When I started cycling again last year (after 15 years of not cycling), I fixed up my old bike with the intention of buying something new if I kept cycling. Now I know that I don't need it. My bike can last a long time with the right care.

You are so right about parts, you can even buy a spares bike for $30.

Doing my best! Thanks for watching an making it worth doing!

@@bkefrmryou are good at it, even the background music choices.

Noted!

Right on!

Glad you like them! I'm really going to start leaning into it. My "studio" is coming together as a very peaceful place conducive to chillness.

they're pretty much the same bikes. Always have been. Always will be.

I've thought about a "what to look for when bike hunting" type video. Or I guess I could do as you suggest, lol, because that makes a ton of sense too! Thanks for the feedback. I like it!

You're very much welcome! You caaaan do a single video on that topic for a catch all general knowledge. I'd watch, but appealing to your WIFM. Each refirb vid would be timeless niche info to that make /model. Built in SEO for you tied to the products you know, and love. To your continuing success, cheers! @@bkefrmr

Is it a new program? How are they selling them?

@@bkefrmr online. I took a look, thinking they would be reasonably priced, but they are listed for 80%+ of the price for a new bike.

​@@bkefrmrThey're selling them online. I read a news article about the program. The dealer is supposed to give someone turning a bike in for reconditioning a discount on a new trek bike.

I’m hearing that a lot. I’ll try to spend a bit more time in the beginning to provide more details with what I’m thinking with the triage. It’s hard for me because my brain just does it automatically. It’s an exercise in mindfulness!

Thanks 👍

More to come!

Wow! ONLY $300 more? after 10 years (and COVID). That's amazing.

I think he likes Tri-flow.

@@R33GTRRRRTri flow doesn’t do that to mine.

I’m trying to write them like a bot

Probably around $350

I think it's a little weird that you care so much. I'd like to see the proof that "the chemicals I'm working with....stay in my body to do their harm." I know many people believe that, but I just don't think it's that big of a risk.

My dad worked in electric sub-station maintenance for decades. Lots of nasty chemicals too. He died of (probably pancreatic) cancer at 55. Sure he drank and smoked too (though his liver and lungs were fine), so I'm not discounting his work environment as a contributing factor. Be well.

Oh shit, I didn't cut that? OOPS!

​@@bkefrmr😂 it's a ritual now for all future noodle lubings

Lol. Nope. Sealed cartridge bearings with no play. Bike had very light use. Age of bike has zero relevance. Waste of time, but you do you!

Better than brand new!

Rim. Always.

@@bkefrmr I thought I was crazy for liking rim brakes, glad I'm not alone! Your videos got me interested in comfort hybrids, so I looked online and noticed that all Trek Verve and Giant Cypress models have disc brakes now. Specialized Crossroads still has rim brakes on the cheapest model, but the more expensive models have disc brakes. It probably makes more sense to buy a used bike anyway, considering the price difference.

@@bibasik7 yup. The bike industry has been gaslighting us for decades.

I bought a 2022 Trek FX2 disc in Sept 2022. Only it had been re-classified as a 2023 (so no end-of-year discount). It came with (non-spec) RUSH disc brakes. They were fine for about 1 month, but never stopped squealing after that and actually failed (very weak). My LBS got them replaced with (spec) ProMAX brakes from Trek under warranty. These were never really strong, but good enough I guess and they began to squeal after a few months too. I was very new to disc brakes, but I was careful not to contaminate them. After many pad changes and new rotors, my local Trek shop finally replaced them (under warranty, but after lots of expensive repair attempts) with Shimano disc brakes. So far these are working great with almost 2,000 miles (3 months) on them. My old Cypress has rim brakes that I can maintain. When disc brakes work right they are great, but rim brakes ... so much easier to maintain and more consistently reliable.

Rim brakes aren't as good in the rain and were the rims down especially in the rain. Not as good for daily commuting Even worse for Winter commuting . The ware thing isn't a trivial mater ...we keep a rim with a blown out bead to show costumers what will eventually happen when we see the braking surface is getting too thin. Disk brake wheels are generally stronger and lighter too because the rim design isn't compromised to provide a brake surface. The manufactures have got inexpensive hydraulic brakes to pretty reliable and are self adjusting. The bleeding process has been simplified and isn't horribly time consuming the better equipped shops should have a station fully equipped for it thus cutting the time spent down. How often this needs to be done really depends on use . But once the air bubbles have been completey removed that shouldn't need to be done again until the pads are worn-out then consider a flush. With a new bike hopefully the shop had removed any of the bubbles from the factory already if they were present (it happens frequently) and sometimes the bubbles hide and become noticeable in the first couple of months. The lever will feel a bit soft and spongey. They should take care of it in the warranty free tune up grace period. Most shops consider properly working brakes essential and promptly take care of it free of charge in that grace period in the first year. I've found that Tektro and Shimano are very reliable ( the other wordsalad cheap stuff not so reliable) . Tektro's inexpensive ceramic based pads don't sqweel as much as the resin pads . Keep your fingers off the rotor because a finger print with the resin pad will often do it . Clean the rotor after using spray polish or lubricants with alcohol or chlorine free disk brake cleaners. If you ride in the rain alot or winter commute clean more often. A CLEAN OIL FREE rag or paper based towel is essential , it can be the next rag for the next bike cleaning. I've been in full time service since 1985 .I liked them from the start.

The new Cypress is my favorite bike to sell. I am a Giant dealer.

@@bkefrmr I will keep that in mind when the time is right. Thank you.

You gotta have a second bike for when your e-bike is in the shop.

I have one for sale! $399

you are correct, both approaches have merrit

So many variables to consider, but my default is to hit 'em all with Tri-Flow. Not the greatest for cold weather, but I really don't think the next owner of this bike will ride it in the winters.

Generally with these cheapo forks you just live with them or maybe replace them if they totally wear out.

Not much more adjustment other than spring pre load...so you can make it less bouncy or looser . It's usually not a big difference but noticeable. This type of fork is easy to take apart too clean and relube the internals . If left out side they will collect water and it's going to be a bit rusty . You'll need a very long allen wrench to fully dismantle it up to 18 inches often a foot is enough 4 or 5mm this can be accomplished witha socket and extentions. That bolt is under the caps on top that is best removed with the special inexpensive plastic tool . A larger pliers with a twi position jaw will work use the teeth with the jaw in the wide position. Be careful to use as little force as possible and slowly and steadily increase the rotational force until it starts to loosen ...you have it . The other side often pops off like a pressed plug. Clean every thing ( a long bottle brush will be necessary)and put light grease(Lucas Red n Tacky is what I've been using for many years it holds up for many years, flows good, holds up to high pressure, resists light salt, high temperature...important for disk brake hubs..and can be found almost anywhere everywhere. If it's going to do heavy winter commuting then go with the marine stuff it's made specifically for salt water. I use it in all the bearings and bushing and brake posts ...it's much betterthan many bike greases. Shimano dura ace is really good and really expensive) including a bunch on the spring itself . The inside and out side of the tubes and the inside of the lower blades. Don't forget to put the boot back on before reassembling . Torque the bolts good and tight. And you are done this can be done with the fork in the bike in a stand or hanging or upside down.

Thanks for watching!

​@@bkefrmrHey Andy, I know you've mentioned a well made, not over priced brand of 26" rims in earlier videos (I've been watching a bunch of them). I've got a 1994 Trek 930 that I want to turn into a comfort bike for my wife. But the rims are trashed. Recommendations for new wheels? Thanks, Mark.

Right on!

LOL. All of them? Literally, like every bike is completely different that the next but they're all the same! What an impossible question. Hilarious!

disc brakes and shocks on hybrids are a gimmick

Is a used Cypress SX with the cable disc brake and shocks a good buy at less than $100? It's in great condition as if it was bought then stored in a basement. Use it as a neighbor cruiser. Thanks!@@bkefrmr

Factory wheels are often low on tension out of the box and is somewhat dependent upon the weight of the rider. It only gets worse after use. Not many shops will like spending 30 to 50 minutes to get the wheels actually true. During set up round and straight isn't necessarily true . But then spend spend alot of time setting up a new bike pretty much rebuilt . But then I don't see them again for a long time. Usually until the chain needs replacement and a quick tune.

@@stevengagnon4777 I worked at Burley in '92 as a trailer wheel builder. We used Winkel Wheel's wheel building equipment and I can say that our 20" alloy trailer wheels being built on 1980's tech lacers and truing machines came out of the process as better that most $400 bikes wheels. It was pretty amazing how well the lacers and truing machine would hold their settings when set correctly. Burley also made many of the tandem wheels on the same machines. It's not rocket science to build a good machine built wheel.

@@tauncfester3022 I spent a fair amount of time on those wheels for the tandems as I built most of them that we sold and we did sell many. They were pretty good as better than anything that came out of the orient and especially China. What I do know is all of the wheels on the bikes I built were at proper tension for each bike and duty. All my wheels held up for very long periods of time. But I still needed to bring the Burly tandem wheels back up a bit in tension by the time I had finished with pre- stressing them. That's why I built all of our tandems we did sell many easily serviced tandems.

I’ve been using furniture polish on rims for decades. Literally thousands of bikes. It’s fine. But you still probably know better!

My friends at Portland Design Works sent it to me. I've reached out about doing another production run as a collab. Hoping to sell them out of an ecommerce site once I get my shit together ;-)

I would never choose a bike with one of these forks for myself either.

amazing dad joke!

It's Tri-Flow and in my estimation, there is no substitute. Plenty of opinions to the contrary.

Some basic light vaseline oil is more than enough. As it's mineral it won't gum up. And it's the cheapest you can find. It can be used in many parts of the bike : cables, chain, derailer pivots, shifters, brake pivots, etc. Spinning parts need grease as some threadings, the seatpost and stem quill.

I wonder if Bob Ross had people send him random oddball requests like, I have a friend that's colorblind, it would be interesting to see you do a black and white painting sometime.

@@bkefrmr 😄 if I was a painter, then sure! If I still lived in Wisconsin, I'd bring a bike with a single handle for a tune up to your shop.

@@redamaleki I’ve done it before!

Thanks for the feedback@@R33GTRRRR - that said, I really like how @bkefrmr explains and shows how to adjust the brakes. I just wonder if there is a trick or hint to get all 4 springs to pull equally, or the approach to make the front or the rear trigger first/faster to favor that end for braking. I've seen the a lever that does what you describe, and the link inside rocks back and forth, so more of a dance/knowledge process to get it all adjusted correctly.

Wtf?

Pains? This bike didn’t need it.

Hard to say right now. The market is so soft. Probably $350 ish.

@@bkefrmr thanks!

really?

@@bkefrmr I forgot the timestamp, but when you're messing with the gears you can see the freewheel hopping up and down.

@@johnsmithers284that’s not a symptom of a bent axle. Most freewheels have the slight oscillation you’re seeing.

@@johnsmithers284 that doesn’t mean the axle is bent. I’ll take a closer look, but it’s not uncommon for freewheels/cassettes to float a bit on cheaper bikes. Freewheels especially. It really shows up in the videos! People call it out all the time

I DO RESPECT MY CUSTOMERS! That's why I tell them the truth!