Planned obsolescence in cycling

Yeah but everyone had 130 bcd cranks (fuck off Campag). So you're already talking about the big shift to Compact cranksets that happened in the late 2000s.

Much later they "improved" the crankset design by making it asym 4-bolt.

I don't see how any of this is planned obs though, because you can choose to buy either and it's not like the cranks stop working after x number of kilometres (oh wait, Shimano hollowtech might haha)

I think I've got my bikes down to these:
2x/3x 9s MTB ?bcd (Old MTBs in Aus and Poland)
12s DM MTBs
P2M DM gravel (think its Rotor equiv?)
5-bolt 130bcd (Cannondale SiSL on Shiv, Shimano 10s roadie in Oz)
5-bolt 110bcd (Rotor P2M, Quarq PM)
4-bolt 110bcd (GRX, DA9000)
FSA Gossamer ABS (110bcd asym) for 32T that came on the Sequoia that's on the Tripster in Poland now

God bless TA specialties.

A modern(ish) carbon campag record 53/39 strangely didn't have enough clearance on my MGOOF corsa extra build under the front mech. TA specialties do a replacement 50t ring which not only fitted but has been a godsend from a riding perspective.

I've been making an active effort in recent years to - when possible - only buy from manufacturers who make a point of providing spare parts for at least 10 years, i.e. Hope. My Nicolai/Geometron bike uses normal bearings, normal o-rings, external routing, and the geometry hasn't changed in nine years as most brands are only just starting to mimic it. I do think wireless shifting is excellent, but we need to start holding brands accountable for refusing to provide basic spares - I recently fixed my "broken" AXS rear mech with a part that cost 80 pence RRP but SRAM don't offer it as a spare because then you'd realise how cheaply they're made.

The planet is fucked, we let that happen by allowing companies to operate their businesses like this by continuing to support them.

accountable for refusing to provide basic spares

I think you have to include batteries in this. At somepoint they're going to change them, and the older ones will be hard to find.

I reckon in 25 years every single existing wireless groupset will be in landfill, or on bikes that won't be used because there are hardly any working batteries that hold their charge left.

Maybe that's a bit dramatic (it probably is), but it highlights that the problem and why I don't think general consumers should be using electric gearing. In my mind it's just a reason to sell someone a new bike, remember they make money by new bikes, not by people keeping old bikes.

Meanwhile I'd wager there will still be fully working mechanical groupsets still operating perfectly, including ones that might even be 'old' now.

Amen, I rarely need to use a 52T, especially on touring/exploring type rides, so I run a 48/34 on a 5-bolt 110mm square taper crank. That also allows me to get the narrowest chainline possible; because I very rarely use the 2 smallest sprockets (even with a 48T chainring) I don't care about having perfect-on-paper chainline, it works better 95% of the time to have a straighter chainline to the bigger sprockets. Obviously none of that is possibly with external BBs.

😂

We did it to ourselves

So true.

I recently fixed my "broken" AXS rear mech with a part that cost 80 pence RRP but SRAM don't offer it as a spare because then you'd realise how cheaply they're made.

Did you post this somewhere? I don't own AXS (yet) but if I do I want to know if I can fix it.

I don't think general consumers should be using electric gearing

I'm a general consumer and I use electronic shifting on almost all my bikes for a number of reasons I've posted all over this forum and others for years. Mechanical shifting might have the higher longevity but I'm going to choose the option that works better and causes less pain.

I also have 20 year old bikes with basically the original mechanical shifting still working just fine on them.

What to do... what to do...

Funny this... I was in my local London bike shop yesterday and was talking about my plans for my groad bike... plan is to go minimal carbon, mechanical groupset etc... we went over to look at a new Cannondale with 12 speed Sram and he said that it was a really good groupset etc. I said I'd be going for 11 speed as one more gear isn't worth spending another £600... he then said, thing is, if you don't go for the latest and greatest, then you won't be able to get chains etc because they'll become obsolete.

I rarely need to use a 52T

I've run a 46T on my road bikes for years now and will still out-sprint most of this forum.

Come at me! :P

none of that is possibly with external BBs.

Wait, what?

Funny, I've been able to buy 10s chains for my 20 year old Tarmac and 11s chains for all my other bikes. It was the fucking 12s MTB chains that I couldn't get hold of during lockdown!

Also, hard fuck SRAM with their stupid chains.

you won't be able to get chains etc because they'll become obsolete

Maybe not chains, but try buying an 11spd Di2 shifter. Oh wait, you can't, because Shimano discontinued them.

Eh? I literally just covered my new (planned obsolete) Crux in 11s Di2. It was GRX Di2 if that makes a difference?

If you can use a hot stick to turn metal into liquid and drop it onto tiny fiddly as fuck little springs, then yes, you can

I am good at melting things. Less good with fiddly things. But I am stubborn and my partner is patient so we can probably achieve the end goal necessary.

Top tip: shouting "ah you fuck" at it doesn't help, but it makes you feel better whilst trying. Godspeed!

I think you're missing a word for the repair manual, no? It's fuck you you fucking fuck! when dealing with fiddly bike parts :)

Are we still talking about bike repair?

It's like he'd never heard of KMC!

It's like he'd never heard of KMC!

He must've missed the Last Train To Trancentral

are there any options for recycling cracked carbon components?

You can repair carbon but I don't know about recycling. It's basically sheets glued together right? So unless you can do something with the object itself (TT brake levers as bog roll holders) I'm not sure.