Friday, lovely day in the NE, so I'll go for a ride. Just over a mile from
home I'm on the main road passing a junction when I realise that the minibus
exiting the junction isn't going to stop. At that point I'm about a metre
from his front bumper so I shout abuse, swerve and wait for the impact on
rear wheel but thankfully, it misses. I'm wearing a bright yellow jacket but
perhaps the sun was in his eyes. He doesn't stop ,of course so after I've
recovered from the shakes, I continue. Passing through a local town, I stop
at a set of traffic lights and when I press hard on the pedals, the
left-hand crank snaps. Fortunately I'm sitting on the saddle at the time, so
apart from bringing tears to my eyes, no damage to me. I don't have a mobile
phone and, in any case, can't think of anybody I could contact who would be
available, so I ride home on one leg, climbing a couple of nasty hills in
the process. Finish the journey along a cycle path in the town where I live
and going through an underpass, hit a pothole just in the shade that I can't
see because of the bright sunlight. Fortunately, no damage to front wheel,
but rear mudguard bridge snaps and the mudguard also shears due to previous
damage. Home without further incident, but decide that it's not my day, so
stayed in after that! Nearly 19 miles in total though, at an average of
over 12 mph. It could have been worse - the planned ride would have taken
me out into hilly countryside and I'd have been at least 25 miles from home
at the furthest point!
Incidentally, anybody else have trouble with the S/S mudguard bridges on SKS
'guards? This is the 2nd one I've snapped at the junction of fixing tab and
bridge. They seem way too flimsy to me. Just ordered a new chainset &
mudguards from Ribble, so wish me luck!
John Miller