It may be time for a new bike

[bluegoose]

On Saturday I was doing the fifth of my 6 planned sprints for the day. About 3 pedal strokes in, all of a sudden my drive chain locked up and I started doing a front wheelie. When my back wheel came back down, it was still locked up and I started fishtailing all over the road. I eventually skidded to stop without any further excitement.

I'm not exactly sure what happened. In the process, my rear skewer came out of the rear triangle and landed so the triangle was only hanging onto the outer edge of the quick release piece on the drivetrain side, the chain jumped off the rear cassette, and the rear triangle got bent so that it took two of us cranking on it to get it back on the skewers. The lever on the rear brake also became disengaged in the process.

I was able to make it home okay and haven't had time to check it the bike yet. I was nearing the point of needing a new drive chain, so this may be the perfect time to get a new bike and retire this one to full time trainer duties.

Any ideas as to what may have caused it???

[mtnbiker310]

Sounds like your quick-release quick-released. That creates all sorts of havoc. Could have been loose to start with, and you were just lucky until then, or perhaps you accidentally knocked it open when you stopped for a light. I guess if you have really long clown feet you could knock it open while pedaling . When you start a sprint, you really torque the drive train. When the drive train is skewed, you're, er, skewed, too.

A couple years ago while mtn biking with a group of friends, one guy was having a hard time shifting and pedaling, cussing at his bike, and thought his derailleur was out of adjustment. He kept checking it, but it looked ok to him. At the top of a climb, just before taking a long, fast singletrack descent, everyone was gathered around trying to figure out what the problem was. I was the last one over to him and asked if his skewer was loose. Sure enough, that was the problem. Think of the spill he'd have had if his rear wheel had locked up like yours.

A few months ago my wife complained of poor steering. Same thing: her quick release had come loose. It's always a good idea to check those things at the start of a ride and periodically during a long outing.

BTW, did you see cyclism yesterday on VS where a guy got his wrist stuck in his spokes when he reached back (I assume to clear gunk off his tire)? Nasty. They couldn't get his hand out of the spokes, so they had to cut the spokes. He got something like 28 stitches in his wrist, but was otherwise ok. Very lucky.

[bluegoose]

Thansk for your insights. I rode it on the trainer this morning and everything seems fine. It was shifting well and there were no unusual sounds. I plan to take it on the road later in the week to see how it does. I would love for this bike to get me at least through the winter, and then I can start thinking about a new one for spring.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Thansk for your insights. I rode it on the trainer this morning and everything seems fine. It was shifting well and there were no unusual sounds. I plan to take it on the road later in the week to see how it does. I would love for this bike to get me at least through the winter, and then I can start thinking about a new one for spring.

I think you are being imprudent. An incident like the one you described demands, nay SCREAMS, that you need a new bike. Think of your children! Wihtout delay you shold inform your spouse that a new bike MUST be purchased for the long term weelfare of your family and, in fact, you will need two such bikes, a winter bike and a summer bike. This may be a short term blow to the family budget, but that's why we have energency funds, for just such contingencies.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by creekster

I think you are being imprudent. An incident like the one you described demands, nay SCREAMS, that you need a new bike. Think of your children! Wihtout delay you shold inform your spouse that a new bike MUST be purchased for the long term weelfare of your family and, in fact, you will need two such bikes, a winter bike and a summer bike. This may be a short term blow to the family budget, but that's why we have energency funds, for just such contingencies.

An excellent point creekster! Especially the part about needing 2 bikes instead of one. It was probably all of the road grime I exposed my bike to in the winter that caused this in the first place.

Plus, when she got in a fender bender last year, even though there was no structural damage, the insurance company made us get new car seats for the kids. Why should a bike be any different?

Its for the children.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

An excellent point creekster! Especially the part about needing 2 bikes instead of one. It was probably all of the road grime I exposed my bike to in the winter that caused this in the first place.

Plus, when she got in a fender bender last year, even though there was no structural damage, the insurance company made us get new car seats for the kids. Why should a bike be any different?

Its for the children.

You need a new bike as soon as your wife gets the new couch in the living room.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Archaea

You need a new bike as soon as your wife gets the new couch in the living room.

Actually its new carpet she's after. And once that happens I won't be allowed to ride my trainer in the living room any longer, as that is what caused the problem in the first place.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Actually its new carpet she's after. And once that happens I won't be allowed to ride my trainer in the living room any longer, as that is what caused the problem in the first place.

This is easily solved. After the carpet is installed there will be a few pieces left (can't recall what they call these, but scraps isn't right). Ask to keep these. Cut one to approximate size and put it under your trainer. If you are really set on it, you can get some binding for the piece of carpet as well. DOing ti this way protects the new carpet but doesn't stand out visually. You all win, unless you don't get the new bike due to the carpet.

[mtnbiker310]

You could protect the new carpet and appease her by getting an interlocking mat, like this. My son gave one to my wife and me last Christmas, and it did a great job catching oil that leaked from the trainer and sweat that leaked from me. Pretty cheap, too. Just google for 'exercise mat' or 'interlocking mat'. Set-up and tear down is pretty quick.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by mtnbiker310

You could protect the new carpet and appease her by getting an interlocking mat, like this. My son gave one to my wife and me last Christmas, and it did a great job catching oil that leaked from the trainer and sweat that leaked from me. Pretty cheap, too. Just google for 'exercise mat' or 'interlocking mat'. Set-up and tear down is pretty quick.

ANother excellent idea. Get two bikes and the carpet all at once.