Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Stupid things you shouldn't do...

Stupid things you should not do.

So, I replaced the BB a while back. When I put the crank back on, I discovered the chain ring was sitting to close to the frame so I put it on the outside of the crank. (It's not a track crank). Only when I put it on, I put it on wrong and didn't place the recessed wholes on the out side. With that, the chain ring bolts didn't sit well on the ring. They would loose up despite how hard I tightened, and ate away.

Friday morning, the chain ring disintegrated. Ironically, the crank came off as well, as I didn't screw in the retainer bolt for the crank. So Friday morning I ended up skipping along for about 30 feet with one foot in the air, crank dangling from my foot, other spinning wildly.

Just a note for those that are learning ~ something you shouldn't do.

i am quite frankly surprised and elated to find out that you weren't seriously injured. :)

Ah Willy -

You bring joy and a laugh to an otherwise crappy Monday. Way to not crash.

Good deal on not crashing! I have to admit that the thought of seeing someone cruising down the street with one leg in the air with a crankarm hanging off of their foot. While still pedaling with the other one is a pretty funny picture.

I'm sure you've learned your lesson by now, but why the heck didn't you put the crank bolt on? That really is careless, just asking for trouble (which clearly found you).

I'm sure you've learned your lesson by now, but why the heck didn't you put the crank bolt on? That really is careless, just asking for trouble (which clearly found you).

Dear Johnny B,

While I sit here thinking of something crass and witty to reply to your (I'm sure well meant) barb: I have to admit. In the multitude of thoughts I was having at that moment, one of them was "why the **** isn't that bolt there". When I finally got home (walking), I thought perhaps it had loosened out. Or, broke off.

No such luck. It was sitting in the little bowl I put things like that in when I work on them, so I don't loose them, and remember to put them back.

So, the answer to your question "Why didn't you?" is because, I forget to put bolts back on, like a dumbass.

Explain enough?

'Friday morning, the chain ring disintegrated. Ironically, the crank came off as well, as I didn't screw in the retainer bolt for the crank. So Friday morning I ended up skipping along for about 30 feet with one foot in the air, crank dangling from my foot, other spinning wildly."

:roflmao: I'm laughing with you WK. Glad your OK and thanks for the monday humor.

CD

Remided me of this.
http://www.garynuke.homestead.com/files/bikeendo1.jpg

Though this is probably the more comparable mistake from forgetting to tighten things down.
http://www.garynuke.homestead.com/files/lostawheel.jpg

So, the answer to your question "Why didn't you?" is because, I forget to put bolts back on, like a dumbass.

Explain enough?


Rather than "Beta Man" may I suggest "Murphy Man"

One reason I always think at least a front brake is a good idea. Provided you remember to put the brake pads on. :)

Rather than "Beta Man" may I suggest "Murphy Man"
hmmm...I think that is a good standby in case he ever breaks the "Beta Man" sticker :)

Forgetfulness is ok. If you were trying to be a weight weenie and save a couple ounces (like one famous UK BMXer I just found out about), then you'd have to shunned forever. But just plain forgetting, fair enough. I forget all sorts of things (do up my flies, unclip my feet, you know the stuff).

Moral of this story: Don't wrench on your bike when you're either stoned or drunk!!! ;)
Corollary: ride drunk, but wrench sober...

Just don't run your thumb through the drivetrain, no matter what you do.

speaking of forgetting things...

once, i was doing a complete parts swap (minus headset and bottom bracket) from one bike to another. i get the bike all together, head out. ride from my house in allston, to a place in jamaica plain (about 4-5 miles), skidding, backpedalling, basically riding as normal. hang out at the shop for a while, chat it up, yadda yadda yadda...was supposed to meet someone at the shop, he didn't show up, so i go to the shop where he works, no one's there. so i ride from the kid's shop back into boston, and i'm thinking, hey, i'll go for a cruise around downtown since it's late (it was like, 11 at this point) and there aren't too many cars. i'm riding along and i start to hear this clunking, grinding sound coming from my chain, and i think "oh great, my chainring bolts are loose," so i slow down a little bit preparing to dismount and the whole damn chain just falls off in the middle of the street. pulled my feet out of the clips, straddled the top tube and fred flintstoned it and even did that trick where you grab your front wheel with your hand (NOT so your hand gets caught in the fork) to get it to stop. get off the bike, start screaming my head off (because i'm a good hour walk from my house and no bikes on the green line in boston), swinging my bike around, ready to just demolish it, but i think better of myself...i compose myself (a little), go back, grab the chain out of the street and proceed to wonder what the hell happened as the chain is only a few months old. called my friend to see if he could come get me, didn't get an answer...so i wrapped the chain around my hand in case anyone so much as snickered in my direction as i wasn't in the mood, put on some angry music in the MD, and began the long walk home. as i'm walking, i begin to ask myself "did i remember to put the little C-clip on the masterlink when i put my chain back together?" and i think, surely, i must have! i wouldn't be so stupid as to forget that, it must've just not been on properly and came off in the course of riding, how else could i explain how far i got without it?

get home, walk in, look on the the table where i kept things that i don't want to forget about, sure enough. the stupid C-clip for the masterlink. since then, i'm either really super neurotic about making sure my chain is all together, or i just use a chain tool and a normal link. and i also take my time with everything now to make sure it gets done right.

i know the risks and how scary it can be to lose your chain, and yet i continue to ride brakeless. stubborn, and stupid, i guess...then again, i'm pretty meticulous about my drivetrain and making sure it's good to go.

don't feel too bad, william. "stupidity", carelessness, murphy's law...it can happen to anyone. i bet you won't forget your crank bolts ever again.

Not having yet wiped on my fixed, I wonder what could have happened. Nevertheless, I am glad you smart ass is healthy and as sharp-tongued as ever.

It just dawned on me how funny it was I kept peddling with the non drive side of the crank.... I wonder why I did that? :D

ROFLMAO That last post made the whole ordeal worth while. No offense, but that is too funny :D

I had a crank arm fall off once, this was a couple of years ago, before the whole SS/FG thing enveloped me. I was riding my road bike home from work, when I noticed a little wobble on the left hand side. I tried to clip my foot out of the pedal, and off came the whole crank arm. Luckily I was within 2 miles of my house, and I was able to pedal one legged the rest of the way home. It did feel a little wierd having my left leg just dangling there, not really doing much.

In my case, I don't know what happened... I had not even looked at the crank bolt for about 500 miles, so it must have worked it's way loose. What really sucked was that I stripped out the taper of the crank arm, and had to replace it. Luckily I was able to buy an old azuki ten speed with the same sugino 171 mighty crank set at a police auction for 12$. The same azuki has become a nice little FG in my collection as well....

WK, be sure to check the crank arm, it might fall of again if you stripped it out.

Heh! I have a fixed Azuki too.

My father was even telling me that he has a old azuki frame which was mine from when I was a child I forgot about... Next time he comes out here he is going to bring it to me... Of course that will probably be a fixie too...

The thing is...I can't find any information on these bikes. Truth be told I don't really consider it to be any more than a beater. It was a $15 garage sale bike. Had Shimano Eagle deraillers and old school cottered cranks which I'm just waiting for the day I try to stop on those cottered cranks and I'll pull a WillyK and go careening through traffic with a crank arm dangling from each foot.

The thing is...I can't find any information on these bikes. Truth be told I don't really consider it to be any more than a beater. It was a $15 garage sale bike. Had Shimano Eagle deraillers and old school cottered cranks which I'm just waiting for the day I try to stop on those cottered cranks and I'll pull a WillyK and go careening through traffic with a crank arm dangling from each foot.

I've seen a few around the thrift shops. Check Classic Redevous or ask the King of Bike information Sheldon Brown.

I think this thread has made me infamous, in a bafoon sort of manner.

That's Karma for ya'

So last night I'm taking the Sizzler (the grocery getter I just built) out for her shakedown cruise and wouldn't you know it? The crank fell off while I was riding down the street. The nut that held the crank on had loosend and fell off. Don't fear, My intrepid fixed gear brothers and sisters I one legged pedaled back to my garage and reattached the crank with a bolt scavenged from a broken skateboard truck! Off we go for the titanic second round. I was going to get to the blue ribbon even if by nothing else than the force of my iron will. I get about a half mile from my house when I think to myself "I really ought to have a pump with me since I don't know how reliable these 20 year old tires are". So i grab a handful of back brake...SCREEEEEE...BANG! I popped my back tire. I limped back to the garage again and changed my tire since I had a few extra new ones around. Not to be deterred I resumed my journey a third time, now with a pump bungeed to my rack and in ten minutes I arrived at my destination.

I guess the moral of the story is: Always check your crank and never use old rubber.

I had a bottom bracket spindle shear off where the non-drive side crank attaches. I would like to say didn't crash but I did. To make it worse the sharp edge of the spindle cut my thigh as I fell (don't ask me how). 12 stitches, a mild concussion and CT scan. That was not a good day.

I think it is OK to use old Rubbers if you are Fixed.

I think it is OK to use old Rubbers if you are Fixed.

belt and suspenders?