Mechanicals that end your ride ?

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TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I don't tend to plan my ride around bike shops...
I do, however, know most pubs, cafes, tea shops, garden centres and railway stations within a 20 mile radius of my house!
I also know the only tea shop locally that has a bike shop attached.
And it's open on Sunday afternoons :highfive:
 

Trickedem

Guru
Location
Kent
Had a bottom bracket fail when I was about 2 miles from home. Got the bike home ok, but had to abandon my ride. Unfortunately this was supposed to be my monthly century ride and in the end I had to take a day off work to complete it.
Not sure what would happen on a long ride in the middle of the night or on a Sunday. Train ride home from over a 100 miles away could be expensive if not pre booked. Price of fun I suppose.
 

NormanD

Lunatic Asylum Escapee
Once after being hit by a duck a few years back, which trashed the rear cassette and derailleur .. I was force to ask a mate to pick me up. Other than that, there's been nothing I couldn't repair with the few tool and spares I carry.
 
Rear tyre blowout on a fast day ride this year at 24mph or thereabouts. Stayed upright. Wifey was able to collect me. Walking down the road to keep warm in my cleated shoes saw the end of them as well. That's it really. Now seriously considering carrying a folding tyre on longer/important rides!
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
I seriously can't remember ever having a mechanical that meant I had to be rescued. The only time I needed taking home was in the mid 1990's, we had a touch of wheels in the middle of the pack which resulted in two damaged bikes, but fortunately no serious injuries, they were holding a time trial nearby and one of the lads rode over to where his wife was watching the event and she came back in her estate car and drove us home. Last year I destroyed the back tyre hitting some debris but was carrying a tyre boot, was able to make repairs and get home. I carry a few tools with me but find I have tended to use them to bail other people out not bail me out.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
I never carried a chain tool or quick links until joining Internet forums. Never had a chain fail, but I use 8 speed ones. Still carry both now, just in case for me or others.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Parts usually start performing badly, knocking etc before they fail. My one call home was due to me not wanting to spend money on new rims, which were £45 each plus rebuild fees. Since learnt to build my own wheels.
 
A front blowout last year and once when I left, believing I had a chain tool and spare link, only to find I'd left it at home when the thing snapped.

On the other end of the scale, I came off quite badly last year on a coast to coast 140-miler about 60 miles in; claret all over the shot and a few miles down the road, aside brakes put back into position, the realization that my mech hanger had done its job but had turned the (brand new!) rear mech into the bike, leaving me with only half the gear range. Got back home though...
 

Maz

Guru
Three instances:
1. Snapped chain
2. Snapped rear derailleur
3. Rear wheel rim split
 

bianchi1

Legendary Member
Location
malverns
Had a hub split ( fulcrum racing 3 ) on a front wheel, frame snap ( bianchi ) and several chain snaps but have always just about managed to limp home. On Wednesday my saddle bolts sheered off. Cue a 20 mile standing ride, soaking wet, in the snow, over the Malvern hills with my saddle shoved up my shorts.

I would have paid anything for a lift!!
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I've only had one ride-ending mechanical - a broken spoke on a 24 spoke rear wheel. It was on a Rochdale-Blackpool forum ride and I was 12 miles from Blackpool when it happened. With such a low spoke count, the wheel went seriously out of true. I managed to improve it slightly but had to take the rear brake blocks out and my mudguard off to be able to ride the bike at all. I limped to Blackpool but didn't want to risk the intended 50-odd miles home so I caught a train back to Hebden Bridge. (Fortunately, there is a direct train. Unfortunately, it cost me about £13!)

I have repaired 4 or 5 broken chains for people who did not have chain tools with them.
 
As they say so far so good, I've never broken any thing that has stopped me riding home, but I do carry a shed load of tools and spares. Looking back through the posts I noticed “broken jockey wheel” must get one of those.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
I had a rear drop out fracture on a LEJOG on a Friday evening at 7:30 in Chorley. Game over?

Ordinarily yes.

I reckoned without the efforts of a chap that I met by chance several days earlier in Bristol and who lived in Preston. I rang him explained my predicament. He came and collected me and deposited me at the home of Bill Nickson, the last British winner of the Milk race. He brazed up the drop out and I was back on the road for nine 'clock the same evening.

How lucky was I?
 

subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
snapped a dropout on my 1st road bike ( Raleigh Phantom) either i had immense power as a 15yr old or it was a flaw in the frame. was replaced under warranty. that was a long walk home. (12 miles)
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
I've had at least 4 broken chains mid tour, I have always carried a power link and a chain tool is on my multi tool, so I class broken chains no more annoying than punctures, and potentially faster to fix
 
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