Originally Posted by
sm1960
It took me a year to get back on(1996). Had to buy a new bike. Quick release on front disengaged, I think my kids did it playing near my bike ( 5 yrs old), old type release, only a lever. Concussion, 3 fractured vertebrae, wrist operation, still hurts sometimes. First time I ever wore a helmet, smashed it to bits, luck or mom's prayers? I was new to riding and wasn't in the habit of checking my gear very well, lesson learned.
My bosses boss a is a self-proclaimed bike guru and helped my boss order a Motobecane from BD, helped him assemble it. I was a mechanic for 20 yrs before switching careers and everyone comes to me for mechanical questions.
He asked me to look at the bike cause it wasn't right. He had ordered a 23" frame for a 5'8" guy with 31" inseam. It was a deathtrap. FD guide was 1" above the gear and couldn't shift, handlebars loose, front wheel quik release bearing on the wrong side (lever grinding into bare aluminum and wheel kicking out to the side)
I got all that fixed and hopped on it, heard ting, ting, ting sound from the front. Looked down and the disk brake caliper was loose and hanging in the spokes. Went over every bolt on the thing after that and most were loose. He'd been riding it like this for 2 yrs.
When people tell noobs to buy a bike from the bike shop, it really is a good suggestion.