N-1 the hard way
 

Okay, so what's the worst way to go N-1? We'll see how my N-1 yesterday (one of these) :cry: stacks up!

Someone ripped my Puegot AO8 in 1976 and I'm still not over it.

I'm guessing you didn't contribute to your loss to quite the same extent I did, Dudelsack.

Do tell, Arizona man.

You did leave out a popular option to obtaining N-1: pulling into the garage with the bike on a roof rack. Fortunately, I own a trunk rack and my wife uses our garage for storage space.

oUt it flies off car at high speeds, something will be useful for swapping to a new used bike, and you won't feel like your stuff was touched by another.

Guessing the bike took flying lessons.

I hope the ex wife didn't get it. In any case may your bike rest in peace in the land of perpetual tail winds.

Crit racing?

The long story is that, for whatever reason yesterday, my brain never engaged. My wife says it is a common occurrence, directly related to the time I spend riding. I've been riding a lot (~225 miles/week), and I guess I was do for a rest week without realizing it. Anyway, despite getting up early and walking the dog, etc., I got to the LBS without much time to spare before the start of the group ride. I was just finishing kitting up when the ride started to take off. I started to jump on, but immediately realized I left my water bottles. I grabbed them quickly and joined the group, realizing only then that I didn't have the gel I was planning to consume. I figured I could live without that and keep riding. We get a couple of blocks, and a friend looks at me, does a double take, and points out that I have no sunglasses on. No way I was group riding without glasses, so I turn around, sprint back to the shop, grab my gel and glasses, and start sprinting back to the group. I blow past the B group doing high 20's, and fortunately a guy jumps off that group and joins me, because he either decided to wait for me, or just wanted to get up to the other group. I never found out. Not even sure who it was. Have you heard enough examples of how my brain was (not) working yet?

Anyway, we finally catch the team, just as they are deciding to stop and wait for me. Ride continues without any more issues, other than it being clear that my power was way down. Because a bunch of the team was racing the next day (today), and most had opted for the B ride because of that, it was a rather 'chill' ride. We get to the benchmark leg, up "9-mile hill" and I decide to see if I can hang with one of the real climbers. I set a PR on the hill two weeks prior by several minutes, ripping off a really good time, averaging 297 watts for 30 minutes. So I grab onto the fast guys and try to hang on, with several surges where I'm up in the mid to high 300's, watt wise. I blow up and have to ease off, only beating one guy to the top. We finish the group ride, and a friend and I do another hour or so of base, ending with about 70 miles. Here is where it gets interesting, for those who kept reading:

I do as I planned and drop my racing wheels off at the LBS to have a new tire glued on (I decided I was too busy and stressed out to try that myself for the first time) and to have the wheels trued for the racing season just starting. I set my bike on the car rack, thinking I might also leave the bike, which has the clinchers mounted right now, and get those wheels trued at the same time. I talk to the wrench, who I know pretty well, and we decide I'll bring the clinchers in when I pick up the tubies. So, all set, I leave the shop, hop in my car, and... just drive away. As I am accelerating to freeway speed a few blocks later, I see my (less than 1 year old 5 series) Madone flying off the back of the car, into traffic which managed to avoid it. Frame is toast (top tube cracked). Still don't know which components survived, and which didn't. I'm really hoping the carbon clinchers I just got, lightly used for a great price, are okay, and really hope my Quarq power meter survived.

:notamused: :cry:

I'm glad you're OK.

I'm so sorry. I find that when I am not thinking correctly, I don't even know it, so I don't know to back off, and things just get worse. Wait until you are 72. Likely, it would be best if I did not venture out of the house!!

Is it insured? Car insurance. perhaps?

I'm calling them tomorrow.

Personally the worst was when I tried to jump a hole in the ground with a 3 speed and no ramp. Not only did I get hurt, and destroy the bike but it was so stupid to do. Such for being a teen.

Second worst was getting bike-jacked while commuting to school. Physical pain and loss of bike, but at least I didn't instigate it myself.

One time the SNCF the French national train service misrouted my bike from the main line to a tiny town 30 mile off and I spent 6 months trying to get the bike back without luck.

Other times were just having it get stolen, when locked and not locked, on the street and in the garage.

Two times were just wearing out the bike and having the frame die.

One time I fixed up the bike and gave it to a girlfriend.

Three times I gave a bike away to a group, two bike coops and one that fixes bikes and gives them to the needy.

That sux man. Glad you're ok though! Good luck with the insurance folks!

Ditto that. I'd rather have cracked bike than a broken me (although I felt the opposite when I was in my twenties [remember the saying "Campy doesn't heal?]).

There's a difference between 'stolen' and 'sold to pay alimony'?

What a horrible end to a Madone:cry:

Sorry about your misfortune. Given choices 1, 2, 3, and 5, the occurrence of #4 might be preferable. At least you are alive and well, and hopefully your claim to the insurance company will be honored. This is a good lesson for all of us to pay attention when securing the bike for travel.

Bummer... red and black wasn't it? I remember your proud early pictures.:(

AZ man,
As said, at least you weren't crashed out yourself. The Madone is a bad enough loss for one day. Hope that the insurance covers the bicycle for you. Do you have a back up for the time being?

Bill

Damn, that sucks! I "almost know what you feel like" but noticed it in time to prevent it from happening. I carry the wife's and my bike in a PVC bike rack that I built for the back of my pickup. The bikes are secured to the rack by bunji cords as is the rack to the bed. I had both bikes in the back of the truck and forgot to close the tailgate and off I went. After an acceleration to pass the vehicle in front of me, I look in my rear view mirror to see where the vehicle is so I can get back in my lane, and I see both bikes on the tailgate. Good thing the bunji cord held or both bikes would have landed on the road. I keep saying that I'm going to find a better way to secure the rack to the truck, but haven't done it yet. That incident happened about 6 months ago but I haven't forgotten to close the tailgate since.

Yes, red and black. With my green and silver team kit, I made quite the fashion statement. And yes, I do have a backup, a Gunnar Sport (steel) that is a great bike, but heavy, long, and tall from a racing standpoint.

I voted for bike flies off car rack because that is my dreaded fear when travelling to an event. I spend the whole time driving worrying and stressed out about the bikes on the trunk rack of my car. Sorry about your loss Az, hope you can replace it soon and recoop some of the loss.

Sorry about your loss AzT. Not quite the way to get an N+1, I guess an (N-1) + (N+1) = 0
My old Saturn SW2 had roof racks, but I put the bike inside. I just removed the front wheel and put the bike behind me. My Camry has no racks.

The only thing Muslims have right......cut the hands off thieves. Nothing worse than a thief!