Biggest maintenance stuffup - I nominate myself

[Daveb]

What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It was
a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting a
new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the right
arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on plaster on
Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up home maint, I
need a good laugh.

Dave B (typing very slowly)

 

[Glen F]

Ouch.

No injury resulted, but on the weekend I spent a few hours
replacing a bottom bracket and then dismantling and
reassembling a crank set - only to find that the pedal creak
I was chasing was still there.

[Turned out to be the mudguard rubbing against the frame as
it flexed.]

 

[Bjay]

I cannot take credit for this one but thought it should be
included. I friend of mine decided to adjust his speedo pick-
up . . . while he was moving. The pickup was on the left of
his front fork and he tried to adjust it with his right
hand. So he just put his hand through the spokes . . . .
. and did a perfect somersault over the handlebars!
Fortunately he was only going at about 10 kph at the time.
He bent his forks and removed a bit of skin, it was mostly
his ego that was bruised.

"DaveB" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
> was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
> yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting
> a new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
> tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
> because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
> one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
> thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
> left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
> right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
> plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
> home maint, I need a good laugh.
>
> Dave B (typing very slowly)

 

[Andrew Swan]

bjay wrote:
> I cannot take credit for this one but thought it should
> be included. I friend of mine decided to adjust his
> speedo pick-up . . . while he was moving. The pickup was
> on the left of his front fork and he tried to adjust it
> with his right hand. So he just put his hand through the
> spokes . . . .
> . and did a perfect somersault over the handlebars!
> Fortunately he was only going at about 10 kph at the
> time. He bent his forks and removed a bit of skin, it
> was mostly his ego that was bruised.

A "friend" ..... riiiiiiight.

&roo

 

[Sprinter_989]

Not tightening pair of cranks on track bike, riding along at 40kmph wondering what the hell that banging noise is everytime I pedal, look down and I've been bashing the **** out of the chainstay.

 

[Andrew Swan]

DaveB wrote:
> What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
> was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
> yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting
> a new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
> tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
> because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
> one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
> thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
> left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
> right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
> plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
> home maint, I need a good laugh.
>
> Dave B (typing very slowly)

Wow, that sent chills down my spine - I have only recently
fitted and re-fitted my fork (before and after cutting it
down), and I'm so glad that I did it up tight enough. This
raises the question of how tight is "enough", not only for
forks but also other critical things like brakes, cranks,
etc. Can you imagine the effect of a front brake caliper
coming loose and falling into the front wheel?

&roo (... heads off to r.b.t to ask tech-heads about torque
settings ...)

 

[Peter Cremasco]

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 12:47:55 +1100, DaveB
<[email protected]> wrote:

>What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
>was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
>yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting a
>new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
>tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
>because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
>one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
>thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
>left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
>right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
>plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
>home maint, I need a good laugh.

Mine was as a result of making the tyres look nice and new
(and helping to preserve the rubber) by spraying them with a
silicon based protectant/lubricant.

It takes about 150 metres of a downhill run at
approximately 50-60 kph for the brake pads to eventually
wear off the silicon coating from the side of the rim. If
there had been TWO cars at the red light at the bottom of
the hill, instead of one, I'd probably would have had to
replace the front rim at least. I may have even been able
to sport a cast like yours.

---
Cheers

PeterC

[Rushing headlong: out of control - and there ain't no
stopping]
[and there's nothing you can do about it at all]

 

[Peter Cremasco]

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 18:27:57 +1100, Andrew Swan
<[email protected]> wrote:

>that I did it up tight enough. This raises the question of
>how tight is "enough", not only for forks but also other
>critical things like brakes,

Conversation between me and mechanic, many moons ago.

Me: Hey! Bruno. I'm trying to get this cast drum brake off
the back of the FC. How hard can I hit the damned thing
before it breaks?

Bruno: Hit it as hard as you can - as long as it's not too
hard.

---
Cheers

PeterC

[Rushing headlong: out of control - and there ain't no
stopping]
[and there's nothing you can do about it at all]

 

[Bjay]

Honest, twas someone else.

"Andrew Swan" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> bjay wrote:
> > I cannot take credit for this one but thought it should
> > be included. I friend of mine decided to adjust his
> > speedo pick-up . . . while he
was
> > moving. The pickup was on the left of his front fork and
> > he tried to
adjust
> > it with his right hand. So he just put his hand through
> > the spokes . .
. .
> > . and did a perfect somersault over the handlebars!
> > Fortunately he was
only
> > going at about 10 kph at the time. He bent his forks and
> > removed a bit
of
> > skin, it was mostly his ego that was bruised.
>
> A "friend" ..... riiiiiiight.
>
> &roo

 

[John Doe]

"DaveB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
> was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
> yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting
> a new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
> tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
> because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
> one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
> thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
> left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
> right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
> plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
> home maint, I need a good laugh.
>
> Dave B (typing very slowly)
>

Ouch. Sorry to hear that.

I always have the fear of not tightening something.

My best go was not tightening the rear Quick release
enough. Waiting at front of queue of traffic at red light.
Nice busy road to. Stand up out of saddle to get a nice
quick get away on green and back wheel pulled forward. The
back wheel does not turn and the momentum put me over the
handle bars. No real damage apart from pride. One person
honked me to get out of the way. Another laughed and
clapped as he drove past.

Another time I had maintenance done on the bike by a
mechanic (supposedly reputable) same thing. QR too loose.
Standing up on a big hill and it happens again. I am in a
ditch. A lot of bruising but no broken bits.

Its funny though how much time you have to think about how
much its going to hurt before impact.

BTW am very careful about tightening that rear QR these days
and do not trust anyone else.

Peter

 

[Hippy]

"DaveB" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
> What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
> was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
> yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting
> a new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
> tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
> because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
> one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
> thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
> left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
> right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
> plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
> home maint, I need a good laugh.

Yow! I've done the same thing.. but I was younger and
probably going slower because I'm sure I bounced...

I incorrectly tightened a rear wheel cone which somehow
snapped the QR skewer and trashed the hub. Luckily, it self-
destructed close to home and being rear wheel, I just
skidded to a stop.

I spent a whole afternoon with a mate wondering why my rear
derrailer no longer works.. My Dad walks over, spins it
around (tightening the sping tension) and bam! she works
fine now...

Note for test riders: Start SLOW!

Hope you mend rapidly!

hippy

 

[Frank Palermo]

(1) General bike tidy-up... change tyres, cables, etc. I
live just off the crest of a STEEP hill. Put bike back
together, adjusting derailleurs and stuff. Ride 50m to
top of the hill checking gears, bouncing on the shocks
and all that stuff. Turned around to ride back to my
driveway, pulled on the brakes. Hmmm... must remember to
hook up the brakes next time! By the time I was just
past my house I was doing 60 and gaining... oh, oh!

I tried using my foot on the back wheel. Doesn't work very
well in fluffy slippers and knobby tyres! I ended up
squawking my way down the hill to the T junction at the end
(thankfully only about 200m) bouncing off the kerb (oneof
the big old ones I couldn't bunny-hop sideways over at that
speed) trying to scrub speed before laying the bike down in
a gravel patch at the end of the road. Bugger.

(2) Another maintenance day. Came back down my driveway
(yes, I had brakes this time). I saw the kid from the
house behind me peeking over the fence at my bike. I
threw the bike into what should have been a Starsky &
Hutch style sideways skid, caught the bit of carpet I
use to rest the seat on when the bike's upside down with
my locked up front wheel. WHEEE! Result: Me battered and
bruised from slamming into a carport pole. Kid out the
back in stitches at the old bloke (he's 11) who can't
ride the flash bike he's got. Bugger II...

 

[Marty]

Sprinter_989 <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Not tightening pair of cranks on track bike, riding along
> at 40kmph wondering what the hell that banging noise is
> everytime I pedal, look down and I've been bashing the
> **** out of the chainstay.
>
>
>

I've put some funny silly stuff on my web site. You can
find it here

http://www.geo.net.au/~mart/funny_cycling_stories.htm

and here.

http://www.hyperactive.oz.nf/Funny%20Triathlon%20stories.htm

regards

Marty

 

[flyingdutch]

got to shops andr ealised I had no lock on me
"I'll make it near impossible for anyone to take" me thinks...
Put helmet strap around seattube and rear wheel.
Undo brake cables at Vbrake mech.
undo quick release on front wheel and put gear in smallest possible.
"That outta slow any theif down"

Go into and out of shop
Walk out to bike and get a big "Hi" from old highschool girlfriend,
we chat as Im left wondering what if...

Climb back on bike. Fall flat on face as I roll off, no brakes to stop me and hit a bump and front wheel departs

bloody thiefs....

 

[Ray Peace]

Greetings, Probably my biggest maintenance stuff-up was
fitting the wrong type of back tyre to a tandem. Although
correctly inflated, it proceeded to literally roll off the
rim on a sharp downhill curve, a disaster which left me with
a fractured spine (!) The fracture fortunately wasn't too
severe so I still ride. It took me years to get back on a
tandem, then I promptly crashed one again (car came through
stop sign) This time I think I'm taking the hint and staying
off them, they're a lot of fun, but a bit hairy because
they're fast and hard to stop. Regards, Ray.

DaveB wrote:

> What's the best maintenance stuffup people have done? It
> was a question I had lots of time to ponder in casualty
> yesterday. I went for a test ride yesterday after fitting
> a new headstem. Obviously (well it is now anyway) I hadn't
> tightened the bolt that runs down into the tube enough,
> because about 2km into the ride the hdlebars were going in
> one diection and the front wheel in another, with me
> thinking "uh oh this is gonna hurt". End result was broken
> left thumb with arm in plaster, and 2 fractures in the
> right arm at the elbow (in a sling for now, decision on
> plaster on Thurs). So give me your tales of stuuffed up
> home maint, I need a good laugh.
>
> Dave B (typing very slowly)