It was a mechanical nightmare out there today.
I had barely gone a few hundred yards when the wipperman link on my chain snapped. It is not the first time this has happened. The last time was going up the col de la croix de feck in the alps.
Has anyone else had a problem with them. On one of my other bikes i have a kmc link and that has never had a prob.
Anyhoo i waved everyone on saying "just go - i'll hook in with another group.
Mike I turned round and said , "do you have a chain tool"- yeah 'course i do.
I opened up the backpack to find moths flying and no tool- not even the spare link i always carry!
Plenty of wisecracks and helpful suggestions came from the other groups, that really helped
So after a few mins, well ok 10 of 'em orft we went. It was a mad dash- pride was at stake- we could not possibly be last to the cafe.
We both treated it as 2up TT, making sure each other was well and truly hurt by whoever was on the front.
We caught the J4F group as they stopped for a puncture, just before the 3 humps in redhill.
Mike made me hurt even more as we went up the hills.
We caught Tims group on the road to Leigh, and then sat in for a mile to recover a bit, then hammer down and we were away again.
When riding a 2up there is nowhere to hide- its always your turn next.
We caught Montys group just before Newdigate as they dealt with their groups mechs.
Well we cant be far off of our original group now for sure, this seemed to lift us a bit, then up in the clearing a vision - one of our group, at the side of the road- gottem!
Alas it was just Ajay- he had had a mechanical as well- two punctured legs
.
The 3 of us set off for charlwood via lambs green, sharing the work, i did not contest the sprint- Mike was there
- i did not want to break my chain repair
Arrived at the cafe at the perfect time, just before our original group.
Cake and tea for Mike was in order- he saved my CR- and gave me a lesson in cadence as well.
Charlwood cakes have come on in leaps and bounds in the past few months- lets hope they get a decent coffee machine next- p'raps the club should fund it!
Super speedy ride back from the cafe, shadow, graham o and phil were dishing out the pain.
Alan and i just about hung on.
"Old" mercury mc gave me a lesson in cadence on the way home as well.
Good day out again.
Many thanks to mike for stopping to help me out.