Don't mess with those garbage bags

[Doug Taylor]

"archie" <[email protected]> wrote:

>There is a first time for everything and others might learn from this.
>Had a weird experience running over one of those black plastic garbage
>bags. One was being blown across a road as I passed. The bag got
>caught in my drivetrain and ended up inside my rear deraileur and
>wrapped itself around my cogs. What happened next was described by my
>friend who was pedalling right behind me, witnessing the entire thing.
>The plastic pried apart my RD and bent my dropouts to the point of
>cracking.
>Lesson for me is to not to take those bags for granted (and to be more
>generous in braking). I ended up spending for replacement parts.

Bags aren't the only culprit. On road, but more particularly off road,
there are twigs, sticks, and all kinds of other debris that can cause
this.

It has happened to me twice, once on road and once off.

I call it the cycling trifecta: in one seemingly insignificant
instant, you can total a derailleur, blow out a replaceable hanger or
bend a frame (mine were both titanium frames where the hanger is part
of the frame), and bend one, or more commonly, three of four spokes.



--dt

 

[[email protected]]

Any truth to the rumor that those bags are launched by rogue squirrels?

 

[Robert Lorenzini]

On 11 Nov 2005 16:02:58 -0800, [email protected] wrote:
> Any truth to the rumor that those bags are launched by rogue squirrels?
>

Yes but there is absolutly no way a bag could damage a bike. NE1 who says so
is a master fatti liar.


Bob

 

[[email protected]]

if touring without a chainguard, running into a long skim of asphalt
dirt, down a dirt road a short piece, then a wound garbage bag tied
from rack stay to bottle cage, at the bags tie belt, will keep the
cluster and cogs relatively clean: try wrapping duct tape at the tire's
proximity-gives a tight clearance.

 

[Archie A.]

lol
:-D

 

[Archie A.]

Apologies to all but my laughter was because of this comment:
> Any truth to the rumor that those bags are launched by rogue squirrels?

Archie A

 

[Bill Sornson]

Archie A. wrote:

> lol
> :-D
<eg>

 

[Chris Zacho The Wheelman]

I was literally assaulted by a black plastic garbage bag whilst riding
down the Pacific Coast highway on a day the Santa Ana winds were
blowing. It sprung from it's hiding place behind the bush just as I
passed, and a rogue gust lifted it and it wrapped around my face.

I was able to stop without crashing and disentangle it from my h*****ed
noggin. but it was a scary few moments!

And to think, 0 people are worried about cute little squirrels!

- -

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

 

[Michael]

archie wrote:
>
> There is a first time for everything and others might learn from this.
> Had a weird experience running over one of those black plastic garbage
> bags. One was being blown across a road as I passed. The bag got
> caught in my drivetrain and ended up inside my rear deraileur and
> wrapped itself around my cogs. What happened next was described by my
> friend who was pedalling right behind me, witnessing the entire thing.
> The plastic pried apart my RD and bent my dropouts to the point of
> cracking.
> Lesson for me is to not to take those bags for granted (and to be more
> generous in braking). I ended up spending for replacement parts.
> Archie A


That's a new one on me; don't think I've even had an opportunity to hit a
garbage bag.

I do know, from sad experience, that blithely spinning too close to thick-stalk
weeds can make a mess of things. Rear der, cassette and chain loaded with weed;
chain derailed and wedged tightly between hub and dropout. Gave me some "down
time". (grumble-grumble-mutter) I think the Shimano rear der on my older road
bike is still in shock from one such encounter.

 

[Ken M]

Michael wrote:
> archie wrote:
>
>>There is a first time for everything and others might learn from this.
>>Had a weird experience running over one of those black plastic garbage
>>bags. One was being blown across a road as I passed. The bag got
>>caught in my drivetrain and ended up inside my rear deraileur and
>>wrapped itself around my cogs. What happened next was described by my
>>friend who was pedalling right behind me, witnessing the entire thing.
>>The plastic pried apart my RD and bent my dropouts to the point of
>>cracking.
>>Lesson for me is to not to take those bags for granted (and to be more
>>generous in braking). I ended up spending for replacement parts.
>>Archie A
>
>
WOW I wouldn't have thought a plastic bag could be so destructive.
Something else to watch out for, along with potholes, road kill,
puncture flat causing shrapnel etc, etc, etc.

>
> That's a new one on me; don't think I've even had an opportunity to hit a
> garbage bag.
>
> I do know, from sad experience, that blithely spinning too close to thick-stalk
> weeds can make a mess of things. Rear der, cassette and chain loaded with weed;
> chain derailed and wedged tightly between hub and dropout. Gave me some "down
> time". (grumble-grumble-mutter) I think the Shimano rear der on my older road
> bike is still in shock from one such encounter.
And that stuff is not easily removed either.


--
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride. ~John F. Kennedy

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
Ken M <[email protected]> wrote:

> Michael wrote:
> > archie wrote:
> >
> >>There is a first time for everything and others might learn from this.
> >>Had a weird experience running over one of those black plastic garbage
> >>bags. One was being blown across a road as I passed. The bag got
> >>caught in my drivetrain and ended up inside my rear deraileur and
> >>wrapped itself around my cogs. What happened next was described by my
> >>friend who was pedalling right behind me, witnessing the entire thing.
> >>The plastic pried apart my RD and bent my dropouts to the point of
> >>cracking.
> >>Lesson for me is to not to take those bags for granted (and to be more
> >>generous in braking). I ended up spending for replacement parts.
> >>Archie A
> >
> >
> WOW I wouldn't have thought a plastic bag could be so destructive.
> Something else to watch out for, along with potholes, road kill,
> puncture flat causing shrapnel etc, etc, etc.
>
> >
> > That's a new one on me; don't think I've even had an opportunity to hit a
> > garbage bag.
> >
> > I do know, from sad experience, that blithely spinning too close to thick-stalk
> > weeds can make a mess of things. Rear der, cassette and chain loaded with weed;
> > chain derailed and wedged tightly between hub and dropout. Gave me some "down
> > time". (grumble-grumble-mutter) I think the Shimano rear der on my older road
> > bike is still in shock from one such encounter.
> And that stuff is not easily removed either.

Remember 3 cylinder Fiat automobiles? A friend once drove
his over a corrugated carton on the road. Carton lodges in
undercarriage, carton catches fire, automobile catches
fire, total loss. Since then I consider all debris a
hazard, and avoid anything that cannot avoid me.

--
Michael Press

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
Ken M <[email protected]> wrote:

> Michael wrote:
> > archie wrote:
> >
> >>There is a first time for everything and others might learn from this.
> >>Had a weird experience running over one of those black plastic garbage
> >>bags. One was being blown across a road as I passed. The bag got
> >>caught in my drivetrain and ended up inside my rear deraileur and
> >>wrapped itself around my cogs. What happened next was described by my
> >>friend who was pedalling right behind me, witnessing the entire thing.
> >>The plastic pried apart my RD and bent my dropouts to the point of
> >>cracking.
> >>Lesson for me is to not to take those bags for granted (and to be more
> >>generous in braking). I ended up spending for replacement parts.
> >>Archie A
> >
> >
> WOW I wouldn't have thought a plastic bag could be so destructive.
> Something else to watch out for, along with potholes, road kill,
> puncture flat causing shrapnel etc, etc, etc.
>
> >
> > That's a new one on me; don't think I've even had an opportunity to hit a
> > garbage bag.
> >
> > I do know, from sad experience, that blithely spinning too close to thick-stalk
> > weeds can make a mess of things. Rear der, cassette and chain loaded with weed;
> > chain derailed and wedged tightly between hub and dropout. Gave me some "down
> > time". (grumble-grumble-mutter) I think the Shimano rear der on my older road
> > bike is still in shock from one such encounter.
> And that stuff is not easily removed either.

Remember 3 cylinder Fiat automobiles? A friend once drove
his over a corrugated carton on the road. Carton lodges in
undercarriage, carton catches fire, automobile catches
fire, total loss. Since then I consider all debris a
hazard, and avoid anything that cannot avoid me.

--
Michael Press

 

[Dave Larrington]

In article <[email protected]>, Michael ([email protected]) wrote:

> That's a new one on me; don't think I've even had an opportunity to hit a
> garbage bag.
>
> I do know, from sad experience, that blithely spinning too close to thick-stalk
> weeds can make a mess of things. Rear der, cassette and chain loaded with weed;
> chain derailed and wedged tightly between hub and dropout. Gave me some "down
> time". (grumble-grumble-mutter) I think the Shimano rear der on my older road
> bike is still in shock from one such encounter.

I have lost a rear derailleur to a piece of industrial-strength bubble
wrap, while a common or garden plastic carrier bag did the same to The
Woman Formerly Known As Mrs Larrington. At least she had the good
fortune to be within a couple of hundred yards of a bike shop...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
My other motto is in Latin.