Fifty Plus (50+) - Apologies to CrossChain!!

I was out taking advantage of DST and getting in a "quick" 40 miles yesterday afternoon. There were some lingering issues from the workday that were rolling through my mind-you know the drill, trying to work through various options and solutions where all parties could agree to a solution. My mind was more on work that riding.........

About 30 miles into the ride I'm climbing a little grade and I ease down into the next gear. All of a sudden I hear sounds from below like I've picked up a rock or something metallic in the drivetrain-there's clicking, scraping, metal on metal noises, etc.

I look down and find I'm still on the big ring (53) up front and in my easiest gear in the rear.........

Big on small.........How ugly, how dumb, how unforgiving..........

I can't recall the last time I've put myself in such a position. After 6 years and thousands of miles you would think I would know and do better. I knew CC would do flip after flip if anything ever happened like that to him or even someone he was riding with. I'm sure CC would never drop below the middle gears on the cassette that would even let the chain get the least bit out of a straight line. After all he's put his sig behind it........

Sorry to have let you down. I promise to do better.

That was a zen moment to reassure you that you are not mindmelded completely into the mechanics of the universe via 'proper' shifting of metal gears - it is fruitful for the mind to be so occupied occasionally that regular patterns are skipped and new possibilities may emerge...:D

"Too err is human, to forgive divine." You are absolved of all guilt, my son, go in peace throughout the world of North Carolina stopping every cyclist and telling them the message of straight chaining. In fact, while our beliefs may limit us to just a few of those twenty gears, we can take comfort and ignore others' laughter as we keep to the "straight and narrow".

Anyway, I do understand how, as we fall into those personal thoughts, we can be spinning along running on auto pilot........and then some turkey opens their driver's-side door on us! Bam! I wonder if middle aged riders are more prone to this riding-in-a-reverie stuff? Then again, unless my mind is toast and unable to string together 2 consecutive thoughts, then riding (on country roads) is a good time for thinking out those nagging thoughts.

jppe, you are not alone!

*********** Where's PastorBob? Haven't seen his post for a while.

Have to admit to crosschaining on my last ride aswell. Ride a triple on all my bikes but going up a moderate slope and I Heard that nasty sound aswell. Big to big and I did not even realise it was me. I never ride the big ring on the front once offroad- But for some reason I did last Sunday. I have to put it down to the trail being drier and the sun being out. Even when the hill came up- I was in middle so found myself in 32/32 and that is normally stupid up this hill. Then at the end of the ride- when we finish up on the MUP- I did it again. Just forgot that I was in big on the front so loud noises from the rear- but this time it was worse with no mud to deaden the noise.

Only one thing for it and I'll have to lock the road bike up for a while. It is ruining the cadence on the MTB.

OK, OK...even CrossChain himself will admit to some radical chain angles when the road suddenly takes a steeper pitch, seems just inches from his nose, and he panics and starts throwing shifts everywhere...especially on his few pathetic attempts at trailriding. For a few weeks after my chain-suck fall overs on the road, I'll avoid those quick friction throws to my granny gear and "stay safe" in a larger ring, big cog combo. Then the question becomes...."Can he really stay upright at 0.75 mph?"

For all folks who have thrown chains off the granny gear I have a wonderful device.

Its an "N-Gear Jump Stop". Its a small angled metal plate on a clamp that mounts to the seat tube below the derailleur. It is adjustable in height, angle and distance. It is set up to not quite touch the chain when in the low low position. Should the chain try to jump off to the inside the plate bounces the chain back on to the granny gear.

Advantage: cost under $10. no more thrown chains. the derailleur can be set for a little more agressive down shift thereby making front derailleur alignment much easier. I will try to post pictures later.

One nice thing about that 20 foot chain on my recumbent: big to small is no problem.

One nice thing about that 20 foot chain on my recumbent: big to small is no problem.


Wow-if that 20 foot chain came flying out it would be worse than a Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Not to mention lubing that monster. But there's no bias here against 'bent riders. :D

I'm going to try this picture thing again. Here are 2 pictures of the jump stop device that keeps the chain from jumping off the inside of the crank.

I have little or no mechanical aptitude, so perhaps this is a really stoopid question, but why isn't the derailleur designed so that cross-chaining is impossible to do, if it's such a bad idea?

Thanks, Maddmaxx...I'll look into it. For some reason, the roads have gotten harder surfaced over the years. And nothing beats the sudden surprize of stuck cranks, the futile scramble to fully stop on an incline, twist out of the pedals.......all the time knowing you're going over anyway. Last time I was strapped in with platforms & clips, fell over the side of an 8" molded road side barrier and slid 5 or 6 feet down an embankment looking like some dying beetle. Once they found out I was OK, everyone laughed, even me.

Twas trundling along the other day, when I too heard that funny noise. Looked down and I was on the large chainring. Now, that's something I only use when on a down hill run on my bike and had just been riding UP some steady slopes - no wonder I'd found it harder than usual. The question was, when had I made the change onto the big ring? Why had I made that change? Why is last donut in the bakery always your least favourite type?

Richard

It's one of those gadgets that leaves you thinking "why don't they all do that". Having said that though I could see where it wouldn't work as well on an MTB or Cyclocross setup where mud clearance is going to be a problem.
Although here you see it on a compact double, it works even better on a triple where the tendency to jump the granny is even greater.
For those of you who still prefier thrown chains, carry your tools or spare tube in a sock in the seat bag. Keeps the tools from making noise, keeps the tube from getting scuffed and when worn over the hand like a sock puppet it makes putting the chain back on much cleaner.

Don't worry about it. It's not like you wore your Camelbak on a road ride or anything.

Don't worry about it. It's not like you wore your Camelbak on a road ride or anything.

How else are you going to stay hydrated on a 2 hour ride? Camelback is used on most rides. And I have a helmet with a visor.