Originally Posted by wphamilton

I had a real fright on the MUP this last commute. The bicycle coming towards me (it's a middle-aged guy and a decent bike although I didn't notice what brand) does a kind of bucking motion as his chain skips off - just as we meet I see the rear wheel jumping in the drop-outs! Fortunately he didn't crash or anything. I called out does he need some tools and he says "I don't know" so I stop and walk over. He's trying to lift his bike up to move off the path, and clearly he didn't even realize his wheel was coming off. Long story short I got his chain un-jammed and mounted his wheel, but what really scared me was he didn't have the foggiest idea about any of it. Not even about tightening the quick releases. Just thinking about getting out on a bike that has literally never been checked over still makes me feel queezy. Imagining the front wheel coming off, brakes not working, headset flopping loose.

Be careful on the MUPs out there!