Mechanical failures whilst commuting?

[elduderino]

I tend to lurk more than post in this section. But I was curious as to what mechanical woes have fallen upon you whilst commuting.

My commute is a 9 mile round trip. Mostly downhill to work, mostly uphill riding home. About 1 mile into my ride into work my rear gear cable snapped leaving me with gears 8,16,24.
Not so bad for leg one, but coming home was a bit more testing. I pretty much used 8th gear all the way and had to stand up when the going got tough.

 

[joebingo]

I've had a brake cable snap on me, luckily it was the rear!

I've since found out about bike maintenance lol.

 

[ianrauk]

Have had...
Brake cable break
Gear cable break
Rear deraillieur decide to say hello to the spokes
broken spokes
Pedal crank come off

 

[al78]

Yesterday as I was getting ready to leave work I discovered a broken spoke. Strange as I didn't notice it on the way to work and hadn't hit any notable potholes on the way in. The spoke had snapped an inch from the hub and was flapping about, was worried about it possibly snagging in the drivetrain so had to bend and twist it around a neighbouring spoke to hold it stable and hope that nothing bad happened on the 10 mile journey home (it didn't). Bike is now in the LBS having the rear wheel relaced with stronger spokes.

 

[brokenbetty]

My bike became an unplanned single speed the other day. Luckily it was 3 of 5 so pretty manageable.

Wasn't a mechanical failure really, just the result of an unskilled nut twiddle

 

[gaz]

i've had gear cables snapped.

 

[XmisterIS]

I've had a chain snap before ... when I'd forgotten my chain tool ... and I was about 20 miles from home ... in the middle of a big forest ... and this was before the days of mobile phones.

Joy.

 

[elduderino]

I've had a chain snap before ... when I'd forgotten my chain tool ... and I was about 20 miles from home ... in the middle of a big forest ... and this was before the days of mobile phones.

Joy.

I know it shouldn't have but that made me smile.....sorry

I guess mechanical mishaps are just part and parcel of commuting. I do most my own bike maintenance, but have somewhat slacked off over the winter and I failed to spot the knackered cable before it was too late.

 

[CarnageAX]

Spokes.

Too much power (or maybe it was that pothole) and snap, your back wheel feels like it's just fallen off.

Does anyone carry a spoke ket and wheel truing rig in their repair kit?

 

[ianrauk]

oh forgot about that one, also had happen to me. But fortunately only half mile from work.

Worst one was when the free wheel failed leaving the block turning but not engaging the rear wheel - at 0200hrs in the morning 11 miles from home. Took me 2 and a bit hours to 'scoot' home.

 

[Tynan]

snapped front brake cable
front derallieur came off, collected the rear derallieur and five spokes
front wheel bent double on a ped
chain snapped
rear tyre worn clean through after one emergency stop too many
slit side wall (x2)
the last bit of rubber wearing out on long overdue brake blocks

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Broken chain, which I mended by the roadside.
Snapped fork steerer tube, on a roundabout.
That's all I can think of, bar punctures.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Oh, it wasn't on a commute, but I once dropped my handkerchief while fumbling it out of my jersey pocket. It fell on the chain while I was pedalling and got tangled up in the derailleur's jockey wheels ... I had to strip the whole derailleur by the roadside just to get going again.

 

[Tynan]

we can coun those?

a plastic bag that effectively melted and fused into the cassette
fishing line into the cassette and derallieur
an elastic strap from a cheap nasty pannier into the cassette

 

[Svendo]

Had chain snap as pulling away to turn right at a junction, leaving it in the middle of the road where it was promptly run over, making it unusable. Only a 10 minute walk to work and had shoes there to walk to bike shop then home in; it's only a 3 mile commute.
Allowed Halfords to replace the chain which then snapped again, although not while commuting but it did chuck me on the road that time. Mended it myself and it's still fine 2 years later.