Depreciation and cost of bicycle parts

Depreciation and cost of bicycle parts

How much does it cost to keep a bike in working order? The service life of the moving parts of the bicycle depends on the conditions of use, the intensity of use and the rider's habits. The most common and fastest wear affects the bicycle transmission, brake pads and tires. The handlebars and seat wear out less often.

It is important to replace the worn part in time so that it does not cause damage to other parts. For example, a stretched and worn chain will aggressively damage a bike's front chainring and sprocket cassette, especially the small sprockets in the cassette. This can cause the cassette sprockets to wear and the chain to jump over the cassette's small sprockets. Timely and regular chain changes are a relatively cheap and effective way to ensure a long life of the bicycle transmission.

The rider's habits also play an important role in the wear of the bicycle transmission. For bicycles with three and two front gears, it is recommended to use all gears to the maximum according to the terrain. The front gear should be selected so that the chain stays parallel to the axis of the bicycle as much as possible. There are only 3-4 optimal rear cassette cogs for each front chain ring.

Tires with a soft rubber composition provide good comfort and grip on the road, but when driving on asphalt and intensive maneuvering, they wear out quickly and lose their properties, especially mountain bike and high-quality road bike tires. Foldable tires have a lightweight and flexible Kevlar [kevlar-heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber] frame and are typically significantly lighter than traditional tires that incorporate metal wire.

Summary and example. Top selling bike parts and their approximate prices for the popular mountain bike KTM Chicago 292 with a store price of 699 EUR:

Bicycle detail

Estimated service life

Approximate cost of the part (depending on the manufacturer)

Bicycle chain

1000-2000 km

8-15 EUR

Brake Pads

2000-4000 km

10-15 EUR

Gear cassette

4000-5000 km

20-30 EUR

Mountain bike tires (2 pcs)

5000-6000 km

25-40 EUR

Remember, by timely maintenance of the bicycle and by checking and replacing worn parts, you reduce the risk of damage to other parts and the total operating costs of the bicycle. For a new bicycle, it is recommended to carry out warranty maintenance after the first 400-500 km. The service technician will check all the components and moving parts of the bike and adjust them if necessary. Warranty maintenance is usually performed outside the long service queues and costs 10-15 EUR.

Read more about useful things in our blog.

May it roll well and last a long time!

 

Related articles