Everything Wrong with my £400 Specialized Tarmac

[@gabrielcarlothomas]

Really enjoyed watching Jim work. As a bike mechanic myself, I enjoyed his no-nonsense practical style. He saw an issue, and he told you the reason/hypothesis why it happened, how to mitigate it in the future, and the options going forward. I didn't hear him complain like a lot of mechanics/KZbin personalities that a chain is worn out or a BB needs replaced, and the bike industry is here to ruin all our lives. Just a person doing his job well. That was refreshing.

[@jimthebikeguy]

Cheers man 💪

[@cjohnson3836]

Being overdramatic gets clicks. But yeah. Everything on the bike, except the tires basically, is what you should expect on a used bike that's had some miles put on it. Way too many people selling their used bikes too high. And way too many people looking for perfection in a used bike they are looking to buy. Neither are realistic. Its a used bike. And everything except the structural parts are basically consumables.

[@allemyr]

@@cjohnson3836yea probably. but the longer I think this kinda youtube channel get clicks and people start watch other channels less. All videos with Arthur is a pure joy to watch over the years. Tubeless install is one of my favorite

[@AlbionSupreme]

The year of this bike and it's kit is from before the bike industry really went overboard on consumerism. It's also from an age where different group components mixed together quite well and not so finnicky made that they'd only work well as brand new. I'd cherish that bike for as long as I could get replacement parts for it. I ride something very much like it myself and love it for it's honest simplicity that is the essence of bicycles to me.

[@statosphereonline2008]

Hey David, Jim is a great guy to have in your videos. Great personality, well spoken, clear and good advice, and very satisfying to watch him work his magic. I still go back to his front and rear mech adjustment videos if I have an issue. Legend! More pre-owned bike rescue and resurrection videos, please!

[@jimthebikeguy]

Thanks!

[@davidarthur]

Glad you like them!

[@Spendarellaa]

I’d give it the full beans.

[@KB-Riderwithabeard]

This video is pure gold. More Jim on the channel because he is by far the only mechanic who keeps it real and actually explains what the problem could be and how to solve it. So much information in 44mins and you could learn something watching it.

[@neilrobinson7965]

Hardly the end of the world that the chain, cassette and chainrings +BB bearings need changing. Kind of what I would expect on a cheap second hand bike.

[@edwardsjohnpaul]

Agreed, these are all "consumables" that get replaced periodically no matter what the bike.

[@andreronan1035]

I’d change these consumables anyways for any used bike.

[@----.__]

Not a popular opinion, but when all three are worn (chain, chain ring and cassette) then the urgency to replace them decreases. It's not like you're trying to replace the chain before the rest is worn out. The worst you'll face is general gear change gremlins, or a chain snap, so as long as you have a masterlink in your kit you can still get home. Obviously it's best to change these items out when you can, but because they're all knackered it eliminates the rush.

[@Andy-co6pn]

​@@----.__keep them on over winter, new drivetrain in the spring, then swap them back next winter

[@zedddddful]

​@@----.__ sounds like talk from someone whos never snapped a chain going full power up a steep incline and clacked his nards on the top tube.

[@davidcarino6500]

I pick up bikes like this all the time. First thing I do is take it completely apart usually new headset, new BB, cables good tune up! Need to be handy to save a lot of money on these older bikes.

[@jonathansmith-mq1hv]

I know very little about bike maintenance, but found this absolutely fascinating to watch. Great video!

[@DilbertMuc]

Even at a full restore at EUR 700,- you still get an excellent carbon race bike. What can you get from the stores at €700? A low-end alu bike with 8spd Claris. Even Decathlon can't produce anything at this price point.

[@allemyr]

yea! do the stuff he suggest prob more then 700 euro total. and still better then any new bike you can buy for 1200 pounds

[@TYSuggested]

I'd take a used bike from a reputable brand over a chinese knockoff.

[@Quarky_]

@@TYSuggested As per some of the recent GCN videos, the Chinese knock offs are getting pretty good (in terms of performance), the part yet to see is durability. So depending on circumstances, they seem worth considering.

[@TriconPOE]

@@Quarky_drivetrains and framesets are a totally different thing

[@peicheng1973]

I got the triban 520 with Shimano 105 parts. Super happy with it and I still have two years warranty.

[@lostboy8814]

Oh boy that David is just about the most helpful bike video you have ever uploaded IMHO,thank you very much indeed.Jim really is the man when it comes to bike mechanics,I found this so helpful and and so fascinating well done,bravo.Also thank you very much Jim I would love you to service my bike sir,total respect👍

[@peterbennet7145]

Superb. Being a steel bike man, I didn't expect to last through to the end of this. But Jim is outstanding and most of what he says applies to all road bikes, whatever they're built from. Learnt a lot from watching a master at work. Ans a useful reminder that I need to get out my derailleur alignment tool (the RJ The Bike Guy home made version) out and run it over all my bikes. Also found it a little sad that bikes like this may not last anything like as long as the older steel ones I have. Even though they're still perfectly good - and more than good enough for almost all riders.

[@philipjamesparsons]

Lots of insight from Jim. Pretty much standard service items to be honest, albeit with a headache bottom bracket. There are still loads of rim brake wheels for sale new and used. So, I would not worry for ten years.

[@Jacob99174]

I’m a big fan of Jim. Really enjoy his contributions!

[@531c]

A very good video re bike check/maintenance. Get Jim on more often. Quick, thorough and easy to understand, straight to the point

[@flashback9966]

That is going to be such a useful video to refure back to, if I experience any bike issues. Just a few simple checks will tell you so much. So refreshing to see an expert mechanic in action. In the motoring world you would classed as a Technition.

[@jordishima]

A lot of these tips helped me inspect my dad’s old Trek 7300 that I’m using for getting to college classes, especially with the brakes, wheels, and headset tolerances. The last two family bikes I’ve used (a chinesium e-bike whose battery shorted out and the crank set ate its chain, and a $200 Academy Sports MTB that was an all-round nightmare), so it’s safe to say that I’m not screwing around on making sure this third bike passes muster. Cheers!

[@gearsofmedicine]

Awesome video, I wish all mechanics were as detailed and comprehensive as this gentleman; nonetheless, awesome learnings from this video

[@mlafleurhua]

Jim is terrific and a great addition to your videos whenever he is on. His input made for a terrific video. That being said the core takeaway from the walk through is that what you purchased is a great foundation for a low cost, high performance, everyday rim brake bike. It can be reconditioned and kept on the ride at moderate cost surely for 2-3 years, possibly even 5-6, but eventually parts will become difficult to source. So before embarking on this reconditioning project, the question to ask is what level of disk brake bike could you buy for a reasonably comparable price and would that offer a better riding experience that the reconditioned tarmac.

[@nycdrummingstar]

Without a doubt give it life! Shimano just sponsored a video on gcn that did exactly the same thing;135mm QR rear wheel and rim brakes. Even though everybody online has moved on to disc brakes the real world is still on rim brakes and bike that don't have thru axles, Awesome video!

[@yonglingng5640]

Rear hub spacing for rim brake road bikes is 130 mm, 135 mm is for open-dropout disc brake frames.

[@bradsanders6954]

The Real World? You mean the one that doesnt want real brakes? Like a car with drum brakes. Or hand crank start. Rim brake bikes can be had cheap, I'll say that for them. With crappy rims and pads it barely slows down.

[@seanicky]

Your best video, ever! You will always be able to get rim brake wheels. I have a rod brake 1935 Dawes Popular lightweight, and you can still buy wheels and rims for that, at 90 years old!

[@johnperry3105]

Great mechanic talk, actually learnt something after lifetime cycling. There's been a resurgence in rim brakes, and a kick back against disc braking. So if you got dual pull rim, yea

[@klcbsoft]

I'm doing cable outers through the frame for years on all my bikes (over or under the bottom bracket). jimthebikeguy is absolutely right: you'll get a super maintenance-free setup that runs smooth and improves shifting.

[@jakemathis]

Jim is one of my favorite bike mechanics ever. He makes things so easy to understand

[@n22pdf]

Great to see Jim back on the channel 😊 always great to watch.. Pete 🚴🏻👍

[@colbysmith2539]

Great video. Building bikes for years and just enjoyed watching Jim talk through the bike check. And also realising, never get a praxis Chainset……

[@andytownsend2803]

Absolutely excellent. This guy, Jim, is so good, so clear, so fair.👍

[@judosteffer]

This is one of the best maintained videos I've seen, well done both!

[@Honkawsuzyamal]

I make a point of using top gear on the flat or slight downhill roads to even out the wear on the cassette. I have recently fitted a set of salmon brake blocks with the wet weather coming. They seem fantastic and are apparently easy on the rims . Be interesting to hear any comments on them

[@ocsatre]

Just bought a 2011 Giant TCR, will use this video as a guide to see if I've got a dud. Thanks for the excellent video 😄

[@kellyx57]

Great information here. I ride a 2016 Tarmac that I bought new and still love it. Mine has an FSA 52/36 crankset that has been trouble free. I upgraded the wheels when I got it and everything else is stock. It’s easy to work on and very reliable.

[@kens6168]

Learned a lot. Been riding for 50 years. If something broke I took to bike shop but didn’t understand the mechanics. Thanks much .

[@lesliereissner4711]

This seems pretty reasonable. In the case of my last two used bikes (a 1994 C40 and a 2004 Lemond Tete de Course) I figured that the cassette, chain and tires would need replacing as standard wear items. Taking a mid-spec Tarmac up to 800 GBP+ makes sense if you plan to ride it for some years as none of these bicycles will have much in the way of future collector value.

[@bradsanders6954]

There was a time people though old steel framed bikes would never be collectable, things change.

[@MrChippinator]

I realized a while ago that when you buy a used bike you’re basically buying a frame set. It’s still a great deal but on my current bike, which I bought used, I have replaced pretty much everything at this point.

[@bugsygoo]

I found an abandoned 90s road bike in a park a while back. It had quite good Shimano rx100 parts on it so I thought it might make a fun project. I stripped everything down to it's base, cleaned and lubed them and put it back together. Works absolutely perfectly. The only things I replaced were the chain, cables, bar tape and jockey wheels. (It didn't have wheels) The rest will go on for at least another 30 years.

[@FlourescentPotato]

That's you doing you. Most people keep most of what they buy.

[@blahqwe]

@@FlourescentPotato And that's you doing you.

[@b127_1]

Doesn't this logic apply to new bikes as well? Every part of a bike has a finite lifespan and is eventually going to need replacement. That's just life.

[@andreronan1035]

Same here with my Specialized Allez 2015 rim brake

[@JSC131]

Definitely keep it and go forward nip down to bristol to buy a set of lovely rim brake wheels off Ryan builds wheels give him some exposure David if you support local cycle businesses.

[@iangreenstreet1407]

Great video- small ring doesn’t multiply power but the torque- which will identify the issues you identified

[@simmooz3528]

I’m sorry - the suggestion not to keep the bike because its rim brake is a bit silly. In ten years time you’ll still be able to get brake pads and rim brake wheels. Just like you can still get mtb v brake pads and 26inch rim wheels and tyres! Although thinking about it is the mechanic just being a wum

[@rosomak8244]

Sneezing at aliexpress was rather dumb and a show of lack of information too. You get what you pay for there. Even the monopolist doesn't shy away from selling there. In fact sometimes it's the only place where unique parts are readily available.

[@richardggeorge]

​@@rosomak8244sometimes they are knock-off versions of the monopolist parts too! 😂

[@algorillarithm5572]

I have a "96 Stumpjumper pro. My bike has nearly all of the wear signs Jim has pointed out on this carbon frame road bike. Why does my bike have all these wear signs? Because it is still running after 28 years with little maintenance. I have some original cables but i can ride 45 miles today, if you wanna go. I would be happy to have someone like Jim work on my bike. Thank you both for this excellent vid

[@DeveryAndrews]

Very thorough inspection, thanks!

[@IronHorsey3]

Absolutely worth the investment to see this bike at its best. 👏🏽🚴‍♂️

[@benrayment6683]

I think you should go for the 'restomod' angle and put some newer components on the bike like wider tyres/inner width wheels and a tubeless/tpu set up, just to prove how good these bikes were and still are. I've recently done the same on a 10 year old S-Works Allez and the difference is amazing. Failing that you can always review it to see for yourself 🙂

[@DilbertMuc]

The problem is often the rim brake and/or tight frame rear angle which sometimes ends at 25mm tires.

[@yonglingng5640]

​​@@DilbertMuc If it's not very old, it can take 28 mm tops, which I think a Tarmac SL4 can still take.

[@benrayment6683]

I fitted 28mm tyres to the Allez, I bet the fork is the same as the SL4 too. It can actually be down to the caliper, but most of the newer generation rim brake calipers take 28mm

[@Mrmik3000]

Do you have pics? I've recently restomoded an allez elite 2005

[@benrayment6683]

I don’t think I can post links here unfortunately

[@sgcycling7658]

Great video, learned some new stuff there and need to get myself a DAG. I will inspect my old Roubaix with some fresh insight now 👍

[@twgq]

Done this to a Allez Sprint rim 2016. Also routed a full housing for cables and changed the bearings. Biggest problem was to get a new headset for this bike, it was quite expensive (110€) and hard to find in stock. Praxis works is a very stiff and light solution, bearings can be changed cheap (18€) because the cup is staying in the bike. The 5 arm crank can handle a lot of 3rd party chain rings. Maybe the front derailleur is a problem when using bigger tires, better switching for the newer one. Ghosting happens also with new wheels when the crank have very low friction and the hub is greasy. All in all you got a very cheap one and the final price ist very good. I paid in the end about 1000€, but also with more new stuff like STI hoods, shorter stem, saddle, new wheels (Zonda C17), new cassette, chain, headset and bottom bracket bearings, housing and cables, breaking pads and tires. All the stuff I bought over months in sales or new at 2nd market, so realistic it will be 200-300€ more when buying in shop at once. In my case I think buying a cannondale caad optimo 1 (in sale about 900€) would be less stressful and under guarantee. At some points I was regretting it, but in the end it was a funny winter project and I´m bonded with this bike a lot more.

[@simon7790]

Great watch, thanks guys! I just bought a 2007 €400 Specialized Tarmac and have done 400km so far. It's an older bike, and I haven't yet done much to it, but I'm happy with it as a decent daily ride that can perform well. Changing the tyres to Michelin POWER CUP 700x28C Competition made a huge difference and boosted my times massively, not to mention the comfort gain, and the frame takes 28C tyres fine. The 23's on it were gone, but super uncomfortable anyway. The main disadvantage is that as you showed in the video, everything is getting old and worn. It's probably not too economic to fix much of it, so I'll just run it into the ground over the next couple of years, replacing only what needs to be done to keep it safe. Overall, unless you like working on bikes, and I don't, what seemed like a bargain was actually fairly priced. The lesson is really to keep saving for a new bike. I'm not disappointed, you can't be really for that price/value, more sanguine, but yeah, bikes do wear out!

[@nigeburgess5950]

That was a really easy to watch informative video on the basics of everything bike maintenance beyond the front side basics. It was just a nice easy open convo about the bike/bikes in general. Just a shame in such a short time frame, the bike industry has moved on so much, that a lot of the parts are now requiring NOS just to keep it usable. And its not that old, and is probably, for a lot of people as much as they could afford to spend on a bike.

[@MrShanebizzle]

Great video thank you!! Enjoyed learning all the tips and tricks!

[@eagerbob]

"this is the braking surface, and by definition the pads destroy the rims, which is probably why I would get discs." Well, if you look over the lifetime of a bike (like this one), you would still end spending *much* more money on rotors, pads and fluid then you could ever spend on brakepads, cables and even rims should that be neccesary. Disc brakes are very expensive to run if you add it all up. There is a lot to say for disc brakes, but costs is not a good argument.

[@thiscocks]

Yep. People never seem to mention discs need replacement much more frequently than a rim brake wheel would

[@superjimnz]

An ok set of wheels cost more than 20 top spec rotors... your maths does not add up at all. High end wheels are at least double that.

[@Kattbirb]

If you don't go for hydro discs then it isn't much more expensive than equivalent rim brakes. That said, I don't feel that cable discs are that big of an upgrade over rims, but it's nice that a puddle doesn't end up effecting your brakes.

[@mikefoster3901]

Great vdo thanks for sharing ❤

[@niklaskristensson2231]

Thanks, David. Im learning a LOT!🎉

[@aveedub7403]

I pretty much look at a second hand bike as merely a frame purchase to up -grade. I bought a £225.00, 2013 Giant tcr alu rim brake bike 2 years ago, decked out in tiagra 9 spd. Binned everything apart from frame and now sporting Ultegra 11spd mechanical drivetrain, new Mavic wheels, new stem/handlebars, giant carbon seatpost, lightweight 3d printed saddle and finally 28mm contis. This bike was only intended as a spare bike whilst in England and has served me well. Mostly everything was sourced off Ebay new or slightly used and only the wheels were a non Ebay buy. Nothing wrong with doing a project, but this then led me to buy a brand new Carbon pro TCR and Defy shortly after as i was impressed by alu TCR ride quality. I haven't been disappointed in any of these bikes!😁😁😁👍👍👍

[@VictorYepello]

I think it's a great bike at a great price. Buying compareble new is easily more than what you'll end up investing in this beauty. Then there's the satisfaction of keeping it from the bin. Great video!

[@marlingschap]

Thank you, I’ve learnt so much from this. 🙌🏻

[@weiwenng8096]

I bet that some niche manufacturers out there will keep making rims. In the US, Boyd and Astral are still selling rim brake rims, both carbon and aluminum. There are almost certainly going to be the Taiwanese companies like Kinlin that I think mainly do OEM but will sell to wheelbuilders as well. The issue is that those hubs may be proprietary to Fulcrum and hard to rebuild. I have a feeling that someone will keep making decent quality 11s chains and cassettes, if not Shimano. The issue will be if any of the groupset parts fail ten years down the road, because I somehow doubt Shimano will be making replacement 105 and Ultegra rim brake stuff.

[@neilrobinson7965]

There will be loads of NOS stock available or second hand bits on ebay for decades. There are hundreds of thousands of these things out there.

[@steveflockton9567]

Ribble don't sell any rim brake bikes any more.

[@richiejames928]

Everyone that owns a bike should watch this.. videos like this will save you money in the long term. great vid.

[@davidlewis4399]

Quick check and I saw quite of choice for rim brake wheels if the frame is good I would keep it going. I have Bikes that range from 1979, 1984, 2017 and 2020 and get bits for them all. The older ones parts are usually far cheaper and last longer and I dont need a bike shop.

[@sethchapman8001]

I definitely think that bike has some years left. I don't think rim brakes (and wheels) will disappear. Personally I think that the used and vintage/retro bike markets will continue to grow, especially as an alternative to the super high priced new bikes. I could see a whole section of the market going low-tech, and as basic as possible. I love seeing and learning about new tech, but a lot is really not necessary, and tends to make previous tech obsolete before it's time.

[@nottyR6]

Definitely worth putting money in. New wheels plus what's been mentioned and you have a great bike.

[@2wheelsonline]

Nothing wrong with rim braked bikes and they will be around for a few more years to come. I've got 2 rim roadies and I'm actually thinking of buying another new one from Ribble. They are down in price both new and used which is great for me! 😁 Saying all that, I am thinking of maybe getting a disc braked roadie to see what they are like. But I don't really need strong brakes where I live on the Fylde coast in the UK where it's pretty flat. I have had numerous MTBs the last 17 years (got 2 of the latest in my garage now), all with disc brakes and you do need them with all the dirt, steep rough descents, etc. I do hate the squealing at times but can live with it but not too sure about it on the road although it would be like sounding a horn when dealing with the tourists on the prom 👍

[@kevinfrost1579]

Kudos for tackling it but with a bit more production planning and forethought this vid could have delivered considerably more. I came away with the impression the video brief was basically ‘chat through the worn componentry’ with a sideline but less than full mention of the frame. Jim is clearly used to familiar wear patterns. However in the 44.51 minutes suggest: 1. A FULL M safety check . 2. ID immediately obvious worn components through physical inspection and operation (chain; chainrings; cassette- use a pick for physical confirmation). Check hanger alignment at this early stage to eliminate it as a factor in any poor shifting 3. Drop that headset out and physically check the fork steerer for damage / previous over tightening, Steerer clamping area, (Ditto Seat tube clamp area). 4. Strip the frame and clean it so in detail physical inspection possible (any micro cracks /impact damage ?). Care around the usual points HT, BB, ST clusters, SS and CS, dropouts. 5. Change headset bearings ….start off with a fully serviced headset. 6. Drop that BB out and change bearings …start off fresh………new bearings and if it’s still not spinning clean …..there’s a deeper issue. 7. Check proper shifter operation now unconnected from the derailleurs as these can be expensive to replace (count the cable take up and clicks). 8. Service and re-grease, FD, RD , brake calipers. 9. Re-fit and re-torq to manufacturers spec, no exceptions carbon frames. (I appreciate a full breakdown of the RD /FD are individual topics …….but worth a general ref) The point is ( as many informed commentators point out) the value in 2nd hand is weighted towards the frame set (unless it’s a mint bike) so it needs the greatest attention. Decent level part worn components are always replaceable and that’s where the economic choices come in about whether to buy at all, what to pay and what to budget for replacement components. Equally important to check metal frames for frame tracking and alignment / stress cracking / alu and steel oxidisation (including internal inspection). Final thought just because it’s 2nd hand doesn’t mean it’s been right from new. Ask if the BB has been problematic or needed multiple replacements ………… Overall decent frame and typical wear issues………keep it Dave ……..treat it nice

[@christianluff]

This was a great watch. Love seeing an expert talk through his/her domain. If only I’d watched it before buying a secondhand road bike! 🤦 I’m also going to be adding ‘chalky’ to my commonly used vocabulary.

[@FlamesOfThought]

Learnt so much. Thanks and defo change everything he recommended

[@massimoserafini8115]

Hey David, your friend mentioned all the myths regarding the shelf life of carbon. I think this would be a great idea for an informative video on the myths and truths about the life of a carbon frame. Some people say they last forever and some people say that over time carbon becomes dilapidated. Which is true?

[@patrickparisienne1917]

There is no reason for a carbon composite layup to delaminate, epoxy resin is very stable, all that happens with older resins are that they may not be UV stabilised, and may yellow a little. Older carbon racecars show this, but structurally are fine.

[@thrawed]

@@patrickparisienne1917 "Older carbon racecars show this, but structurally are fine." Is the carbon in older racecars actually structural though, or is it just an aero shell.

[@patrickparisienne1917]

@@thrawed​​⁠structural I’m talking monocoques from cars from late eighties and nineties. Historic racecars are still driven in anger,

[@grzegorzzienkiewicz7581]

I done 50k km on tarmac sl4 combined road and direct drive trainer and it became very soft at rear end. Really no response on a high speed. I moved to tcr advaned pro 0 rim brake and it's a lot stiffer and faster bike. Tarmac now is permanently an indoor bike.

[@zubayrbhyat8077]

Both my bikes I have now had to have the following done: 1. Full service including suspension, hubs, groupset. 2. New groupset on the MTB. 3. New wheels after around 2000kms after a rim cracked. 4. BB on the MTB was okay but the crankset was almost impossible to get off because it was a hack job. 5. New bearings on everything for the gravel bike. 6. Seat post area was FILTHY. 7. New tubeless fluid on both. I'm not surprised how much you had to spend on new parts.

[@madyogi6164]

Of course it's worth every penny! I would make it a cherry. Personally, the only thing wrong in this bike is that freaking funeral black color. As for the rim brake wheels - they will last as long as there are people buying these. I'm in this pond myself. May this year I built a rim / aero frame based bike. Earlier (to learn building wheels) I made DT240 based rim-brake wheel-set for yet another bike. This month, I bought ICAN (again) DT240 based rim-brake carbon wheels. Must admit rim brakes is all my road bikes need.

[@neilrobinson7965]

On the question at the end as to whether buying a rim braked bike is worth it any more. Well, of course it is. In this case you get 95% of the performance of a modern bike for £400. Spend a few hundred on maintenance and then you are saving yourself about £5000 over an equivalent new model. It’s a no brainer. Spares will be available for decades, btw.

[@davidmundowyahoo7839]

Main draw back for me is the lack of tyre clearance on older rim braked road bikes. I can just about squeeze 28mm tyres on my 2012 Ridley Helium but there's still a bit of reach left on the brakes so could have maybe got 30mm on it with a few mm more clearance. Never thought I'd be riding 32mm on a road bike when I started out in the late 80s but its so much more comfortable and not noticeably slower.

[@neilrobinson7965]

@@davidmundowyahoo7839 I’m still riding on 23 mm tyres and I can’t say I feel particularly disadvantaged by it. I have a gravel bike with wide tyres and yes it’s plusher but not a deal breaker for me. Depends where you ride I guess. I ride in Switzerland on smooth roads…

[@davidmundowyahoo7839]

@@neilrobinson7965 I ride in South Wales on bumpy back lanes 😁 I used to ride them on 23mm too! There are lots of rim braked bargains out there for sure

[@mervynwarriner5092]

I ride a 2013 TCR. Its mega. Fast, looks cool, and recently gave it a new lease of life chucking some 2nd hand zipps on it for 300. Best decision ever. Notwithstanding all of that, ive absolutely made peace there will be no sell on value and I'll probably just keep it for indoor trainer use.

[@bmwflyfisher]

This is a classic bike. Quite honestly, David…You should do a bulk of the work…Brake pads, brake set up, tires, headset bearings, drive train, cleaning…You can do this for cost. I would use bike shop JIm to do the things you need specialty tools. If you have 2-4 bike with similar tools…Buy it. Wheel and Bottom bracket…Leave that to Jim. If you take the tires out…300 quid…Not that much…New bike. However, like Jim stated…Rim brake, mechanical…If you love it, restore it. PS. When you replace the bar tape, replace the rubber hoods on the levers…It would bring back the new bike feel.

[@timwebb6483]

Really educational video. I'm in a similar quandary with my 2013 Specialized Secteur claris which I've had from new. Mechanic's advice is to flog it and buy something better. And after a sketchy moment with the rim brakes going downhill in the rain I'm thinking newer with discs. Kind of sad though.

[@seanrock8717]

Awesome, great info....very useful. Learned a lot. Thanks!

[@jimthebikeguy]

Thanks!

[@gaza4543]

There's alot of useful info for a "kick the tiers" look over when looking a for bike second hand and makes for useful tool to barter on price.

[@songfta]

Yes, worth it. Great video showing the trouble points everybody should look at on their bikes.

[@davidarthur]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@philmoore97]

Amazing video. More of these please!

[@Countrystock]

Great to see Jim's tache growing back 👌🏻

[@JibbaJabber]

It's not a tache, it's grease and grit.

[@TimR123]

I think this was a fair assessment as he went though the bike and the conclusion. But a few things to consider: 1) What do you end up with vs what can you buy elsewhere. So not the value of the same model in restored. But if you like the bike, can you get something similar for a better value? If you want a lightweight CF bike and are ok with rim brakes, you can't come close to what that will be when fixed for 700-800 pounds. 2) If you can do your own work, older bikes become a much better economic value. Your time is hobby time not wages and you're only buying parts. Chain, cassette, cables and BB aren't that much. But if you have to pay to have it all done, it gets problematic. 3) Some of the wear items on old bikes are just that: Wear items. So obviously tires that are cracking and dangerous have to go now. But if they are just somewhat worn, that replacement in a few months would happen on a new bike too so not a factor. Similar on deferable repairs like cable housings.

[@mikebilton6421]

Don't even like bike mechanics, but I like this bike mechanic. Cool guy tbf.

[@davonpointer2310]

Definitely keep it, it’s too nice to bin. There will always be spares available for rim brake bikes, you can still get campagnolo delta brake blocks! Worth spending the £400 to get from cassette etc 👍🏼

[@DilbertMuc]

Excellent video! A lot of details to consider when buying in second hand markets. Chain, bearings, tires, brake pads, cables are just consumables and quite often need replacements, nothing to worry about but not to forget in the list of after-purchase costs.

[@trends-friend]

i'm not a carbon expert but i highly advise against drilling holes in the frames. the frames coming out of the factory have been deburred to minimize potential stress points from which cracks can develop. and using full length housing will add 100g of extra unnecessary weight. using plastic tubing to shield the cables does the exact same thing.

[@jepoi13]

Rim brakes are fine, especially for casual riders. If you already have it, no point upgrading to a disc brake bike, unless money is of no object. In which case, by all means, go crazy.

[@Mannerzs]

This video is great, it shows how a second hand bike that may look great will often have many maintenance issues which will a) Keep you off actually cycling and in the workshop instead (losing fitness while you do so) 2) Escalating costs 3) Trying to mismatch in new/other parts into your second hand build so it will never be perfect even if you do get it close 4) Lack of future proofing. The best advice is to save yourself the aggravation, save your pennies and buy new! The issues highlighted in this video whilst very comprehensive are by no means exhaustative; there are many others! Second hand bikes whilst tempting can be a big timewaster! They're a false economy.

[@lobodk]

Priced out upgrades for my Neo Retro Modern Fusion Chambéry D’Huez(200$ Carbon OCLV Greg LeMond 55 frame 08’ LeMond/Bontrager Carbon Alpe D’Huez fork.) comes out to around $3,790.76 so about 4 Grand of upgrades. Been riding it with stock parts, 105. Redshift Stem & dual seatpost, Hunt sprint aero alloy wheels, onyx vesper hubs, wolf tooth headset, new old stock Bontrager 52/42/30 & gonna fiddle with seeing if I can make a 11speed work on a triple crank. Coefficient AR 36mm dropbars & finally Gravel King SSR 28mm tires for stability & grip. Yes it’s not most modern but it’s a bike I enjoy.

[@eto2352]

If it's in good knick, value is determined by the buyer and seller. If the owner enjoys it, there's a lot of value. If it doesn't fit their purposes, there is very little value.

[@judosteffer]

It's really interesting seeing the pricing, so its starts becoming about £750-£800 all in which is the cost of a £1300-£1400 bike on cyclescheme (less 35-40%), which could get you a Carbon Van Rysel NCR (tiagra, but hydraulic brakes). The difference being than on cycle scheme, you can pay for it monthly over a year rather than this big lump of £400 plus another lump of £350-£400 for the repairs which you have to find all in one go. Plus no warranty on the second hand bike.

[@quora1820]

I pretty much came to a similar conclusion. Luckily a few mechanics near me take in a bunch of second hand bikes (I think via the council) chuck the bits together and get you something pretty decent for not a lot of money. So I ended up with Alu frame Tiagra 10 speed for like £300. Its a bit big, but at least I know its safe and I have the bug before splashing out on something more expensive in future. (I can probably make it my turbo trainer bike in the future no problem). The only thing that put me off cyclescheme is that I wasn't particularly secure in my job, and if anything happens, getting laid off and having to pay the lump sum remaining would be devastating, I suppose it would be sensible to keep the full amount stashed away until its paid off just in case.

[@hmudesign]

Great bike David, few things here and there to be replaced, not the end of the world? Your face looked so shocked at times in the video. Tell your mechanic, tire direction doesnt matter hahah.

[@dewindoethdwl2798]

Just been through a similar exercise with a dirty “commuter used” Merida cyclocross bike scored for £275. All cables, inner and outer, replaced. Chain replaced. Headset bearings replaced. Disc brakes freed off and pads replaced. All wheel bearings replaced. Left brake lever front derailleur mechanism freed & index pin straightened. Bottom bracket was sound. Tyres replaced. Old bar tape refitted, saddle changed for an old favourite. A little grease squished into key places to keep water out. Hey presto, a reliable and serviceable cyclocross bike just in time for the season for less than £450. Should last a few years even if it gets thrown on the floor & mud regularly. All my bikes have been rescued from neglect and have cost buttons compared to well maintained bikes of the same age. A warm garage and the right tools help 😂

[@What-a-kerfuffle-1]

Excellent video, save the bike! Many of us still ride old rim brake bikes. £400 isn’t much really, most of the new bikes you review would lose that in depreciation after the first ride.

[@zubayrbhyat8077]

Very informative :) Thanks for the video!

[@rollamichael]

Jim the bike guy sure seems to know his stuff!

[@foxy1706]

ive bought two used bikes in past and both times ive gone in expecting a cassatte, chain, chainring and brakes will be needed. thankfully has just been break blocks and handlebar tape. But as said once big tick items ok im happy.

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

Honestly hard to find a mechanic that will look this thoroughly.

[@valderja]

Interesting stuff. He's clearly a very experienced bike mechanic.

[@mopedtobias9049]

"we don't have time to take the fork out"... haha, that's done in no time at all... you undo the stem and the other screw and you can take the fork out at least a few centimeters... he should check for ring of death anyway.

[@hananas2]

I've noticed jockey wheels on old derailleurs can also rob an absolute buttload of power if they get gunked up super sticky, but it only seems to happen with the ones with bushings, not bearings.

[@GaryZyriek]

If you buy a used Tarmac for 400, I would just assume that you'd have to replace a lot of the consumables like bar tape, cables, housing, chain, and tires. At the end of the day you're still getting a great bike at a great price.

[@toddflanagan7707]

Consumable drive train parts consumed. Everything else in pretty good shape. Seems like a really nice pickup. These rim brake/qr bikes seem like a nice value play. Get a couple of good years out of it for cheap. Don't feel too bad if you have to pitch it after a few years because of declining parts availability.

[@colincanyon2519]

Here Jim knows his stuff alright and so do i but i wouldn't say its the end for rim brake for a while yet, so many people have them out there and some wheel brands are still knocking out rim brake wheels, so stock up! 👍

[@chris1275cc]

You can get 28's in there, but IMO It's too tight, especially with Ally rims. Some people seem to have done it without issue, some experience rub out of the stand when they put power through the bike, probably a rim tyre combo thing and a bit of a coin toss. I can confirm 100% that 12 speed Shimano Crank-sets shift on 11 speed flawlessly and for some reason are often cheaper than the older generation ones (105 are dirt cheap ATM for some reason sub £100 from some places). If you want to keep the Praxis cranks I can very much recommend STONE or PassQuest chain-rings from Ali-Ex they are several cuts above the usual Chinese offerings and would give the likes of WolfTooth or ROTOR a run for their money all day long and will match with Praxis's style very well.

[@james241ish]

Bling it! ✨ You are a KZbinr after all😁

[@RobertPotts-i7c]

What an interesting video to watch after I decided to replace my 14 yr old carbon fiber bike yesterday. I wondered if I fell victim to the carbon fiber myth. I have actually seen the results of a failed carbon frame during a century ride. I know carbon frames can fail. The shifters were becoming problematic and I didn't think parts and labor was worth it on a nearly 15 year old frame with over 60K miles on it. It was hard decision to part with rim brakes, quick release dropouts, and shifter cables because they were always good enough for me. I liked the bike inspection especially the detail to the carbon frame. I would say if you like the bike to fix it up if it fits you well. Maybe store some components like brake pads and tires in the event that those components become impossible to replace. I wish you well, David Arthor.

[@neilburrows6670]

Great vid. Great bike. Only the tyre width limit would make me think twice :)

[@daviddjerassi]

Thank you both for a honest full of facts video for me you will have a great bike for £800.00 which would last for years .

[@admiralmachine]

That was a very informative video, thank you!

[@davidarthur]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Bike4Coffee-Cake]

Do you like it? If so, I’d do a moderate upgrade - replace the worn bits and go full Shimano on the crankset. But only if you think you’d ride it.

[@AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

So I'm selling an SL4 bike at the moment. £1000 Dura Ace, Ultegra, carbon/alloy wheels etc. £1k old race bike. It's interesting to see this from the other side. I've been very transparent on my ad. listing components that are worn or approaching end of life and priced accordingly. The bike rides extremely well and the frame including bearings etc are all in good nick. So £400 is a steal for that whole bike, essentially you are buying a frameset that has old components on it that are bound to be worn otherwise the owner wouldn't be selling it off. Even if it wasn't judged 'safe to ride' by the mechanic I wouldn't care. As long as the carbon appears in good condition, it hasn't been in a crash then I'd take it! Spend another £800 and build it up into an awesome rig.

[@----.__]

£1000 is a good price for your bike if it's just consumables that are worn. Good luck in the sale mate.