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Shop Talk | Test Rides

Test Rides, I wish that there was a better way for shops to do this. I ride a bike out the door of the work zone into the research zone. No matter how much time or theory I've put into working on a bike there are several factors that change the expected outcome of repair. One of those factors is suspension itself. Another one is the loaded drivetrain.

A bike can be perfect in the repair stand. The shifting can be spot on. Adjustments don't stop there. As soon as a rider gets on their bike the results of repair work are always different. Shifting in the stand is crisp. Shifting on the ground, it's different. After a few cable adjustments and maybe some turns on the limits and B-tension, you might be good to go.

And even after all of that the repair might go back to square one. Why is this not working right? Why are the brakes squealing? And where is that clicking coming from?

Test rides possibly lead to a deep dive and investigation into why things seem to be a bit wonky. The often-over-looked sticky shifting cable or minute wear on one cog of a cassette, glazed brake pads or fluted rotor easily escape initial inspections for repair. Mechanics try to nail this on initial assessments. But sometimes they're pretty sneaky little things.

Test rides involve some hard pedaling, some soft pedaling, high and low cadences, but mostly I cannot take bikes to the trail. This is where all shops struggle to get on a bike that needs work. Test all bikes for 45 minutes on the trail, now we're talking. Nothing compares when it comes to isolating problems.It's just not going to happen.

So, when you pick up your bike from your local shop, provide feedback. They honestly want to know how it rides. They rely on all of this to help work out solutions. I hope that this explanation raises your insight about how repairs can be elusive, even simple ones.

Happy Trails

-- Insight --