Everyone is old enough for pain after misuse. Figure out what you're doing that causes this!

I wanted to give a like for the extra riding (!) but not for the neck pain.

Stranded by a broken shifter cable leading to a bike repair gone bad...considered my options and decided to call the wife.

38F and sunny this morning with rain forcast for the afternoon. So I took my main commuter, my 2015 Charge Plug which is not an e-bike despite the name.

Took the longer trail to trail route and 300 yards from the office the rear derailleur cable snapped. This is the third time in ten years...and the same break...inside the Shimano Claris integrated brake/shifter. I have changed shifter and brake cables in all my bikes except the two with integrated brake/shifters, the Charge Plug and now the Felt F65.

The first two times the derailleur cable snapped on the Plug I rode to the bike shop closest to my old job. Both times they changed it while I waited and charged me $20. At my current workplace, the closest bike shop is just half a mile...a ten minute walk, and I have been going there on and off for 32 years. They can usually turn around a minor repair same day, or next and at a reasonable price, although that has been going up quite a bit as of late as I'm sure it is everywhere.

I called when they opened and explained I snapped a Shimano Claris shifter cable and they said they were booked up 6 weeks out. They sell a lot of e-bikes now and maybe they just didn't want to take the time for a low profit repair...or maybe the young sounding tech who answered was just panicky about being busy.

The next nearest shop is the co-op which I considered calling, but first I checked youtube and saw that changing the shifter cable on this unit is not difficult at all. There's a Walmart a quarter mile from the office and the website said they had a cable replacement kit for $9.99 which includes 4 cables with dual heads to be used as brake or shifter cables, 4 housings, 8 ferrules and 4 crimp caps....not bad!

I knocked off 15 minutes early changed into my bike clothes then removed the old cable, then threaded the new cable. The youtube instructions said to put the shifter in the lowest gear. After threading the cable through everything I went to tighten it on the derailleur. But the derailleur was resting on the smallest cog. So I upshifted thinking I could then pull the cable taut and tighten it which to my thinking would require just minor adjustments to the derailleur. I think that was my mistake.

After tightening the cable to the derailleur I went to downshift but the lever jammed. I looked at the housing and the cable end was sticking out. The next few events were a blur, but the end result was that the metal stopper at the end of the shifter cable was lodged deep inside the brifter. I couldn't get it out...I didn't have all my tools...a needle nosed plies might work, but I didn't have one. I tried digging it out with a small flat head screwdriver I had in my desk, but that only got it so far.

If I lived in a flat state I might have ridden home, but just the slight hill between the original cable snap and the office was too steep for the small front small cog, small rear gear combo, and it is mostly uphill on the ride home.

So I called the wife. This weekend I will try to fix the dang thing...and if not I'll find a shop with a shorter wait, and if it costs too much to unstick the cable I will just buy a used unit and reinstall everything my self.

So frustrating! At least I have five other bikes to ride...two others with fenders and racks for commuting.

I had some stiff winds today. I got to college and had a little extra time. I have no choice but to take the escalator from the 1st floor to the 3rd. From there I have a choice, so I walked up to my class on the 12th floor, taking the steps two at a time. Gotta get a little exercise, right?

sunny, but still a little cold on the school run.

maybe 9-10C, clear and crisp, slight wind.

good to be back on the bike

BobbyG : I've broken two shift cables in the same spot (it's a common Shimano brifter complaint) and both times, like you had happen, I managed to lose the metal cable end inside the brifter. Once I was able to fish it out with needle nose pliers, but the second time I had to disassemble the brifter to get to it. I feel your pain.

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 2092:

It rained all day yesterday, all night, and is still raining today. We need the moisture, so I hesitate to complain about it. However, I can wish the temp was 10-20 degrees warmer.

I rode my hybrid bike with fenders yesterday and today.

When I was going to leave work yesterday afternoon, it was absolutely pouring rain. I looked at the radar and decided to wait a little while. A half hour later it was still coming down hard, but I was out of time and had to leave. The wind was blowing 20 mph into my face, and the temp was in the low 30s F. Some of the rain was freezing, and pelting my face as I fought the wind. My glasses fogged over and I could barely see anything, but with the freezing rain I didn't want to remove them for the sake of my eyeballs.

It was a slow ride home. I finally rolled into the garage at 6 PM completely soaked. I am currently in another theater production and had to be downtown no later than 6:30. That gave me 10 minutes to throw my wet clothes in the dryer, change into dry clothing and go right back out the door. I decided to drive the car to the theater. 17 miles in the rain is enough for one day.

This morning the temp was 35°F and the rain was still falling. The wind had calmed some, but had shifted direction so I still had to fight it on the way to the client's office. I came around a sharp corner on the MUP and my wheels slipped out from under me. Thankfully I kept the bike upright, but "note to self", there are spots where the rain is starting to freeze.

I find it ironic that after I arrived at the office soaking wet, the first thing I did was get in the shower and douse myself with MORE water.

Monday rain.

Tuesday stayed home, we had to euthanize an old doggo. Everyone blue.

Today, rode in but on the easy-sitting bike and not very quick. Just no incentive feeling right now.

Bobby, when you have no cable, the derailleur should sit the same way it does in top gear / smallest cog, with all the paddle release clicks. It definitely should not be resting on the cog (interference?) unless the chain is off. Chain tension should keep it apart. Something else wrong too?

yo, is that a charge ... don't see many of them in these parts

about 15 of us bringing the kids by bike in the morning (one Christiania bike)

for a school of 180 students (Year R - Year 2).

most walk and cycle on their own.

everyone seems to be rolling with a hamax seat as well. all ladies with a step-trough and men on MTBs.

a couple MTBs with a front and a rear seat for two children on a single bike.

I mentioned stiff winds yesterday. I managed OK, but I forgot to say one consequence. On my riverbank route, there is a heliport. The City had a consequential debate about helicopters because they are dangerous, very pollutive, and offer a small value overall. There had been a heliport on top of a building in midtown, and wouldn't you know it, a helicopter fell and crashed onto the building roof. I think many years ago, we even had onto a street. Helicopters may no longer land on buildings so this is one of the few legal landing places. There was a proposal to get rid of helicopters from Manhattan because it's such a densely populated place. The governor vetoed it, I believe because she likes arriving here that way. I see helicopters there very often with oversized limousines for the passengers, and I assume a lot of ultra-wealthy ride these things. When I pass, the fumes are terribly foul, and they can't be good for us.

Yesterday as I passed, a helicopter was just taking off, and it was wobbling badly and took a minute to stabilize. Instead of taking off, it landed a short distance from the normal spot. Then another helicopter came from across the river and landed. I stopped and watched, but I didn't wait to see if the craft with the aborted take off tried again. It seemed to me that a disaster could have happened and I might have witnessed it. Another cyclist stopped and watched. It occurs to me that I don't know what a safe distance is when something like this happens. It might be greater than the distance I kept there at the waterfront.

Today I was riding to a give demo lesson at a school in the Bronx. A demo lesson is a form of interview for teachers. After going 3.5 miles, I realized I had forgotten my wallet and keys. I needed them. I went back home and notified my host that I'd be late. The subway is a faster way to the site, so I took that. I reached the classroom and went over a bit of math with them. My plan was to show them how to use coordinate geometry to calculate the cycling distance from my home to the school. We had to abort the lesson before I was done, but the kids enjoyed hearing my story. I got good feedback, and I hope to hear back from them soon.

The late doggo, seen here in 2012

well done

Raining all day today, so I opted out of bike commuting.

2015 Charge Plug "Performance Edition" from Performance Bicycle.

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 2093:

I forgot to mention I tried a new thing during Tuesday's ride home from work in the pouring rain. I generally don't wear socks when I ride in the rain, as they act like sponges and wick moisture into my shoes. My feet actually stay drier longer without socks. However, it was 35°F and I wasn't all that enthused about going sockless in that temperature while wearing ventilated bike shoes. Plus I had brand new white socks, and riding in the rain tends to turn my socks black from all the road gunk spraying off my front tire.

So I went in the kitchen at work and grabbed a box of plastic cling wrap. I put my socks and neoprene toe covers on, then wrapped both of my feet and lower legs with Saran wrap. I had to be careful not to wrap them too tightly as I was just trying to stay dry, not cut off circulation to my legs.

I'm happy to report that the experiment mostly worked. My feet stayed warm the whole way home. They also stayed dry from the rain water, but I did notice when I arrived at home and unwrapped everything my socks were soaked with sweat. However, sweat doesn't stain white socks the way road gunk does. I'm not going to use the Saran wrap method every time it rains, but it's nice to know I have another tool in my belt if needed.

Today we get a one-day break in the rain, so this morning I took the road bike. The temp was 34°F, and I had to ride into the wind on the way to our office. I much prefer fighting the wind in the morning and getting it out of the way, and then having a relatively easy ride later. Today I'm working from multiple locations so over lunch I'll ride to a client. Probably wind up riding about 22 miles total.

This week and the next two are going to be challenging. We're approaching opening night for the theater production I'm in, which means starting earlier this week we have practice or a performance every night immediately after work until 10 PM or later. I've been getting home at nearly 10:30 at night, and by the time I eat some supper and do a few things around the house, it's been midnight or later before I crawl in bed. Then the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM to get up for work.

It's a lot of fun and overall it's worth it, but by the time our last performance is done on the 19th I'm going to be pretty exhausted.

Interesting bike. That head angle looks unusually slack. Am I correct?

Rode today. Heart's not really in it

No ride commute for me, neck still hurts from Monday's ride and I just wasn't feeling it. I did get a walk in at lunchtime though, to get SOME kind of exercise.
I need to adjust my two gravel bikes with higher stems, as a first step.
On the Yamaha, I can just flip the stem that's on it.
On the Priority, I'll need to order a new stem from somewhere. Maybe a suspension stem. It's going to have to wait until I'm done paying lawyers.

Holiday today, so no commute. Did a quick 26km on my road bike instead. Nice spring weather.

In years past I have used plastic grocery bags over my socks, which while not always air-tight, were enough to keep my feet dry from outside moisture like rain and snow, although like you they ended up moist from sweat.

The last two years I have been using large gallon food storage bags without zip tops (they come with twist ties). They're cheap enough.

Yes. When I bought this bike I had spent a few weeks riding and auditioning many bikes, often back to back. I wanted a quick but stable ride, which I thought would be more relaxing on my old 9-mile commute. With the slack angle and slightly longer wheelbase, the bike requires fewer and lighter steering inputs to maintain a straight line and is indeed, more relaxing, especially on longer rides.

Took the 20" befendered Dahon Boardwalk yesterday. Fast ride in, sunny, dry 31F., but rain was forecast for mid afternoon, which ended up as snow...but it didn't stick. And by the time I left work it was sunnier, warmer and drier than predicted.

After a long, frustrating day at work, working through lunch and running over quitting time, I was looking forward to the ride home, but I couldn't shake my frustration. The bike performed flawlessly, the ride was without traffic woes. But I had two projects waiting for me at home: an hour-long project from an outside client, and a honey-do from the wife.

I took one of the shorter routes and didn't push so hard, since I wanted to have energy to tackle the two tasks which I kept thinking about...perhaps that was why the ride home didn't satisfy like it should have. Allistening to a new local so my earbuds quit and I was looking forward to listening to a new-to-me local bike podcast.

I'm driving today since I have a small work-related event this afternoon, and with snow expected and the high-crime location I just want to relax and enjoy, especially since I am anticipating more last-minute chaos at work which will probably make me late again.

I used to worry about losing motivation to bike commute if I drove too many days, but it's always there...as easy as driving to work is...I hate traffic more.

For me, an unsatisfying bike commute is still more satisfying than driving.

Finally a day with less than an 80% chance of rain during my commuting time.

My neck still doesn't want to turn more than 45° to the right & up, so I took my ZiZZO Forte folder, with its adjustable stem. I love riding this bike. In the way of upright bikes, it feels fast, but isn't. My commute's only 2 miles per leg, so it doesn't matter. It's not quite short enough where I'd like to walk it, (45 min) but short enough that any bike makes quick work of it; 12 minutes if I get both lights red. There's something about a small-wheeled folder too where it somehow feels more torquey for starting and climbing.

I grabbed the wrong key this morning. I saw "Kryptonite" on it and the right shape, but I grabbed the one for my chain lock instead of the U-lock I brought. So it's sitting there unlocked; I'm trusting my coworkers to be honest and lazy.

This bike is much better quality than the last two Dahons I had; ZiZZO is going to blast Dahon out of the US market, once word gets out.


Snow's gone, as we're in the upper 30s now for average temps. This was my first commute on it.

I've had to do that quite a bit the last few months. Looking forward to drier weather and more daylight as we get closer to summer. In the middle of winter I'm going to and from work in the dark. Night vision is sketchy for me when there are bright lights in my direction and rain. The first 3/4 mile of my commute home (or last 3/4 on the way in) is a busy artery with a tight cloverleaf interchange at I-5. That requires extra vigilance, even in good weather - after that it's bike lane all the way. If not for that 3/4 mile-stretch, I'd commute more in the rain.