My New-ish Single Speed

Tubes, Tires, Grips and Handlebars

When it comes to bike maintenance, I’m not one who does it much. I know the arguments around parts/tech lasting longer if you take care of it and that the bike “performs better” with regular maintenance. Nevertheless, other than lube on the chain and squeezing the tires to check air pressure, and sometimes pushing down on the squishy bits to see if they “work,” I simply take my bike(s) in and out of the shed and ride them in between that time. Give ‘em a bath? Maybe twice a year, or I’ll hose ‘em down if they’re on the rack when I wash my car. I haven’t washed my car in probably close to a year.

Turning point ahead?

I decided I wanted new handlebars on my single speed. The ones that were on there when I bought it more than a decade ago were short because I cut off the ends for riding in tight single track through trees.

Old handlebars and new handlebars:

I put the new grips on to show some perspective. New grips? I really splurged, deciding that the old ones lived a long enough life, somewhere around 7 years, I think.

Here’s a perspective with the brakes swapped over and old grips removed:

At this point, I went all kinds of crazy and decided to put on new tires. I think it was time for some new ones:

I have no idea how long those tires were on the bike, but let’s say well before the pandemic. Those tubes? Slime tubes. WTF? It’s true, they’ve been in there a long time and were doing fine until I had to remove them and right at the valve stem for both of them, there was green gook. I decided to replace them. I had a tube with a removable valve core for inserting sealant, but I decided I’d keep that one as back up/spare. I inserted 2 new Slime tubes. Why? If the last two lasted 3-4+ years, why not? Gasp — rolling resistance, I know.

While doing all of this bike maintenance, I was thinking that by not replacing things for years, I surely had gotten my money’s worth out of everything, but I wondered how the bike will “perform” with the new stuff on it.

2009 Marin Pine Mountain, 32 x 17

(Obviously, I’m short. Remember when they said short people and 29ers don’t really go well together?)

I turned the cranks, propelling those heavy tubes inside those tires on those rims, and not to forget the new grips and wide bars (perfect for bike packing), and within five minutes of the first ride I said to myself: it’s like I have a new bike.

Now, if I can just bring myself to putting in new brake pads, or do I wait until I’m really grinding metal on metal?!