Chatted with a retired bike messenger yesterday who told me he never bothered with fancy carbon frames

He said he rode the same steel frame for 12 years straight through potholes and rain and it only needed two new bottom brackets, which made me wonder if I’m overthinking upgrades like that $300 wheelset I’ve been eyeing.

2 comments

2 Comments

hannah3857d ago

Only needed two new bottom brackets in 12 years" - okay, but isn't that basically the whole drivetrain? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for durability. Plus, if he's a messenger he probably wasn't doing his own wrenching, so who knows what got replaced on the sly. I'd still want the carbon just for the weight savings, personally.

the_barbara7d ago

Honestly, I gotta push back on that a little. A bottom bracket isn't the whole drivetrain, it's just the part the cranks spin around. Pretty normal thing to replace every few years, especially if you ride in rain and salt. Saying that's basically the whole drivetrain is like saying a flat tire means you need a new car. And tbh, most bike messengers I've known are total gearheads who definitely do their own wrenching. They have to, their bike is their paycheck. I bet you that guy swapped his own bottom brackets blindfolded. As for the carbon, I get wanting to save weight, but a steel frame that lasts 12 years without cracking is way more impressive to me than a carbon one that might save you two pounds.