Don't read the Newspaper while riding!!!

[siwickm]

I got clobbered last night with a nightmare mechanical all down to a newspaper. I was cycling home down the lovely A23 and had just got to the top of Brixton hill.

As I came across the top of the hill a innocuous newspaper, didn't notice what it was, probably the Sun, blew in the high winds into my rear spokes. It then worked its way round the wheel, lifted up my rear derailler which then snapped off.

Hmm, that was fun, I soon came to a standstill and still perplexed as to what had happened didn't take my feet out of the pedals quick enough and slowly fell onto the ground, to a couple of people standing by the side of the roads amusement.

Now anyone who knows me I am useless at DIY and anything mechanical, but not to be put off I thought that with a bit of jiggery pockery I could turn by trusty steed into a single gear for the remainder of the journey.

So managed to eventually work out how to break the chain, ripped off the rear derailler and then shortened the chain and put it back together. This sounds all very easy except:

1. Some passer by told me I should take the chain right off and put it together, which those experienced will know that is dumb, and therefore I had to take the chain back apart and redo this with the chain on the bike.

2. Putting a chain together in high winds with no experience of doing this is bliming difficult.

3. I slightly damaged one link as I put it on and this meant that after about 10 pedal revolutions the chain snapped in this place.

4. I then eventually got it going, but had taken out links so that I could only ride in the hardest gear.

After leaving work at 5.30pm I got home at 9.00pm. I think that is the longest that it has ever taken me to do 20miles, but at least I felt a sense of achievement in the fact that the bike did not fall apart going up my hill close to home, and I managed to heave myself up it in the hardest gear.

Anyone else had similar fun experiences of major mechanicals but managing to cobble something together to get home?

[Jon H]

Lucky you had a chain tool with you. I learned that lesson when I snapped a chain and had to walk home.

[siwickm]

8mph average is surely dependant on the terrain. The hill that I live up would probably give me an average of 8mph going backwards. Have you ever hobby horsed it home along the A23?

[siwickm]

I will have to see if I can find that multitool with the handy hidden zip ties and duct tape attachment.

Then next time I will be fine. Marco, I was happy with the make shift job that I did, although it did take me a hell of a long time.

[siwickm]

I think we should call you Zippy from now on!!!

[Jon H]

Definitely agree with you on the Zip ties Marco - I always have a few in my tool kit. Fixed my lights back on with those when the bracket fell apart, and my mudguards are permanently attached with zip ties. Also used them to fit a bottle cage to a frame without braze-ons.

[Jon H]

I walked part of the way home in the blizzard last Wednesday when my almost slick tyres became fairly useless on the snow. If I'd thought about it and had enough zip-ties I could have wrapped then around the tyre and rim to make diy snow chains. Braking would have been pretty difficult though!

[Rob]

back when i started biking as an off roader, was out with sunday mtb group, and some how broke a pedal!!! marco amazed me back then with his zip tie skills!!

[Rob]

i think it come about because i was jelous that teh like of jason you and joe could approach a fallen large branch etc and jump it where as i needed to get off and walk it...so in my attempts to copy you i urm....lol....smashed the pedal...

trying to copy you guys..memories of me hitting that jump and landing chin first...ouch!