Bicycle repairs

Earthworks, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Sunset, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Well, I promised to write about bicycles, didn't I?

I haven't been able to commute by bicycle because the gears started to act up two weeks ago. I brought the bicycle to a repair shop and was told that they might try to fix it, but it might needed a new gear hub.

I had a couple of phone conversations with the mechanics last week, and we decided to try using the old gear hub, although one of the bearings showed signs of wear. It is unsure how long the hub will last, but at least it is now cleaned up and lubricated.

I fetched the bicycle from the shop today - paying 250 euro for parts and 100 euro for work - and made a test ride. Well, I was positively surprised. The bicycle was enjoyable to ride, as it should be, so many parts had been replaced. And the gear hub didn't act up at all, it performed flawlessly.

I have ridden about 12,000 km on the bike so far, and this was the first big service done on it. I have replaced the saddle, brake pads, inner tubes etc., but I had never had the gear hub serviced. It seems that this particular model of the gear hub - Shimano Nexus 8 Premium (or "Red Band") - should last about 10,000-15,000 km until major trouble. I selected a hub instead of derailleur because I wanted to ride in winter time, and cleaning up the bicycle gears during winter is not something I like to do.

In other words, the reason for selecting a gear hub was laziness, once again. In fact - and I think this is something Andreas might find interesting - I wrote a column about my choice of bicycle, praising the gear hub and comparing it to the Mac in ease of use.

Here is a description of the Nexus 8 Premium:

Shimano’s 8 speed Nexus Premium hub sets the standard for easy and hassle-free city biking. With all gearing encased inside, it is largely maintenance free. It has a wide 307% gear ratio and super-light shifting. The Premium edition of the hub is 200 grams lighter than the standard Nexus hub and has lower rolling resistance.

In addition, the hub has better seals for weather protection than the normal hub. I think this has been proven in practise, as I have used the bike through five winters. (Well, last winter was an exception, as we got so much snow that I gave up riding the bike for several months.)

Well, now that the bicycle is back in working condition, I guess I need to find other things to stress about.