Mechanical breakdown and walk home

speedracer wrote:
I've had 2 times where I couldn't fix the bike and had to trek it
home. The first time I blew a tire and had to walk the bike home
about 8 miles.

The second time, the tiller linkage (or whatever the rod that ties the
handlebars to the front wheel is called) bolt broke and caused me to
wreck. I was about 4 miles from home that time. This one was very
frustrating because I couldn't roll the bike gripping the handlebars
since the front wheel would spin like crazy. I had to carry the bike
(around 35 pounds) until I found an old metal coathanger on the road. I
tied the linkage to the wheel and was able to roll the bike the rest of
the way home.

So, I feel your pain

Dennis



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Had a similar problem with my R44, which lost steering and rollability.
My solution was to lock the bike up, continue on foot and return with
my car later.

On 3 Jul 2003 09:26:12 -0700, (j browe) wrote:

Which brings up this question to all- how far and under what
conditions have you had to walk back?

I had a brand new mountain bike once. What could go wrong, right?
Yep.. Flat tire. Four miles back to the campground where my family
was. I hadn't broght tools, tube, pump -- just a little spin in the
country.

One other time I had a blowout and had to walk into town to buy a
tire. Headed back, rode until sundown, then hoofed it fifteen miles
home along a US highway because it got so dark I didn't want to be
riding on the shoulder even with my lights, so I became a pedestrian
and walked facing traffic on that shoulder so I could at least see
them coming and duck if necessary. That was back in the day when I
used to ride the Air-Dyne all winter, so I made it a point of pride to
always take my first long ride (30 mi each way) when there were still
icicles on the cliffs along the road. So it got plenty cold after
dark. Thank God for wool shorts and leg-warmers and the windbreaker I
always pack along. But my total hike pushing the bike according to my
Cateye was three miles to get the tire then fifteen after it got dark.
I shoulda left the damn bike at home and taken a "hike" instead of a
"ride"...

On 3 Jul 2003 09:26:12 -0700, (j browe) wrote:

Which brings up this question to all- how far and under what
conditions have you had to walk back?

I had a brand new mountain bike once. What could go wrong, right?
Yep.. Flat tire. Four miles back to the campground where my family
was. I hadn't broght tools, tube, pump -- just a little spin in the
country.

One other time I had a blowout and had to walk into town to buy a
tire. Headed back, rode until sundown, then hoofed it fifteen miles
home along a US highway because it got so dark I didn't want to be
riding on the shoulder even with my lights, so I became a pedestrian
and walked facing traffic on that shoulder so I could at least see
them coming and duck if necessary. That was back in the day when I
used to ride the Air-Dyne all winter, so I made it a point of pride to
always take my first long ride (30 mi each way) when there were still
icicles on the cliffs along the road. So it got plenty cold after
dark. Thank God for wool shorts and leg-warmers and the windbreaker I
always pack along. But my total hike pushing the bike according to my
Cateye was three miles to get the tire then fifteen after it got dark.
I shoulda left the damn bike at home and taken a "hike" instead of a
"ride"...

On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 11:03:54 +0900, Ken Kobayashi
wrote:
One time I needed to ride to a conference 20 miles away to make a
...
Exactly halfway into the 10 mile trip the seat bag ripped apart.

I meant 10 miles into a 20-mile trip...
(Just in case the technically minded people here are frustrated with
inconsistencies!)

Ken Kobayashi

http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/

On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 11:03:54 +0900, Ken Kobayashi
wrote:
One time I needed to ride to a conference 20 miles away to make a
...
Exactly halfway into the 10 mile trip the seat bag ripped apart.

I meant 10 miles into a 20-mile trip...
(Just in case the technically minded people here are frustrated with
inconsistencies!)

Ken Kobayashi

http://solarwww.mtk.nao.ac.jp/kobayashi/personal/

11 km last year - a chainguidebolt snapped. Fortunately I could cost home.
Sitting on the rack and kicking the ground - I felt just a little
stupid-looking..

4 km this monday, I went from work about 7km out to pick up some fancy heat-
and glycole friendly silicone (Dow Corning 732) for my cars radiator
(snapped a plastichose, duh!). I didn't bring patch kit or pump offcourse.
On the way back - pheeeeoouu, flump, flump, flump. 25 celcius, jeans and hot
from riding.

This started my "Advice for touring tyre"-thread this tuesday. Both the car
and the bike is fine again. Bike got a nice Specialized FatBoy slick, and
the radiator a bronzetube inserted, soaked in the silicone. Yes it seems to
hold up pretty well, tanks for asking. And yes, i keep an eye on the
thermometer.

11 km last year - a chainguidebolt snapped. Fortunately I could cost home.
Sitting on the rack and kicking the ground - I felt just a little
stupid-looking..

4 km this monday, I went from work about 7km out to pick up some fancy heat-
and glycole friendly silicone (Dow Corning 732) for my cars radiator
(snapped a plastichose, duh!). I didn't bring patch kit or pump offcourse.
On the way back - pheeeeoouu, flump, flump, flump. 25 celcius, jeans and hot
from riding.

This started my "Advice for touring tyre"-thread this tuesday. Both the car
and the bike is fine again. Bike got a nice Specialized FatBoy slick, and
the radiator a bronzetube inserted, soaked in the silicone. Yes it seems to
hold up pretty well, tanks for asking. And yes, i keep an eye on the
thermometer.

Not to make light of your ordeal, but I do enjoy hearing about incidents
like
this, because it helps me justify the weight of the few emergency tools
(including chain tool) that I keep loaded on each and every bike I own.

I keep three tools in my bag. One is a multi-function bike tool with all
the usual doodads on it. The second is a Leatherman which has come in handy
more than once while riding alone. The third is my cell phone. On the only
occasion when I broke something that I couldn't fix or patch I called a
friend who owns a big van. :^)

The rest of my supplies include two replacement tubes, a tire patch kit, a
small squirt bottle of chain oil, a zip lock bag with a few "wet ones"
towlettes and a small first aid kit with an emphasis on road rash stuff
(Bacitracin, large gauze patches and such). Because the RANS Vivo uses a
high pressure rear suspension I carry a very small pump that can give me 150
psi in addition to the regular, frame mounted pump.

I could forgo the small pump and save a pound or so but if I was really that
worried about weight I'd lose a few pounds myself. :^)

Not to make light of your ordeal, but I do enjoy hearing about incidents
like
this, because it helps me justify the weight of the few emergency tools
(including chain tool) that I keep loaded on each and every bike I own.

I keep three tools in my bag. One is a multi-function bike tool with all
the usual doodads on it. The second is a Leatherman which has come in handy
more than once while riding alone. The third is my cell phone. On the only
occasion when I broke something that I couldn't fix or patch I called a
friend who owns a big van. :^)

The rest of my supplies include two replacement tubes, a tire patch kit, a
small squirt bottle of chain oil, a zip lock bag with a few "wet ones"
towlettes and a small first aid kit with an emphasis on road rash stuff
(Bacitracin, large gauze patches and such). Because the RANS Vivo uses a
high pressure rear suspension I carry a very small pump that can give me 150
psi in addition to the regular, frame mounted pump.

I could forgo the small pump and save a pound or so but if I was really that
worried about weight I'd lose a few pounds myself. :^)

"S. Delaire "Rotatorrecumbent"" wrote in message
...
snip

That would be the time I hit a rock in the Santa Paula river bed at 100
mph on a Maico 400 motorcycle.

Count your blessings Speedy. It's a good thing you were able to walk.

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