TIL I've adjusted over 200 derailleurs this year and that's way more than I thought

I was going through my work orders for the year just to see how business was going and I counted up all the derailleur adjustments I did. 217 total so far in 2023. That's almost one per day if I worked every day. It really hit me how much of this job is just fine tuning cables and limit screws. Most people bring their bike in thinking they need a whole new drivetrain and it's just a loose cable or a bent hanger. Has anyone else kept track of a specific repair they do way more often than they expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_murray12d ago

You said "most people don't realize" but honestly, I think a lot of us do realize that stuff, we just get busy or lazy (or both, let's be real). I've been working on my own bikes for years and I definitely know a loose cable from a worn chain, but sometimes I'll still bring it in because I don't have the right tool or I just don't want to deal with it. Not everyone who walks in your shop is clueless, some of us just value our time differently than you do. And the "ready to drop hundreds" part feels a little judgey, you know? Sometimes people have the money and just want the peace of mind of a fresh drivetrain instead of a patch job that might need tweaking again in a month. It's cool that you can fix it fast, but acting like everyone who doesn't do that is ignorant rubs me the wrong way.

finley_roberts2712d ago

And the thing is, most people don't realize how much a simple cable stretch or a slightly bent derailleur hanger can mess up their shifting. I've been doing this long enough to where I can spot a loose cable from across the shop, but it still surprises me how often folks come in ready to drop hundreds on a new groupset when it's a five minute fix. The limit screws are another one, you'd be amazed how many times someone's adjusted them just a hair too far and now their chain is jumping off in the lowest gear. Keep a spare hanger or two in your toolbox, by the way, they bend easier than most people expect and it saves a whole lot of headaches.