Mechanicals that end your ride ?

[gbb]

It occured to me the other day, while reading Cycling Weekly, a little section at the back which ended along the lines of....instead of carrying a multitude of tools and equipment, all you really need is a mobile, the number of a local taxi firm and a £20 note.
I thought it was spot on, even though it was slightly tongue in cheek.
Thinking about it, in the last 15 years, i had ONE failure that saw me one foot on the pedal and the other scooting me along for mybe 5 miles to get home...my jockey wheel bolt fell out, lost the parts in the grass verge, couldnt carry on. ONE failure in 15 years...even if i think a lot further back, i did have a chain snap on an old clunker 30 years ago...but thats it. It really is a rare thing...isn't it ?

Am i lucky ? Do we worry too much ?

Not including punctures, how many have you had ?

 

[ianrauk]

1 Failure. On a SMRbtH. NOt so much a failure though rather then a bit of bad luck.
Saddle pack popped open and my jacket fell out and into the gears.
Result - busted derailleur and mangle chain, so couldn't even single speed.
Luckily was only a mile from an Evans (Crawley). They took the bike in and within half hour had fitted all new components and had me back on the road again.

 

[fossyant]

Only once in 27 years. Exploded rim. Had to call the team car. To rub salt in, the roof bar lock keys were on my key set at home, so I had to remove wheels, guards and rack to get in boot, as the kids were in the car.

 

[Crackle]

Broken jockey wheel with the bits gone missing and a broken crank. Jockey wheel was when I was mtn biking and didn't have my usual tool bag, so couldn't single speed it.

Edit: Broken axle too

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just the one for me, back in August last year. 3 spokes failed & the wheel warped enough that it would barely turn so I ended up calling my dad for help. I felt embarrassed about having to at the time, but really it's nice I can still call on him for help if I need it.

The full description is here.

 

[marzjennings]

This year, so far, I'm been lucky nothing that has required a pick up or limp home. Last year, i ripped the rear mech off, cracked a frame, snapped a seat post, got a 1" twig through the front tyre (way beyond patching or slim), broke two seats, destroyed a spd, broke 2 chains, lost about 6 spokes (though not at the same time) and had a left crank arm just drop off. I always carry tools and so been able to fix the bike enough to limp home. There are no off road taxi's.

 

[Chris Norton]

Rear hub seizure. Only way to ride was to undo the wheel nuts and ride it like that. Eventually the whole thing fell apart.

 

[Fnaar]

1) Double flat and a snapped chain, with no chain tool on me. Left nike behind a hedge, traipsed six across country to where car was, and drove back to pick the bike up.

2) Detatched derailleur, having got broken off by a sizeable branch I'd gone over. Phoned Mrs F who picked me up in the car. I was 10 miles or so from home.

 

[Martyn H]

Chain split. It unravelled it's self and disappeared in to a sea of semi frozen slush & mud. Retraced my tracks but unable to find it. 3 mile trudge up hill using a narrow farm track as a short cut to get home

 

[ASC1951]

Thinking about it, in the last 15 years, i had ONE failure that saw me one foot on the pedal and the other scooting me along for maybe 5 miles to get home...my jockey wheel bolt fell out, lost the parts in the grass verge, couldn't carry on.

Tsk. Don't you carry a little chain tool? Shorten the chain, lowish gear, away you go....

My last Total Failure was a front wheel blow out. I never carry a spare outer on day rides, but half a mile down the road the bike and I were picked up by a lad in a hatchback, deposited outside JD Cycles in Ilkley and on our way twenty minutes later.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Snapped rear dérailleur at pivot bolt - which pulled the whole mechanism into the rear wheel buckling it.
I straightened the wheel, removed the remnants of the rear mech, shortened the chain with the intention of running single speed - but the chain wouldn't stay put on the rear cassette...... defeated!

 

[TheDoctor]

I've had something flick up into the chain, which then ripped off the rear mech and hanger, taking the bike through a swift 180 and shredding the rear tyre.
I'm vaguely proud of staying upright and clipped in throughout that little lot
And, many years ago, I replaced a tube, snapped the valve while pumping it up and had to call for assistance. SWMBO said that I should have taken her mobile (which was the size of a cow brick) and then I could have just called. As it was, I had to walk to the nearest pub, buy a pint to get some change, make the call and then eat free bar snacks (sausages and roast potatoes) until my ride arrived.
I am still struggling to see what the problem was...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I had to walk to the nearest pub, buy a pint to get some change, make the call and then eat free bar snacks (sausages and roast potatoes) until my ride arrived.
I am still struggling to see what the problem was...

That was my plan too, but The Royal Oak at Cardington wasn't open yet.

 

[TheDoctor]

Poor ride planning then!!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Kind of depends on where you ride really. In the Uk I think £20 and a phone is good advice as there are good bike shops almost everywhere...ok maybe £40.