The only exercise I am able to enjoy and pursue is cycling. It gives me a rush and inspires me to ride everyday. Lance is also an inspiration. His first book is required reading for my first semester students. Now to my query/rant, have you ever had a chain *POP* over your largest gear of your rear cluster? In my four years of serious cycling this has never before happened. Well, it happened two days ago and in the process caused the following failures: -Put rear wheel out of true -Stretched chain so badly it need replacing -Bent the rear derailleur axle to the point of needing replacement -Over stretched the derailleur cable to the point of replacement -AND WORST OF ALL; it broke the little clear plastic guard that protects the spokes Thank you for allowing me this moment: P.S. And oh, by the way, my car was in the shop too. :? But the sun is out, my car is back in the garage, my bike ready to ride and I’ve got a date with my wife for tonight.
Scott : Wow. I've blown a chain a couple of times in years past, but you hit the trifecta with this one, sadly not with a payoff for you, but for the repair shop. Were you pulling hard uphill or on a sprint and shifted or something ? John P.
Scott, I can tell you a dozen "popping chain" stories you won't believe!!! :shock: What has happened to you for the first time in four years, is happening to me at least in 1 out of 5 downhills... Oh, did I mention I'm an MTB rider... ;-) Enjoy your date tonight...
John, I had just reached the peak of a nearby hill in Provo Canyon, Utah. I dismounted to stretch my legs and as I remounted and clipped in, the chain jumped on the first pedal push. I was able to complete my ride and actually reached 48 mph on the way home until a car slowed me down. :? However not all was too bad. The cost of replacement and labor was about $160.00 US. And that was for Dura Ace components!
First rule about serious cycling is always to remove that cheesy plastic guard on the end of the cogset! I've been cycling for years, and it seems about once every 3 months something like you described above happens to me...the worst ever was when it caused me to crash and ruin my eddy merckx prized frame's rear triangle, i was crushed!
I love it when the MTB riders try to grab my wheel when going up the canyons near here. I can hear them shifting and shifting and shifting. Eventually I loose them and their 'plush' machines but I swear they must have 30 gears on those things. But, best of all, when chatting with them they make it a point to show me all the scars on their legs and arms etc. Yeah, that sells me on moutaining biking... in return I show them all the bugs on my face and helmet. 8) Ride safe and be careful.
An eddy merckx frame, that must have been some chain pop. You must have much stronger legs than I to pop your chain that often. And, I agree about the cheesy plastic guard. But, I have to admit it helped protect my spokes to a degree. The new one I have is less conspicious and semi-cool. 8) I used to have similiar problems with my Ultegra components but, since I upgraded to the new Dura Ace I have had very very few problems. After about 3800 miles on this compenent set I've had to replace the chain four times and the rear derailleur cogs once. So did you replace your rear triangle and continue riding?
Nope, it was too expensive to fix back when I was 18 so the frame sits in it's original box in my garage... I ride a hand-me-down Pinarello treviso frame with mix and match old and updated campy record components, I am so over due for an update it's almost fun now to be riding a classic! I'm only ride twice a week now as my commute is kinda crazy but I'm hoping to get more time in the saddle... My main reason for riding is for zone training for riding motocross
Scott, I too am a cyclist and ride a Bianchi that is Campagnolla Record equipped with a Time carbon front fork. Since moving here to southern Utah my riding has fallen off dramatically. First of all the roads are not road bike friendly; i.e., poor or no room for the bike. The drivers are not used to road bikes and feel that they are an affront to the drivers "right of way." There are many rock on the sides of the road that are death on a road bikes tires and it is just not a friendly place to ride. I moved here from California where it is a bike riders paradise. For me to ride here is to take my life in my hands and I am not up to the challenge. Southern Utah is a mountain bike riders mecca where there are many off road trails and I am just not into that.
Gave up the racer years ago, went for a Trek MTB after racer wheel got caught in a rain grate and threw me into the path of an oncoming car. Lucky the guy saw me and slammed on the brakes! Broken clavicle so I got away lucky. MTB can carry my gear and me over the rain grates but since rollerblading and kayaking, the bike use has fallen off. There are only so many daylight hours and only so many hobbies! *LOL* My latest love is on the water so the bike sits in the shed while the spiders play on it. Have fun on your date - those are always a good idea! Don't forget flowers!
Sandi... never too late to start over again... ;-) Lets arrange Trek to meet Klein... :lol: Klein in German might mean small, but in this case Gary Klein is an American... :lol:
Gordan, I grew up in Europe, Germany to be precise, and there as a cyclist, any cyclist, you were respected on the road. Here in northern Utah the drivers see you as a threat to their territory and protect it. However, there has been an exponential growth in the number of road cyclists over the last couple of years and the motorists seem to be taking note. Having said this I am now searching for a nice plank of wood to knock on. :wink: BTW: Bianchi, what a great bike, if anything just for aesthetics. I ride a trek carbon with dura ace components, I can't help it as a Lance fan. 8)
Thanks TOlady, We're getting close to 20 years next week and these Friday night dates have been our lifeline.
Sorry about your mishap. My philosophy on it would be that any excuse to buy new bike parts is okay by me. I build and maintain my own bikes for the enjoyment of it. My riding doesn't fit into the neat catagories very well. On and off road, etc. I tend to ride old fashioned lugged steel frames set up for general comfortable riding. I sometimes commute to work on my bikes. About 23 miles each way. Easy terrain, though I have been hit by cars four times in the past ten years. I just try to do more damage to the car than they do to me.
Sorry to hear about the accident. You're lucky to be able to still ride the bike. I had a similar accident many years ago. I managed to snap the rear derailleur into 2 pieces, about 20 miles away from home. I ended up shortening the chain, converting the bike into a single speed and worked my way home. While I wouldn't consider myself Lance, I do race competitively, but it' strictly road. I've become used to riding with the cars here in the city and the surrounding area over the years, though it is a little hairy at times... Best regards, Eugene
I "blew" a chain during a full power sprint up a steep hill. The busted chain jammed in the rear Der and then twisting everything into the rear wheel. Instint destruction of just about everything on the rear of the bike. :shock: The whole mess was soooooo jammed up that I had to carry the bike back to the ranch. Ride on JohnG
