( This was suppossed to be Friday 02/29's post.. but I was experienceing resisitance from bogspot...)Yesterday was Beautiful. The wind was 14-16 mph from behind me! The Sun was out. Temperature was perfect at 64. I actually made the light at the end of my bigger hill so I was flying! The left gear was in 3, the right in 6 and the pedals were weightless, almost moving with their own centrifugal momentum. I was stoked and let out a WHOOP!
I felt a TWANG, CRUNCH vibrating somewhere under my seat… Before I could slow down a jerk preempted a horrible loud metal grinding pavement screech! I was now towing my baskets upside down up the street in 5:20 p.m.traffic with no bike lane. The %^$#%$^#metal bracket attaching the front of the rear rack to the seat post had snapped. Even if I had had bungies, or zip ties they would not have functioned for a temporary mend.
I called 3 people and after no answers, began walking. AKWARDLY. Flames erupting from the top of my head, I began trudging along; the left hand trying to steer... the right hand trying to hold the &^*&^&^% loaded baskets to the seat of the bike. A friend returned her missed call! After we wedged The Beast into her CRV, we headed over to the unsuspecting retailer of the apprehensible equipment.
Luckily the lovely companionable stroll with The Beast had given me adequate time to cool down. The door was still unlocked, so in we rolled. Initially the shop guy indicated that he thought I must be ‘overloading or misusing’ the rack & basket set-up. Mute testimony of day’s load was still tied in and offered contradiction.
End result: Cheap full suspension bike frames from Target engage in lots of vertical flexing. I purchased the wrong equipment for my bike. Neither the bike shop, nor the more knowledgeable folk around me, caught this error. New bruises and a few bloody scratches give witness that ignorance is not bliss. I owe Robert, the shop guy some serious appreciation for rigging a double metal replacement for the snapped part... and I still have to save for a new rack as this was a temporary fix. Worse, I am going to look like a 13 year old tomboy that was caught and roped into a silk dress at the wedding I will be attending this weekend!
Showing posts with label equipment frustration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label equipment frustration. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Monday07/14 My Bike is a Lugging Hunk of S***!!
Recall from Friday, that the dang screws came out of the rear basket arms & I lost the rear light (which Brett found while biking for a haircut at lunch). We zip tied the basket & I made it home fine. Even completed a leisurely pedal over to the library on Sat.
Monday morning starts out looking good. Its 34 degrees, wind is 5 mph NNE. My 8-5 clothes & lunch are packed. Attire is those orange quick dry shorts, squishy socks, a maroon long sleeve, & the Aaron sweater, with isotoner gloves, helmet(no wollen). 6:45 hop on the raised seat, start pedaling. About 1.5 miles later, I am Swearing in whatever language comes to mind first! The loud noise of basket arms scraping the tires, The rack & light bouncing heavily on the rear tire stop me. Ignorance is NOT Bliss.( I need to learn all about bike maintence….)
I’m closer to home then I am work. I turn around & start humping back, shoving the dreadful contraption alongside me. I walk then run, then walk. Pushing along my hulking worthless brute of a bike. Right now I am hating it! The only thing I am feeling grateful for is the cool temperature and maybe the hope that I won’t be late.
It’s my last week to have access to a neighbor’s car. I had planned not to use it for work at all this week. Plans hold no power over the universe; one should simply just be. (prepared for anything and accepting of all). A pocket knife isn’t always the right tool, even if it is the only tool you have.
I had thought to broach a scary subject I contemplated some more this weekend It won’t overcook for being simmered another week. But if my poor chubby, underworked body can pedal 16 miles per day…. I wonder what else I can do… and what all these similar overfed folks can do that they are just unaware of. I have always said that just because I had a layer of fat (for that nuc-cle-ear winter (say it like GW)) doesn’t mean I don’t have any muscle. Now I am developing some slow wind (endurance?)
It’s a perfect afternoon for a pedal home, no wind, 51 degrees, and I will be driving. I won’t get to smile at the cute little dashund, or test my timing against the lights.
Today began frustrating. I have struggled with that emotional set the entire day. I need to pedal or walk or something, my neck is tight.
Tomorrows’ another opportunity.
Monday morning starts out looking good. Its 34 degrees, wind is 5 mph NNE. My 8-5 clothes & lunch are packed. Attire is those orange quick dry shorts, squishy socks, a maroon long sleeve, & the Aaron sweater, with isotoner gloves, helmet(no wollen). 6:45 hop on the raised seat, start pedaling. About 1.5 miles later, I am Swearing in whatever language comes to mind first! The loud noise of basket arms scraping the tires, The rack & light bouncing heavily on the rear tire stop me. Ignorance is NOT Bliss.( I need to learn all about bike maintence….)
I’m closer to home then I am work. I turn around & start humping back, shoving the dreadful contraption alongside me. I walk then run, then walk. Pushing along my hulking worthless brute of a bike. Right now I am hating it! The only thing I am feeling grateful for is the cool temperature and maybe the hope that I won’t be late.
It’s my last week to have access to a neighbor’s car. I had planned not to use it for work at all this week. Plans hold no power over the universe; one should simply just be. (prepared for anything and accepting of all). A pocket knife isn’t always the right tool, even if it is the only tool you have.
I had thought to broach a scary subject I contemplated some more this weekend It won’t overcook for being simmered another week. But if my poor chubby, underworked body can pedal 16 miles per day…. I wonder what else I can do… and what all these similar overfed folks can do that they are just unaware of. I have always said that just because I had a layer of fat (for that nuc-cle-ear winter (say it like GW)) doesn’t mean I don’t have any muscle. Now I am developing some slow wind (endurance?)
It’s a perfect afternoon for a pedal home, no wind, 51 degrees, and I will be driving. I won’t get to smile at the cute little dashund, or test my timing against the lights.
Today began frustrating. I have struggled with that emotional set the entire day. I need to pedal or walk or something, my neck is tight.
Tomorrows’ another opportunity.
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