This article is all about the ongoing (non-) maintenance at my OnTheRoad 4.0 superbicycle.
Maintenance ? What maintenance !
I assembled the OnTheRoad 4.0 early 2017 and this is the maintenance- and troubles-history
up to the end of 2025 :
The listing, up to date, sorted by parts :
Punctures :
- 2018 (1x), 2021, 2022, 2023 (3x, end of life of all sparetubes), 2025 (4x, tubes were destroyed
by extremely non-willing new Schwalbe Mondial tires that were extremely hard to get on (over) the rim)
Mirrors :
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
A chinese type now functions oké since 2023.
Ringers :
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
Very many, maybe 10 or so in total.
Every type (sure !) with a circular spring fails soon.
Grips :
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.
They just melt in the very hot Spanish sunny climate !
The more comfortable (soft) they are the more fast they desintegrate.
Pedals :
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023.
They almost always knack knack and knack, and so does then your mind ...
Brakepads :
- 2019, 2021, 2023.
About 4 sets, of which the first set was already a used set.
Brakediscs :
- 2026.
I replaced both discs when I noticed a promotion for new ones.
Both discs were already on the road since 2015 or so whne still on another bike.
The minimal thickness should be 1.5mms and the old ones were actually not worn at all.
Just to be sure.
Bicycle computers :
- 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023.
Some were to difficult to use or to read, one was not waterproof (...), one arrived defect,
and the one I have now does not function anymore as soon as I install my right frontbag.
Bicyclelocks :
- 2020, 2025.
I lost a key of the first lock in 2019 and therefor decided to buy a new lock.
Some 4 years later (in 2025) I lost (forgot) the chainlock that I combine with it
so I decided to buy a new set once more.
Pinion gearbox :
- I changed the oil every year.
- I had it overhauled early 2025 at the factory since one oilseal failed.
Gearshifter :
- 2020.
I bought the new Ergon type 2 shifter early 2020 since the type 1 was a disaster concerning grip.
Type 2 is absolutely oké but the gearindicatorring is not.
It lost it's black color and is gold colored since then.
This means I can't read the numbers on it anymore, but I put some of them on it with a black marker.
Gates belt(drive) :
- Still going strong, not any problem and no wear to be seen (except for it's color) !
Tires :
- 2025.
Replacement by the end of 2025, used one sparetyre of 2017 and one newly bought tyre.
Dynamohub :
- 2021.
The dynamohub failed already in 2021 and that caused also the frontlight to stop functioning.
And even worse my special electrical multifunctional Black Box 2 (BB2) got useless then.
I did not replace the dynamohub since I then had to rebuild the whole wheel (which I see as a risc).
Lights :
- I replaced the rearlight in 2023 because the switch was not doing well.
And I replaced the frontlight early 2026 for a battery-operated type (since the dynamohub
had failed already many years ago).
Stands :
- A whole lot !
I guess I tested some 6 stands in total and most of them were not able to hold
the 67kgs of the bicycle.
Since some 3 years I have 2 stands installed that still do the job.
One of them has a double mountingplate in the reartriangle of the frame.
Saddles :
- 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025.
The spanish sun eats saddles !
The first one was a re-used one from an earlier bike of mine and cracked after about one summer.
I re-bought the same type but it cracked already after one year.
I then bought an expensive one which showed strange damages after some months and it was replaced for free.
The cover of that one cracked after about two summers.
After which I bought my first leather saddle early 2025 which is still doing oké.
The listing, up to date, sorted by calendar :
2018 :
- First puncture at the rear (a small piece of wire).
- 2018, 2019, 2021 : Replaced the mirror
(b+m CycleStar, BTwin, Zefal, bad fixations, corroding glass).
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 : Replaced the grips
(Ergon, BTwin, SQLab711, heavy wear due to melting).
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 : Replaced the pedals
(no-name, no-name, Decathlon, Decathlon,
Truvativ Hussefelt, knacking and/or no grip).
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2019 :
- 2018, 2019, 2021 : Replaced the mirror
(b+m CycleStar, BTwin, Zefal, bad fixations, corroding glass).
- Replaced bicyclecomputer (to complicated type).
- Replaced the first brakepads at the front.
They were already for 50% worneout at time of installing,
replaced them for another already 50% wornout set.
- Replaced the first brakepads at the rear.
They were already for 50% worneout at time of installing, replaced for another already for 50% worneout old set.
- Replaced the first (several years old) Selle Italia saddle for a (same) new one (cracks in the cover).
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2020 :
- 2018, 2019, 2021 : Replaced the mirror
(b+m CycleStar, BTwin, Zefal, bad fixations, corroding glass).
- Replaced bicyclecomputer (not watertight, "china export" "quality").
- Replaced the bicyclelock for the same type since I had lost one key
so I did not have a spare key anymore.
A new key costs €12 and a new lock costs €26.
It has an anti-theft safetyclass of 15 (the max), also for myself ...
- Replaced the second Selle Italia saddle for a SQLab 604 saddle (cracks in the cover).
- A 4cm spot of rust on a rearrack-tube turned up.
Most likely caused by a missed spot during gridblasting and degreasing
before the special powdercoating was applied.
- Replaced the original Pinion gearshifter for the new version 2.
Version 1 offers no grip at all when wet (and it always is because of sweating).
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2021 :
- 2018, 2019, 2021 : Replaced the mirror
(b+m CycleStar, BTwin, Zefal, bad fixations, corroding glass).
- Replaced bicyclecomputer (since the new one I ordered arrived defect already).
- Replaced those front and rear already for 50% wornedout brakepads
for (the first) new sets.
- Replaced the SQLab 604 saddle for the new SQLab 602 model
(but for guarantee, it was damaged when the bike fell over).
- Replaced the Vaude panniers because of cracked, leaking walls
(most likely caused by overloading, but for guarantee, all four bags).
- Shutter Precision PD-8 dynamo fail.
(not replaced, solarpanels with batterychargers and powerbank do for all usb-stuff).
- First puncture at the front (thorn).
- Schwalbe Marathon fronttyre still has 75% profile and Schwalbe Marathon reartyre
still has 50% profile.
- Gates belt and sprockets have no visible wear.
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2022 :
- Replaced the 3th set of grips (SQLab 711, very heavy wear) by the old BTwins I still had.
There profile more or less stopped melting since there is was profile anymore.
- Replaced the 4th set of pedals (no grip).
- Gates belt and sprockets still have no visible wear.
- Schwalbe Marathon fronttyre still has 50% profile and Schwalbe Marathon reartyre still has 25% profile.
- Second puncture at the rear (thorn).
The luggagestraps wrapped themselfs into the rearwheel and the brakecaliper since I forgot to knot them together.
- Gates belt and sprockets still have no visible wear.
- Replaced the 4th mirror (Zefal Espion Z56, reflecting coating completely corroded).
Although still within guarantee Rose Bikes never replied to my 4 emails.
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2023 pre-season :
- Replaced the pedals for a Race Face Chester set.
This is the 6th set (of 4 other, different types and brands) I think in 5 years ...
- Oil-change
- Schwalbe Marathon fronttyre still has 75% profile and Schwalbe Marathon reartyre still has 33% profile.
- Replaced the 5 degrees handlebar for a more comfortable 15 degrees one.
Time will tell, I will keep the old one for the time being.
- Replaced bicyclecomputer for (finally) a decent one : the Sigma BC 10.0.
- Installed another second stand (with a double mountingplate).
- Installed a new (rechargable) headlight, but already after 3 months the rubberstrap broke.
- Installed a new (2 x AA powered) rearlight.
- Replaced the mirror (for the 5th time ...).
- Repainted the rear luggagerack since the powerpaint came loose.
- Replaced the rear brakepads (for used ones) since I did not succeed to get rid of there terrible screaming.
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2023 in-season :
- A spontanious flat tyre occured, while not cycling.
The tube showed a strange 1cm thorn that I repaired.
After re-install pumping had no effect and I discovered more thorns although just only beginning.
The rubbermaterial was at it's end of life, also of the two sparetubes I had available.
So I lost three tubes at once and could only buy a chinese new one.
- Replaced the used rear brakepads for new ones but had lots of problems
to get the brakecaliper aligned correctly.
This happens everytime (in 12+ years with this caliper at 3 bicycles)
and has to do with a productionfailure at the caliper.
The mountingsurface is not fully flat to the bicycleframe(s).
2024 :
- Not anything wrong happened with the On The Road 4.0.
- Only the saddle cracked over some 2cms, which I "repaired" with superglue.
- Oilchange for the gearbox
2025 pre-season :
- Preseason I had the
P1.18 gearbox overhauled 🖱️
since one oilseal failed.
- I also
replaced the saddle 🖱️
for my first leather one.
It functioned very well and did not cause soakingproblems.
Simply since I had no rain nor condensation all year ...
- Not anything wrong happened with the OnTheRoad 4.0 inseason.
- Wintertime I replaced the tyres*, brakediscs*, headlight*, lock* and bell (* since 2017).
They caused no failure(s) but were at there end of life (or simular).
2025 in-season :
- Not anything wrong happened with the OnTheRoad 4.0 inseason.
- Wintertime I replaced the tyres*, brakediscs*, headlight*, lock* and bell
(* first time since 2017).
They caused no failure(s) but (maybe) were at there end of life (or simular).
Tip : you find all the related longterm reviews of the parts in the Menu.
