My Commute Became a Biathlon
06-20-05, 10:16 PM
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My Commute Became a Biathlon
This made my co-workers laugh pretty hard so I thought I would share it with the masses.
My commute home on last Friday was going to be done in the rain which was bad enough, but halfway home my left crank became wobbly. I stopped and checked to find the crank bolt for the bottom bracket had somehow fallen out.
There is an LBS on the way home but I had another 2 km's/1 mile or so to get there and about 15 minutes before it closed. Failing that I would have to push the bike the rest of the way home. The crank came off completely not long after and I ended up pushing the bike while jogging in the rain to try and get to the LBS in time. I made it and they gave me another bolt which at least allowed me to ride home with some dignity. 
As I understand it most biathlon/duathlons are run/ride/run, not the other way around. Seeing as how this was an improvised race against the clock I guess I can't complain about the results too much.
Presumably this has not happened to many other commuters too often? I would expect accessories to be more of an issue than drivetrain components.
My commute home on last Friday was going to be done in the rain which was bad enough, but halfway home my left crank became wobbly. I stopped and checked to find the crank bolt for the bottom bracket had somehow fallen out.
There is an LBS on the way home but I had another 2 km's/1 mile or so to get there and about 15 minutes before it closed. Failing that I would have to push the bike the rest of the way home. The crank came off completely not long after and I ended up pushing the bike while jogging in the rain to try and get to the LBS in time. I made it and they gave me another bolt which at least allowed me to ride home with some dignity. As I understand it most biathlon/duathlons are run/ride/run, not the other way around. Seeing as how this was an improvised race against the clock I guess I can't complain about the results too much.
Presumably this has not happened to many other commuters too often? I would expect accessories to be more of an issue than drivetrain components.
06-20-05, 11:18 PM
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Left crank bolts are in danger of dropping out due to the left crank pushing itself away from the bolt's head up the taper, thus depriving the bolt of its friction retaining. Those dust caps are important...
06-21-05, 05:50 AM
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I almost think it made Triathlon, with the rain and all. I've heard the duathlon called the Dry Tri, so this one is a notch above that. Great Story!!!
06-21-05, 06:15 AM
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Props for knowing the time the LBS closed -- good thinking on your feet there. Funny story, too. 
06-21-05, 08:13 AM
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If the bike shop didn't do it, I'd take that bolt back out and put some locktite on it and reinstall it. Yeah pretty funny though... You're lucky, normally I lose my races against the clock 
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06-21-05, 09:22 AM
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Good going! I think it's great to be able to think fast in a crisis. This is what successful commuting is all about. (Or is it about the bike? I forget.)
06-21-05, 10:54 AM
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Skiing and shooting. what a perfect combination.
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06-21-05, 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by lilHinault
Yeah the title got me going, duathlon is run/bike, biathlon is ski/shoot.
06-21-05, 03:31 PM
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Lovely weather at the moment, aye Andy? Commuting in Hamilton has been..... "interesting"
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06-21-05, 04:18 PM
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I had a similar thing happen once. At home I had removed the left crank bolt because I was going to pull the cranks and the bottom bracket. But then I got distracted and had to attend to something more urgent, and I forgot to reinstall the left crank bolt.
So then a few miles out on my next ride, my left crank slips off the bottom bracket! Luckily with my clipless pedals it was hanging on the bottom of my shoe! I was able to pedal back home with just the right leg, but it wasn't easy!
So then a few miles out on my next ride, my left crank slips off the bottom bracket! Luckily with my clipless pedals it was hanging on the bottom of my shoe! I was able to pedal back home with just the right leg, but it wasn't easy!
