Hello Everybody

Adamski20

Hi All

I'm new to this site and have only been cycling for about a year after a break of about 8 years. My partner and I decided to get into cycling again to get a bit fitter so I bought a couple of bikes of someone at work for £20 a peice.

It was quite funny, the first time we went out on them, we only intended to go for a quick spin so that i could get home in time to watch the Grand Prix. We ended up on NCN 7 from Glasgow to Loch Lomond and decided just to go the whole way. About 5 miles from the end my partners saddle came loose so she had to stand up to peddle. This really tired her out so we swapped bikes and I rode hers the rest of the way.

Thought we would take the train back fro Loch Lomond but discovered that because we had only intended to go for a quick spin we hadn't taken any money, phones or tools. Just us and the bikes.

We went into the local information centre to ask where we could get the bike fixed to cycle back. They said the local bike shop had closed down and the nearest on was about 15 miles away. Great, stranded in Balloch!

Fortunatley my partner had one of those cards that you can input the number into a public phone and it bills your home account. So we used this to phone our friend to see if he wanted to come and "meet us for a pint" with the car and bike rack. No can do he said my dads got the car. Doh!

So we phoned anouther friend, one who rides a motor bike, to see if he could bring us some train fare home. Excellent, he said yes! Only thing is he didin't know where we were so we arranged to meet him at the Duck Bay Marina (about 3 miles up the road). Off we went, her on my bike, me on hers without the saddle. Half way there one of the bloomin peddles fell off. Aaaagggghhhh, what next.

Headed back to Balloch, fortunatly it was all down hill so i could stand on one peddle and coast most of the way. Got back in touch with said friend and managed to persuade him to find us at Balloch.

Finally he arrived after nearly crashing on the way. We had a pint and got the train home.

Moral of the story? If you buy a second hand bike, give it a thorough overhall before you go out. If you go out, take tools, money and phones.

Thought i would never make that mistake again. Last weekend, went out to cycle the route for the sponsored cycle I'm orgainising, only to get a puncture. Guess what, no spanners and the puncture repair kit had no cement in it. Double Doh!

Anyway, definatley will not be making that mistake again!!!!

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