On May 21, 7:24*pm, SMS wrote:
Peter Cole wrote:
I blame the parents. If the parents (dads, to be sexist) don't
understand simple bike operation & maintenance, how can they teach their
kids?

I blame the Japanese vehicle manufacturers. Here's why. Back in the days
when everyone owned American cars (or English or German cars as the case
may be), it was very common to do your own maintenance, and cars needed
a lot of it. ...

Then the Japanese auto companies began exporting much more reliable
vehicles that needed much less maintenance, and the U.S. and European
companies copied their efforts. Now there's not only a lot less stuff
the home mechanic needs to do...

That's certainly part of it!

My brothers and I had a paper route (delivering by bikes, naturally).
When I started the route, we had 49 customers. By the time the
youngest gave it up there were hundreds of customers, and the younger
brothers were hiring kids to help them.

Anyway, the first car I had was an old Fiat sedan. That's where I
learned to do brakes, wheel bearings, head gaskets, new pistons,
exhausts, etc. etc.

By the time one of my younger brothers was able to drive, he was able
to buy a barely-used Toyota. Nothing on that car ever seemed to
break.

To this day, I'm a far better mechanic than he is. He blames the
Toyota.

- Frank Krygowski