Beaking Chains???

[steveha]

@steveha you will find numerous opinions on what the well prepared cyclist should carry on a bike ride. I'm always surprised people anticipate such serious mechanicals will occur. I don't know how it was back in the day but today a well maintained, modern bike is highly unlikely to let you down.

Lets see if I can do a list of the breakdowns I had years ago :-)

• Rear changer failed such that I only had a choice of 2 rear sprockets. 3 days like that up the W coast of Scotland until we reached a bike shop at Aultbea
• Drop handlebar snapped going down a 25% hill. Superb black eye
• Seat post snapped off. Half day riding sat on the panier carrier until we got to a bike shop in Dublin
• Several buckled wheels
• Quite a few broken mudguards until those chromoplastic unbreakable ones came out from Germany
• A few snapped bowden cables
• Punctures. Got 3 in one day from hawthorn cuttings. Remembered an American telling me about "thronproof" innter tubes that were thicker on the rim side. So I took to cutting open old inner tubes and wrapping the around the "service" tube. Punctures very rare after that. Still do it!
• Broken spokes. Had a few spares with the head partly filed off so you could avoid having to take the block off
• Pedal bearing failure - until I spent £19 on Campag. Still riding them :-)

 

[PaulSB]

^^^ Good grief. If I think about the people I know well and ride with we don't come anywhere close to this. Between us my regular cycle buddies are putting in 30000 miles/year. I can't recall any of us having a serious failure. Across the wider group from my club probably 400000 miles/year major incidents are rare.

I've never been rescued other than the time I texted my wife to say I'd be late due to a puncture. She offered to pick me up five miles from home.

I can only recall three occasions when someone has had to phone a friend. I never understand why some people like to carry a small workshop with them.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I never understand why some people like to carry a small workshop with them.

What sort of tools/spares do you think (or know) people carry around that elevates their caution to 'small workshop' status, Paul?
You can sort tyre malfunctions, chain malfunctions, cable malfunctions and mudguard failure.

 

[PaulSB]

What sort of tools/spares do you think (or know) people carry around that elevates their caution to 'small workshop' status, Paul?
You can sort tyre malfunctions, chain malfunctions, cable malfunctions and mudguard failure.

I couldn't fix a cable issue as I'm very, very poor mechanically

I can't write a list but I feel from many posts on here some like to carry quite a wide range of kit. These are people with far greater knowledge than me and I couldn't begin to tackle the jobs they would. My point is a well maintained bike - and I'm not suggesting others don't maintain their bikes - is very unlikely to suffer a failure on the road.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Anyone care to flaunt their 'small workshop' and provide context (ie back of beyond touring) that influences its carriage?

 

[oldworld]

I'm happy to carry a small amount of weight taking some tools. When miles away a simple breakdown can spoil your day.
I'm not a speed freak so for me it's a no brainer

 

[steveha]

^^^ Good grief. If I think about the people I know well and ride with we don't come anywhere close to this. Between us my regular cycle buddies are putting in 30000 miles/year. I can't recall any of us having a serious failure.

Try harder! :-) Seriously, many consumer goods were less reliable years ago. Currently I drive a nice 11-year-old Honda Jazz.. Back in the day, most cars of that age were in the scrap yard. Also for much of this period, I was on second hand bikes and a schoolboy/student income.

 

[steveha]

What sort of tools/spares do you think (or know) people carry around that elevates their caution to 'small workshop' status, Paul?
You can sort tyre malfunctions, chain malfunctions, cable malfunctions and mudguard failure.

It used to be a no-brainer. Most things could be sorted with lightweight tools/spares. The freewheel spares/fixing I mentioned earlier is a good example. At the other end of the scale, blacksmith kit for fixing frame failure was too bulky/heavy. Not much in between

 

[Ajax Bay]

Here's what I carried for my last hilly ride (600 in September 19) into Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Less the cables and the knife, it's what I normally carry. This 'small workshop' has the volume of about 250ml, plus a tube.
Tools and Spares
Tubes x 2
Pump
Puncture kit, patches + levers
Safety pin
Allen keys, flat and + screwdriver
Spanner 8mm/10mm (for mudguard stays)
Spoke key 14/15
Folding mini knife
Chain tool
Cables (1 each: brake & gear)
Tape
Cable ties and wire
Bolts – shoe cleat bolt, bottle cage bolt, stem bolt
Chain ‘quick’ link and 2 (1") links of chain
Tyre boot (plastic)
Spare spokes (?2)
Chain lube
Plastic gloves (v thin/v light)

Had a few spare spokes with the head partly filed off so you could avoid having to take the block off

Thank you OP. Have seen the triple bend solution to replacing a rear right hand spoke but yours is neater.

 

[PaulSB]

Try harder! :-) Seriously, many consumer goods were less reliable years ago. Currently I drive a nice 11-year-old Honda Jazz.. Back in the day, most cars of that age were in the scrap yard. Also for much of this period, I was on second hand bikes and a schoolboy/student income.

Completely agree re all aspects of consumer goods from cars to bikes to TVs etc...........which is why I have my view. Good luck with the return.

 

[boydj]

If you have a multi-tool, chain link tool, tyre levers, a couple of zip ties and a spare tube in a small under-saddle bag or a rear pocket, you'll be able to deal with most things. On the road I've had a front mech shear off, which I was able to deal with, and a rear mech snap and mangle the wheel, which meant a long walk home. Cycle long enough and Murphy's Law will prevail - if it can go wrong, it will - but only a major breakage will see you walking or phoning home.

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

Top tip

On long rides remove the need to carry bulky spare inner tubes and a comprehensive tool kit by restricting your rides to riding round and round the block all day.

 

[faster]

I'm with @PaulSB on this. With a well maintained bike, there is little point in carrying a load of tools around most of the time as failures are very rare in my experience.

Out for a ride on a road bike or commuting to work, I only carry this:

plus a VAR tyre lever. I fits neatly into a back pocket - no need for a saddle bag.

No pump, no multitool and no chaintool - I just can't imagine needing them often enough, or indeed, ever.

I've just had a look on Strava for the bikes I record the mileage on and carrying only the above, I've needed a lift once in 11,000 miles on one bike (something wrong with my ankle!) and once in 3,500 miles on another (snapped spoke on a low spoke count wheel).

If I was going to take anything else, I'd take a drive side rear spoke, a couple of allen keys and a spoke key so that I'd be able to get the cassette off and change a spoke.

I must admit though, when touring I take the lot - cables, chain tool, spare bolts, kitchen sink etc., as getting a lift would be that much more inconvenient.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

As others have said, breakdowns are rare, but they can happen, even to a well maintained bike, a breakdown is inconvenient and can become a problem if it can't be sorted. My Good Lady doesn't drive and a lot of my rides are done when family members are at work and can't bail me out. So I carry a few tools, pump, spare innertube, puncture kit, tyre levers, chain tool, spare quick link, multi tool, spoke key and an adjustable spanner.