Zero maintenance bike?

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is
probably a good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

There are a great many bikes like these in Europe (and
Mexico), but they aren't all that common in the US. The use
of a full chain guard reduces both the wear on the chain and
the need for maintenance, as well as eliminating the
potential for chain grime getting on anything else. They
aren't light, but they tend to be perfectly servicable units
which require little more than putting air in the tires to
keep them in riding condition. I have a Puch of this ilk
myself; it's probably more than 25 years old, and rides
quite well. I've seen them on occasion at thrift stores for
as little as $10, but your chances of lucking into one that
way are slim in the US.

Next-best would be any gearhub-equipped exposed-chain bike
of a comfortable size and design, in my opinion. Derailleur-
gearing bikes tend not to be low-maintenance for a variety
of reasons, and they have exposed bits that are subject to
being easily damaged by incautious janitorial activities.

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

What the other bloke said - something (anything) with a gear
hub rather than derailleurs. All you have to worry about
then is adjusting the brakes every so often and slapping
some oil on the chain.

<[email hidden]> wrote:

(...)

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Yep, a decent bike and a good LBS. Zero maintenance... for
you (and likely little for them).

H

Wow.. those are nice bikes. I want one now..

--
Mike Beauchamp therevox.comtherevox.comOpen ↗ - custom electro-
theremins and stuff. mikebeauchamp.commikebeauchamp.comOpen ↗ - mike's
personal site.

"Werehatrack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is
probably a good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

There are a great many bikes like these in Europe (and
Mexico), but they aren't all that common in the US. The
use of a full chain guard reduces both the wear on the
chain and the need for maintenance, as well as eliminating
the potential for chain grime getting on anything else.
They aren't light, but they tend to be perfectly
servicable units which require little more than putting
air in the tires to keep them in riding condition. I have
a Puch of this ilk myself; it's probably more than 25
years old, and rides quite well. I've seen them on
occasion at thrift stores for as little as $10, but your
chances of lucking into one that way are slim in the US.

Next-best would be any gearhub-equipped exposed-chain bike
of a comfortable size and design, in my opinion. Derailleur-
gearing bikes tend not to be low-maintenance for a variety
of reasons, and they have exposed bits that are subject to
being easily damaged by incautious janitorial activities.

"Werehatrack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is
probably a good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

I think this would be a much better choice for most people:

yellowjersey.orgc40.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is probably a
good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

Yep!

I agree....that look like what I had in mind

But if I could only find one cheap!! lol

Peter Cole said:

"Werehatrack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 10:38:09 -0500, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as
possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is
probably a good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

I think this would be a much better choice for most people:

yellowjersey.orgc40.htmlOpen ↗

The C40's a nice unit for its price point, but I don't think
that's what was being sought.

The OP specifically cited near-zero-maintenance, and stated
that the bike would be kept at work. I factored in the
probability that an exposed-chain der system would be a less
useful choice than a gearhub with an enclosed chain, fenders
would be a good move because presumably the rider would need
to stay unsplattered if puddles were present, and the bike
would be stored in an area where casual mishandling was
likely. The Eastman embodied the logical form for the best-
choice unit I could think of.

Once in a while, such a bike can be had cheaply used. The
lack of widespread demand (which pretty much demonstates
that fashion rather than function drives most bike
purchasing) has made this type of unit hard to find in the
US...but not impossible. Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email. Surrealism is a
pectinated ranzel.

RE/

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

I'm in the same boat - contract software
developer.....except that I'm getting plenty exercise
courtesy of the bike I take to work every day and ride at
lunch time.

I ride a bike with 26" wheels and very fat tires. It gives
me the most flexibility in negotiation the suburban
corporate park environment that I work
in.

I prefer a nicer bike than I'd be willing to leave at a job
site all the time so I have a hitch rack on my vehicle that
allows me to take the bike to and from work every day. It's
also handy for carrying a beater bike just for general-
purpose mobility....park somewhere, and then bike from store-to-
store instead of driving.
--
PeteCresswell

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks. I set ALL DAY and not getting enough
exercise. I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as
possible, Any thoughts or advice?

A bike that has an internal gear hub, like Shimano Nexus ,
and also has a full chain box will be a minimal maintenance
bike. Make sure you don't get super skinny tires, I like
30mm slicks, and you will cut down on flats too. I have a
VanDessel SuperFly that almost fits the bill. It only needs
a full chain box, which I have but need to fit on the bike.
--------------
Alex

Quoted message said:

The OP specifically cited near-zero-maintenance, and stated
that the bike would be kept at work.

Yep..... need something cheap to keep at work.

Something that if someone steals Im not out a lot of money

Quoted message said:

I have a VanDessel SuperFly that almost fits the bill.

Neat bike!!

An yes that is the "type" that would fill my requirements

Any other brnads/models of same "design" to consider?

Didn't Burley have a super simple bike like the above
at one time?

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Fixed-gear: no moving gears or pawls, only one brake.

Ever thought about getting a 24" BMX bike. One gear, tires
that only need inflation a few times a year and cheap.

-kurd

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The OP specifically cited near-zero-maintenance, and
stated that the bike would be kept at work.

Yep..... need something cheap to keep at work.

Something that if someone steals Im not out a lot of money

Time to visit the thrift stores, then; it may take a few
trips, but some interesting stuff comes through the ones
around here. Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some
gardening required to reply via email. Surrealism is a
pectinated ranzel.

Werehatrack said:

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

Just my opinion, but I'd say that something like this is
probably a good bet:

yellowjersey.orgEASTMAN.HTMLOpen ↗

There are a great many bikes like these in Europe (and
Mexico), but they aren't all that common in the US. The
use of a full chain guard reduces both the wear on the
chain and the need for maintenance, as well as eliminating
the potential for chain grime getting on anything else.
They aren't light, but they tend to be perfectly
servicable units which require little more than putting
air in the tires to keep them in riding condition.

I wouldn't have thought of this, thinking as I do of "road
bikes" that are performance oriented critters, but this is
an excellent idea. It'd be relatively theftproof because it
just wouldn't be appealing (not very fenceable for quick
cash), and would be as low maintenance as a bike can get,
just about.

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I need a bike that I can keep at work..... something to
ride on my breaks.

I set ALL DAY and not getting enough exercise.

I need a bike that is as close to zero maint as possible,

Any thoughts or advice?

If it's not too hilly near you, forget about different
gears. Get an older frame, build (or have built) a rear
wheel with a coaster (aka backpedal) brake, and go ride. The
only maintainence it'll require is air in the tires.

I have an old Raleigh that I've converted to single-speed (I
kept the hand brakes) and it's the bike that I grab when I
have to jump on a bike and go.

Jeff

Quoted message said:

Ever thought about getting a 24" BMX bike. One gear, tires
that only need inflation a few times a year and cheap.

OK.... but where would you buy one?

Pardon the blatent advertising for bikes my store sells, but
Haro makes 2.

Nyqyist 24 (I own this bike, it rocks), about $450
harobikes.comnyquistr24Open ↗

Backtrail X24, about $275
harobikes.combacktrailx24Open ↗

Go to the website and find a dealer. If they don't have one
in stock, they can order it for ya. When they build it, ask
that they do not install the Gyro... more maintance and
unless you are doing bar spins- unnessessary.

-kurd

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ever thought about getting a 24" BMX bike. One gear,
tires that only need inflation a few times a year
and cheap.

OK.... but where would you buy one?