Quality bodge!

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ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
Out on a ride today, I came across a pair of cyclists in a spot of bother. One had ripped their RD off the frame, snapping the hanger (presumably the result of a badly adjusted long limit screw and a botched shift).

I had a chain tool on me, so bodged a single speed get-me-home solution for them. Chain was a bit slack (not to mention filthy!) but the sprockets were fortunately sized to give an ok chain line in an acceptable gear with an even number of links.

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Always nice to help someone out and I do enjoy a quality roadside bodge!
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
I hope he gave you a wet wipe. You didn't fix the spoke for him ?
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
Left the broken spoke wrapped around one of the remaining good ones - wheel seemed remarkably true still which surprised me, perhaps there wasn't much tension on it in the first place.

Poor chap said "yeah it hasn't been serviced in a few years" which makes me think it probably hasn't seen so much TLC.

Mainly it's just nice to actually use some of the vast array of tools I carry around every single ride, it's very satisfying to be self sufficient when things like that happen rather than make the phone call of shame!

I also always carry a first aid kit, fortunately I've not had to use that one yet, besides a plaster on a kid's scraped knee once.
 
Last time I was back in UK doing a jaunt near Reading, a lady cyclist had thrown her chain, so I came to the rescue and managed to get the thing all back again. It was really jammed up and took some freeing - think she was a new cyclist and tried to change gears whilst pedaling backwards, or something. I carry basic stuff in case of a puncture, but that's enough for me, and after my gallant deed I wished I had a wet wipe or three.
 
Out on a ride today, I came across a pair of cyclists in a spot of bother. One had ripped their RD off the frame, snapping the hanger (presumably the result of a badly adjusted long limit screw and a botched shift).I had a chain tool on me, so bodged a single speed get-me-home solution for them. Chain was a bit slack (not to mention filthy!) but the sprockets were fortunately sized to give an ok chain line in an acceptable gear with an even number of links.Always nice to help someone out and I do enjoy a quality roadside bodge!
wow, neat job! did you time yourself?
 

annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
Last time I was back in UK doing a jaunt near Reading, a lady cyclist had thrown her chain, so I came to the rescue and managed to get the thing all back again. It was really jammed up and took some freeing - think she was a new cyclist and tried to change gears whilst pedaling backwards, or something. I carry basic stuff in case of a puncture, but that's enough for me, and after my gallant deed I wished I had a wet wipe or three.
I came across a couple of girls yesterday - one pushing/carrying a bike, the other riding. Turned out her chain had come off. Normally I'd have helped but it turned out they didn't have far to go & I didn't want to get dirty. So I was a bit mean.

I did suggest they took it in turns with the pushing/riding
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
wow, neat job! did you time yourself?

Cheers! Strava will no doubt have recorded the pause in the ride, but I'd guess it took ten minutes or so.

I always stop to ask if someone needs help if they're stopped by the side of the road looking at their bike - mostly people are just taking a breather or have everything they need to sort themselves out, but there've been a few times when I've been able to get people back up and running who would otherwise have been a bit stuck.

Mostly punctures (somewhat limited sympathy with this one...), but I've also done a chronically loose headset, non functioning cable disc brakes, broken chain and an out-of-line stem on a kid's bike that was twisted around after a minor off (that bike was a bit of a death trap unfortunately - the wheel bearings were so loose the wheels were literally wobbling all over the place when you span them... I draw the line at carrying cone spanners around though so couldn't fix that one). A lot of this has been in the last 12 months - I guess due to lots of newbie cyclists who don't yet have the know-how to sort themselves out when these things happen. TBH it's just been nice to have a bit of human interaction and a five minute chat with someone outside my household while giving them a hand!
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
I always ask if a cyclist is pulled off the road 'out in the sticks'. A couple of times I've helped someone out. And I often get asked if I need help while I'm parked 'enjoying the view' aka, getting my breath back. It's part of being a cyclist.
 
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