Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.scrapmetal
09-17-08, 12:55 PM
I decided to search for new biking roads today. The plan was to make it to Warrenton, VA (http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Warrenton&state=VA) (10 miles from our place) and take Old Waterloo Road - it copies 211 - to Leads Manor Road, than up to Orlean and make some kind of a nice easy Virginia sight tour circle and go back. I am rather stubborn about my destinations too.
After week of local runs on my Scrapbike and hauling cargo (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=465805) the carbon bike felt like feather and myself like 20 years old. You know the feeling when heart pumps and legs move and it is not hot or cold and you fly like bat from he!!? Weeell that was me this morning.
Made it to Warrenton, stopped for coffee and went on. Beautiful countryside, I was really enjoying the ride. When I reached Leads Manor, suddenly there is a sound like bow string twang. I knew right away it can not be good. Well it wasn't:( One spoke from the rear wheel decided enough is enough and supporting my 230 pounds is just too much and gave in. The wheel made a small bump, big enough to touch the frame on each pass. I had some tools, but no spokes - the only thing to do was to take off brake blocks and mess with the rest of the spokes for the wheel to clear the frame. That eventually worked and with only front brake and just like hedgehogs make love (very, very, very carefully:)) I biked 8 miles back to Warrenton to LBS. LBS sold me used-but-new-for-me-and-stronger wheel and I made it home without another problem.
From planned and possible 60 or 70 miles today, it was only 40:mad:
Conclusion? I got lucky, it could have been hard fall too. In the future I am gonna upgrade front wheel, but I hope I will make it to Orlean sometime next week, it really is a good area for cycling.
After week of local runs on my Scrapbike and hauling cargo (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=465805) the carbon bike felt like feather and myself like 20 years old. You know the feeling when heart pumps and legs move and it is not hot or cold and you fly like bat from he!!? Weeell that was me this morning.
Made it to Warrenton, stopped for coffee and went on. Beautiful countryside, I was really enjoying the ride. When I reached Leads Manor, suddenly there is a sound like bow string twang. I knew right away it can not be good. Well it wasn't:( One spoke from the rear wheel decided enough is enough and supporting my 230 pounds is just too much and gave in. The wheel made a small bump, big enough to touch the frame on each pass. I had some tools, but no spokes - the only thing to do was to take off brake blocks and mess with the rest of the spokes for the wheel to clear the frame. That eventually worked and with only front brake and just like hedgehogs make love (very, very, very carefully:)) I biked 8 miles back to Warrenton to LBS. LBS sold me used-but-new-for-me-and-stronger wheel and I made it home without another problem.
From planned and possible 60 or 70 miles today, it was only 40:mad:
Conclusion? I got lucky, it could have been hard fall too. In the future I am gonna upgrade front wheel, but I hope I will make it to Orlean sometime next week, it really is a good area for cycling.