The walk of shame

[snubbyfan]

Many years ago, back in my wilder days, I built myself a mountain bike. I started with a bare frame, built it from hand picked high end components and had a bike shop lace up a set of custom wheels.
I call him "Frankenbike" because he's an overbuilt hardtail mountain bike.

I used to use him for doin' crazy stuff like fallin' off cliffs, jumpin' flights of stairs and other "extreme" stuff.
Droppin' in;

My wife got herself a mountain bike and we go out to the C&O Canal Towpath and ride there regularly.
We got the headlights on for a ride through the Paw Paw Tunnel;

I carry enough stuff with me to disassemble and reassemble a bike except the bottom bracket. I have extra chain links and a chain breaker. I've always been prepared for any trailside emergency, including a first aid kit.
Until today.
We're ridin' the trail and I get a flat. No big deal, I have a spare tube, patch kit and a tire pump. I have a Magura Quicksilver hydraulic rear rim brake so I have to remove one side to get the rear wheel off. I unrolled the spare tube and I can see the big hole in it.
That's ok, I have a patch kit. I patched the tube, checked it, it held air so I put it back in and pumped it up.
Ready to go.
Not really, it went flat again.
The tube's are so old they were falling apart.
Fortunately we were only 3 miles from the truck and it was a nice day for a walk.
So there I was walking a custom bike made of high end components and getting passed by Huffies and other cheap department store bikes.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
All for the want of a $5 tube.
We get home and I don't have any tubes.
Well my Birthday's in 8 days, I know what I'm askin' for.

 

[kozmic]

I got to do some walkin' a few times back when I thought "sew ups" were a good idea on my road bike many moons ago.

You get a lot of "look at that dumb***" glares from the folks that drive by! Sadly, some times you deserve it!

Just remember...it could always be worse.

 

[Buckey08]

Sweet! What is that they say about the best laid plans?

 

[Nico Testosteros]

Consider it a lesson. At least you had your kit with you. I see lots of folks pushing bikes because they aren't prepared.

 

[soFlaNative]

Opened this thread thinking you were OC'ing your sisters pink revolver.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Took one of my 10 speeds out for a spin, I hadn't ridden it in YEARS, got a flat, turnes out the Mr. Tuffy tube protectors had crumbled from age.
Huffys may be inexpensive bikes with no cachet, but I have a 3 speed Bay Pointe with almost 10,000 miles on it.

 

[johngalt]

Been stranded a couple times over 10 miles from my car. Seat post bolt broke once, another time my chain broke. Both times a complete stranger stopped and gave me a ride back.

 

[LVSteve]

The bike equivalent of tyre rot has bitten many folk who have said "Hey, I haven't ridden my bike in years...".

 

[snubbyfan]

I got to do some walkin' a few times back when I thought "sew ups" were a good idea on my road bike many moons ago.

You get a lot of "look at that dumb***" glares from the folks that drive by! Sadly, some times you deserve it!

Just remember...it could always be worse.

Yup, at least it was only 3 miles. We planned on a much longer ride.

Consider it a lesson. At least you had your kit with you. I see lots of folks pushing bikes because they aren't prepared.

And I've stopped to help lotsa people that were unprepared.

Took one of my 10 speeds out for a spin, I hadn't ridden it in YEARS, got a flat, turnes out the Mr. Tuffy tube protectors had crumbled from age.
Huffys may be inexpensive bikes with no cachet, but I have a 3 speed Bay Pointe with almost 10,000 miles on it.

I'm thinkin' of checking my rim tape while I've got the tire off.
I still remember "Huffy Bob" puttin' me and my buddy to shame. He left us and our fancy, custom bikes in the dust.

Been stranded a couple times over 10 miles from my car. Seat post bolt broke once, another time my chain broke. Both times a complete stranger stopped and gave me a ride back.

That's the thing, if it was just a broken chain, It would've been repaired and back on the trail in no time. Just knock out a link and reconnect.
Takes longer to dig the chain breaker out than the actual repair.

The bike equivalent of tyre rot has bitten many folk who have said "Hey, I haven't ridden my bike in years...".

We really don't have any excuse for not gettin' out. Especially now that we just found out that they put in a new trail connecting it with town.

I'm going to put both bikes on the bike stand and give them both a good going over before next spring.

 

[bigfruits]

good stuff, snubbyfan.

when you take your tubes off feel around the inside of the rim, make sure there is nothing sharp in there and that the rim tape is still centered.

 

[Marshwheeling]

The motorcycling equivalent is "The Bus Ride of Shame." Cycle World's Peter Egan writes of a 2-up tour with his wife on a Norton Commando that ended ignominiously in Missoula with a bent valve; the rest of the trip was by Greyhound.

A buddy down in Mexico once had to put his Norton on its side in the luggage compartment of a motor coach to get the bike out of Copper Canyon and to the border. At least he got his bike home. His previous ride, a Yamaha XT500, went way too cheap to the police chief in Urique after its ignition packed up. (It is purely coincidence that both these guys had broken-down Nortons. Or is it?)

 

[snubbyfan]

Back in the '80's I built up a car for some not so legal road racing around on some country roads in Loudoun County VA . It was a '75 Toyota Corolla SR5 Hardtop. Full ground effects, fender flares, lowered suspension, big fat sway bars, no muffler, no a/c, manual steering, 4 point racing harness, manual 5 speed trans, 4.30 rear, alloy wheels, cam, carb., open air filter, all smog equipment removed, open hood scoop, etc.
I built a custom tubular floating grill, blacked out all the chrome, had the rain gutters ground off and the whole thing was painted in dark grey Imron.
One fine summer day on a quick run to the local Woolco (remember those?) and on the way home, the engine wouldn't go over idle. I pulled off onto the shoulder and found that the accelerator cable had snapped. I took a hunk of gravel, stuck it in the linkage and rode the clutch along the shoulder with my four ways on getting passed by everybody.
I guess that could be called the shoulder drive of shame.
My basically not so legal race car puttin' along the shoulder. People blowin' their horns at me. At least I had some good tunes.

 

[tops]

For want of a nail the race was lost.

 

[GreyRider]

kinda like finding out those road flares / first aid stuff/ tow rope you meticulously stowed in the back of your rig have turned to dust... remembering all the stuff that needs maintaining is a lot of work!

 

[the ringo kid]

I havent seen anyone mention it yet but--is that a South Park Coffee cup on the table?

As far as the Frankenbike goes--I like and you can build me one whenever you feel like it? Im NOT mechanically inclined. )

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I can see how that would happen. You prepare for almost everything, and then never use it. However, I recommend carrying a bottom bracket wrench. I had to sit in a car for most of the return trip of a century because I didn't have one. After that, I always did.

 

[EugeneNine]

Is that the C&O towpath in the national park by Cleveland OH or is there another down closer to WV?

 

[snubbyfan]

I havent seen anyone mention it yet but--is that a South Park Coffee cup on the table?

As far as the Frankenbike goes--I like and you can build me one whenever you feel like it? Im NOT mechanically inclined. )

Nah, it's my wife's Christmas mug. It's got bunnies, reindeer, Christmas trees, snowmen and penguins.
The penguins are holding little mugs of their own. That doesn't make sense to me, how can they hold a mug when penguins don't have hands?

As far as Frankenbike goes, I tell people that I double the value of my truck when I put my bike in the bed. If you're willin' to pay for hand picked, high end gear then I willin' to build it.
Then again I tell people that since my neuropathy started, I've gone from mechanically inclined to mechanically reclined.

I can see how that would happen. You prepare for almost everything, and then never use it. However, I recommend carrying a bottom bracket wrench. I had to sit in a car for most of the return trip of a century because I didn't have one. After that, I always did.

We don't really go on very long trips anymore. Back when I was a bike tour mechanic, I had a trunk on my bike with all kinds of extra junk. Including a bottom bracket wrench. The trunk was also insulated so I could have a beer while I was repairing.

Is that the C&O towpath in the national park by Cleveland OH or is there another down closer to WV?

Near WV, Close to Paw Paw WV.

 

[islamoradamark]

I remember when I was young and dumb peddling up hill and the chain broke the bar that is attached to the seat and the handle bars didn't feel to good where it ht me I was happy to walk that of and let the tears dry

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I recently bought an AMF labeled Sunbeam 3 speed, still had the original-and unridden-Dunlop tyres on it. Needless to say I quickly replaced them.
I carry a "boot"/rupture repair strip. Learned THAT lesson years ago.