Fate Hates Me

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firvulag

Well-Known Member
After a month of colds then snow I got all dressed up last week to cycle into Aberdeen only to slide from the top of my drive to the bottom - black ice + water on top = bad. Ended up taking the car.

So today finally I thought Id manage to cycle in but no fate decided to stick it to me again.

Reached around halfway in when a spoke on the rear wheel gave way which then allowed the wheel to distort enough to catch the rear gear cage which then bent itself at 90 degeee into the spokes before being wrenched off from the rest of the mech damaging the mudguard supports and rear skewer as well as snapping another couple of spokes into the bargain.

Luckily I was going uphill from Kingswells into Aberdeen at the time so was able to unclip in time to prevent an off (the old road that is now bus/cycle lane down to Lang Stracht for those that know the area)

Wheel is a old racing wheel from ebay on a rebuillt peugeot elite racer from the 80s. Been meaning to have the wheel rebuilt for a while as several of the spokes were corroded to the point they they would not adjust - thought it would last another winter. NOTE: Cant buy a new wheel as the hub is narrower than more modern wheels and I dont want to get the frame cold set to the modern 130mm width - not many places to get it done in Aberdeenshire anyway.

Also annoying as I did a general full winter prep on the bike including replacing the hub bearings.

So when preparing your bike for winter if the spokes look dodgy think about a rebuild or new wheel now dont leave it another year. Particularly if your rear wheel spokes and rear mech cage dont have a lot of clearance.

Cheers

D
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
erm yeah

rear wheel really isn't something to take chances with I suggest, front neither

(Tynan has two spanking new double butted 38 spoke hand built wheels)
 

swee'pea99

Squire
You have my sympathies. Also, welcome! FWIW, don't give no heed to all that cold-setting nonsense - just stick the 130mm wheel in and give it a bit of grunt (mostly pulling on the frame and the odd thump on the wheel) and it'll all be fine. It's a bit of a bugger, but once you've done it a few times it's just routine.
 
OP
OP
F

firvulag

Well-Known Member
swee said:
bit[/I] of a bugger, but once you've done it a few times it's just routine.

You know -your absolutly right.

I thought I had a narrower hub - esp as the frame is an old 5 speed. As the damage also ripped some spokes through the rim I cut the hub free from the spokes and remeasured it. I found it was 130mm and the frame gap was 126mm.

So time for a new wheel (and new gear hanger as well :-( )

cheers

D
 
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