Worn Out Parts in Macro

These are Chainrings. The Salsa one is nine-years and maybe 10,000 miles old, and made of 7075 machined aluminum. The Surly is brand new, and just there for comparison.

Worn out bearing crown race from a Shimano 600 bottom bracket spindle.

And here's a spoke pulling out of an old Mavic rim.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 10, 2017 at 8:19pm

Love the chainring photo. Really great comparison.

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Permalink Reply by JimM. on March 10, 2017 at 10:32pm

These are great! Makes me want to similarly document the various failures on my my commuters. Broken spokes, torn rims, the cratered landscape of tires after embedded glass has been gently removed. I know I'm saving tons of money on gas and maintenance from not driving, but keeping a bike on the road sure has it's own investments.

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 11, 2017 at 8:00am

Great documentation of aging components!

Chainrings and freewheel/cassette cogs will last longer when attention is paid to chain wear. A clean and well oiled chain is a must. A chain-checking tool is inexpensive and easy to use. A new chain is generally cheaper than other drivetrain components.

Regular maintenance (regreasing-adjusting) of bottom bracket cups & spindles, hub cones & bearings, and headset components will extend service life as well.

Things do wear out, but a bike that has regular periodic tune ups, lubrication, and the occasional overhaul should last many years.

Get to know the mechanics at your LBS and listen to their advice. Learn to listen to your machine. Don't "learn to live" with squeaks and creaks.