Cycling Story
Sorry about the lack of posts on this blog. The last time I had a chance to update the Internet cafe had blocked so much stuff It could would not work.
As you will probably know I am cycling to Australia via Siberia. The first part of the route is a training exercise to get me fit enough to face to extreme rigours to follow. This is the story of one day's cycling on a fairly easy part of the route at the end of July.
I set off in the morning with the usual rattles, nothing to worry about yet just the mugguard catching the slightly buckled back wheel.
10km into the ride halfway up the first little hill the rattle changed dramatically, the bolt holding the rear pannier rack sheared off, I had to push the bike up the rest of the hill. Had a bit of luck as the remainder of the bolt was easy to remove and I had another bolt. Unfortunately this was too long as it would have been in the way of the gears and chain. I trimed off the excess with my trusty Leatherman and cleaned up the thread. Difficult to get it in the hole straight but seemed to manage. SNAP. The head of this one also sheared off while I was tightening up and it was impossible to get the body of the bolt out this time.
Time for a quick bodge, screwed the pannier rack into the hole for the mudguard and taped the mudguard back on with Gaffer tape, Good enough to carry on (still like that now after more than another 1000km).
50km into the day, speeometer starts to behave irratically showing speeds from 3 to 135 km/hr for the same peddaling! Eventually it gives up after several resets and fresh batteries!!
70km: Flat tire, tried pumping it up just to get to a better place to fix it, no joy (why should I have any luck today). I replace the tube with a brand new one with some gue in to stop punctured being a problem in future, while being eaten alive by midges and horse flies with the ants investigating everything. Rear wheel back on, pump it up and the valve comes away from the tube!!! This is getting a little frustrating. Start again with another new tube. I managed to escape and insects and finish the rest of the ride that day without any further major mishaps
Next installment as soon as I can.
As you will probably know I am cycling to Australia via Siberia. The first part of the route is a training exercise to get me fit enough to face to extreme rigours to follow. This is the story of one day's cycling on a fairly easy part of the route at the end of July.
I set off in the morning with the usual rattles, nothing to worry about yet just the mugguard catching the slightly buckled back wheel.
10km into the ride halfway up the first little hill the rattle changed dramatically, the bolt holding the rear pannier rack sheared off, I had to push the bike up the rest of the hill. Had a bit of luck as the remainder of the bolt was easy to remove and I had another bolt. Unfortunately this was too long as it would have been in the way of the gears and chain. I trimed off the excess with my trusty Leatherman and cleaned up the thread. Difficult to get it in the hole straight but seemed to manage. SNAP. The head of this one also sheared off while I was tightening up and it was impossible to get the body of the bolt out this time.
Time for a quick bodge, screwed the pannier rack into the hole for the mudguard and taped the mudguard back on with Gaffer tape, Good enough to carry on (still like that now after more than another 1000km).
50km into the day, speeometer starts to behave irratically showing speeds from 3 to 135 km/hr for the same peddaling! Eventually it gives up after several resets and fresh batteries!!
70km: Flat tire, tried pumping it up just to get to a better place to fix it, no joy (why should I have any luck today). I replace the tube with a brand new one with some gue in to stop punctured being a problem in future, while being eaten alive by midges and horse flies with the ants investigating everything. Rear wheel back on, pump it up and the valve comes away from the tube!!! This is getting a little frustrating. Start again with another new tube. I managed to escape and insects and finish the rest of the ride that day without any further major mishaps
Next installment as soon as I can.
posted by MikeL at 3:25 AM
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