that continues to pour love into designing and carrying well crafted goods that seem to maintain a phenomenal life expectancy while boasting all the earmarks of time tested, enduring goods.  If more companies would put a foot down in the midst of outward pressure from distributors, the promise of easy sales to under educated consumers and the promise of continuity in the form of cheap labor and manufacturing, we might see a slightly brighter future for the industry as a whole.  Though Riv is a small company with just enough employees to count on both hands, their impact has and will hopefully continue to echo throughout the cycling world as a force that is not afraid to cut through the smoke and mirrors of tomorrows X-hype products that exist simply for the sake of existing; that are sold simply to meet the margins and maintain the status quo.

All great things come to an end: Closing Stevie's Happy Bikes

For those of you who know me or live in the Albuquerque, Coralles and Rio Rancho area probably have either heard or seen that Stevies Happy Bike Shop has closed down.  For nearly 35 years Steve has worked on servicing and building bicycles in both his hometown of Belen, and Coralles, NM.  Being one of the last bike shops that truly catered to the utilitarian cyclist: primarily repairing, consigning and upgrading commuter oriented vintage bikes, Stevie's was indeed a gem of a shop that had one of the most down to earth feelings of any bike shop in Albuquerque.  Before working for nearly two years with Steve I would ride in from downtown Albuquerque into Coralles and spend time digging through the seemingly endless array of "boneyard" bins, racks and bikes/frames.  From hubs and derailleurs to bars and tires, Stevie had decades worth of second hand accumulation.  Old take offs salvaged from trashed bikes, discarded parts for upgrades, boxes of stuff given away and the occasional bulk purchase of used bits gave the shop a healthy supply of gear to keep the wheels spinning for both the unsuspecting commuter and avid tinkerer alike.

When Steve brought me on he had heard about my love for primarily Retro/Vintage style bikes via one of his employees.  Unknown at the time to me, Stevie became aware of my knack for servicing peoples bikes in the area and having an overall fondness for breathing live back into otherwise unloved or forgotten bicycles.  Eventually as I came into the shop more frequently we would have discussions about our mutual love for serviceable, long lasting bike and component design, our disgruntled feelings about the bike industry's trajectory as a whole and the joy of simply getting out and riding.  It was only a matter of time before I was working 30 hour weeks turning the wrench, doing sales, placing orders and getting an overall feel of what life in a small, locally owned bike shop was really like.  Of all the shops in the greater Albuquerque Stevie's always felt the most at home, and it seemed inevitable that I would end up working with him in some capacity.

This post is half expression of gratitude for having had the ability to work so closely with such a humble and down to earth bike shop owner, and half homage to what was considered by many, as well as myself, to be the last bike shop of its kind here in NM.  I have come across many who after having heard the news have been massively bummed out that one of the last good resources for used bikes and parts is now a thing of the past.  

Thank you Stevie for giving me the opportunity to grow along side you as the shop days closed to an end.  Though there were many ups and down throughout the journey, the overall takeaway in experience was incredible fun, tons of hands on experience with both very modern and very old bicycles, and the forging of some great relationships in the wake of it all.

a photo of Stevie that someone took before the wall was brought down and
we expanded the shop twofold in space.

Stevie will be continuing bike repairs on the side as a solo, home workshop based repair service.  He will operate with a semi-mobile model doing basic on site fixes as well as picking up bikes to take back to his shop for work.  Stevie's Happy Bikes officially closed at the end of July, 2017.  Thanks to everyone in the community who helped make this place a great little hub for all parties considered.