Eilenberger to the white courtesy phone, please

[ultracyclist]

Per Paul Glaves, you possess a technique of estimating the mileage on bikes by looking at the knurling on the brake pedal.

Please share this with us.

Thank you and Happy New Year

[deilenberger]

Think of it as an educated WAG.. :dance It undoubtably is more accurate than relying on the odometer of a 1985 model year K unless you've owned it since new.

It involved the wear on the rear brake pedal - the forward outside corner (where you press it the hardest).

No discernable wear - under 20k miles. By 20k, the nubbies are starting to show some difference from the unworn ones on the diagonally opposite corner.

Some smoothing - they aren't as sharp feeling as they used to be - 20-40k miles.

Smoothing of the tops, but less than 30% worn, 40-60k miles.

More than 50% worn, but still distinct nubbies - 60-100k miles.

Nubbies almost gone on that corner - can be anywhere over 100k miles.

This is based on observing quite a few K bikes where I knew what the mileage was (despite what the odometer said.) Problem with odometers was rampant on the '85 model year bikes, and not hugely better on '86-87. I think by 1990 the reliability had increased markedly.

This is a case where "YMMV" - and it most certainly will.

HTH,

[PGlaves]

Thanks Don!

[ultracyclist]

Unbelievable!

[35634]

Eureka! I just bought a new brake pedal and my 200k brick is good as new!

[deilenberger]

Eureka! I just bought a new brake pedal and my 200k brick is good as new!We need a photo of your pedal so it can be added to the equation :)

[sjbmw]

http://paris15info.blogspirit.com/images/medium_sherlock-holmes.jpg

[rdalland]

Hi Don,

Here's a photo of my original brake pedal on my '95 K75RT:

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/448557333_UGVrp-L.jpg

What's My Mileage?

[deilenberger]

Hi Reid!

Looks to be around 40,000 miles - or you don't use the rear brake much.

[ultracyclist]

What on Earth have I started?

I propose:
---a new column in the ON called "What' on your pedal?". Members (contestants?) submit pics of their brake pedals and the columnist guesses the mileage.

---a new event at the national. Eilenberger guesses the mileage. The difference between the actual vs the guess is worth a buck a mile. The owner of the bike will donate that sum to the MOA Foundation. If Ellenberger guesses to within 2k miles of the actual, then he buys beers for everyone within a 100 meter radius of the event venue at the national. What could be more fair?

[cjack]

Hi Reid!

Looks to be around 40,000 miles - or you don't use the rear brake much.

But does he wear shoes?

[rdalland]

Hi Reid!

Looks to be around 40,000 miles - or you don't use the rear brake much.

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/448562298_F9vkD-L.jpg

60k, but you are right, the rear brake doesn't get a lot of use.

Thanks for playing!

[deilenberger]

Be a bit easier to tell with a photo of the front outside edge nubbies. That's where the wear really shows.

Hmm... I like the contest idea for the national, lemme see if the MOA will pay for the beers... :laugh

[MotorradMike]

Hmmm

I think my wife is lying about her age. She doesn't have a brake pedal soooo...

Delicate question.



What do you need?

[deilenberger]

Hmmm

I think my wife is lying about her age. She doesn't have a brake pedal soooo...

Delicate question.

What do you need?
Send nude pichers..

Just kidding.. we don't wanna go there..

[cayuse60]

The rear brake?????? You need that only to hold a bike at a traffic light at an incline:laugh :laugh :laugh

...or ride in the dirt. :usa