darkmother

So I'm riding home last night, about 3/4 of the way home, and my pedal axle snaps. No warning, just cracks right across the spindle. No crash, I rode home on the axle stub. I brought my bike inside, and stuck it in my kitchen while I watched some TV and relaxed. Apparently, my bike didn't like this lack of immediate attention. From the adjacent room, I heard the unmistakable sound of a spoke breaking. In disbelief, I went and had a look. Sure enough, one of the rear drive side spokes had popped the head off.

This made me think-maybe I haven't been sensitive to my bike's needs. When was the last time I overhauled her hubs? Can't remember.... Oil on the chain?-monthly, tops. I don't think I have ever bathed her. I even forgot our anniversary. Sure, I replace stuff when it breaks, but is that enough? I mean, my bike works hard for me through rain snow and salt, and what does it get in return? A lousy steel biopace chainring?!? Come on now. And that saddle is held together with hockey tape.

Blackberry

Listen to the wisdom of a fool...If you've got a wife and you forget her anniversary or fail to overhaul her hubs now and then, she'll do a lot worse than pop a spoke.

nick burns

Give that bike some much needed luvin.

JohnBrooking

You forgot your anniversary?! Oh, darkmother, how could you?!

Obviously some serious backpedaling is in order here. She slaves over hot (and cold and icy and slushy) roads for you all day, and this is what she gets in return?

Start by giving her a new (chain) ring or two, women love jewelry. Move on to a luxurious bubble bath, followed by a complete rubdown, and don't skimp on the oils! By this time, just make sure to have plenty of lubrication on hand, and feel the love! Can you FEEL the love?! FEEL it!! Good luck.

PHEW! Now I gotta go cool down...

Treespeed

You always tell yourself next weekend, just one more ride then I'll take care of her. I finally did the above for my road bike and she was so smooth riding in today. We all forget, but it is so worth the time.

jnbacon

Glad you're okay. But how would regular maintenance have prevented your spindle from cracking? That either shouldn't have happened, or would have even if you had been maintaining it weekly.

What make/model of pedal was it? Were they closer to new or old? I'm interested, because I just installed some Eggbeaters, and have some cleat problems already, a common complaint.

billh

Well, at least you got some good one-legged drills in! Flowers, many, many flowers!

jimhens714

I think this one can be chalked up to strange coincidence...I agree that maintenance probably wouldn't have caught the pedal axle failure (by the way did it fatigue? look for beachmarks on the steel fracture zone) and for that matter the spoke too. I lavish attention on my Bianchi but she still popped a spoke 7 miles into a century. Popped it right at the spoke head.

darkmother

You're right, maintenance would not have changed the outcome. These were cheap platform pedals, I believe made by welgo. The inboard bearing is a brass bushing, the outboard is a radial contact ball. Pedals had about 7 000 km on them, give or take.

The failure was due to fatigue, I checked out the fracture surface after it happened. There were beach marks, and it looked as though there may have been void in the axle, initiating the crack. I tossed the axle in the garbage, otherwise I'd show you a picture. I've had axle failures in pedals from this company before, but in the past they have occured near the outboard bearing. Then the failure is not really dangerous, and you can even ride fairly normally after it happens.

jnbacon

Thanks for the report.