bianchi10

Had been sick all week so I was really looking forward to feeling well enough to get out and ride. Yesterday I met up with a friend for a quick 25 mile ride with a touch of climbing. Definitely wasn't feeling well enough for that but I finished coughing, hacking and wiping snot from my face. Today was supposed to rain but there was a big clearing in the sky and clouds were few and far between. Kids and wife went down for a nap so I figured I would get dressed and go for a ride. Now keep in mind that I hate riding solo and I rarely do it. Was planning on a quick 12 mile loop just to get out and spin a little (was still coughing a lot so I didn't want to push to much) . I dressed up and looked at my cell phone and thought To myself,"meh, its only a quick ride. Nothing ever happens." (Remember this thought because as you can imagine, it comes into play later) I headed out and about a half mile in I notice that my front brake isn't centered. I pull over and try to fix it but I really need a 13mm wrench. Figured I would just turn around and fix it real quick. Get home and fix it, look at my phone again and still wave it off. Close garage door and back out.


Fast fwd 6.13 miles into my ride:

Sprinting down a hill and hit 52mph but something didn't feel right. Bike didn't feel secure. Thought maybe it was just a gust of side wind and pushed me a little. Didn't think twice and kept going. Start climbing the very next hill and BAM...a spoke snapped on my front wheel. Pull over right away and look at it. I tried to think about my options here considering I have never dealt with this before. Wheel still rolled and spoke broke right at the hub. The slowly rolled forward and the spoke tucked in behind another spoke. I figured ill have one foot out and just pedal very VERY slowly. That worked for about 50ft And then the spoke popped out and hit my fork a couple times so I stopped right away. Sat there and thought, "wish I had my phone right now to call my wife or even my dad who lives about 10 miles from where I was." Couldnt just sit there so I picked up the front end and started walking. Just Then my ipod died so I knew this Was gonna suck even more. Walked about a half mile till walking in my Cleats started to feel really uncomfortable, not to mention I would destroy my shoes. So I took them off and walked in my socks 5 miles home the rest of the way.


My feet hurt so bad as I sit here typing this. A throbbing pain that seems to be getting worse as the night goes on lol. I can't help but have a movie moment flash back where I visually go back and see my phone sitting on my tool bench as I am walking on the side of the road, then my friend yelling at me while laughing and saying," THATS WHAT YOU GET!!!!!

Lesson learned.....ALWAYS bring some way of contacting someone on a solo ride!!!

Here is a shot I had to take when I got home...

seymour1910

Glad you didn't get hurt man. Are you going to be replacing the spoke yourself? I have a feeling this might push you further toward that other wheelset you were considering.

BoomMcNasty

+1 haven't needed rescuing yet, but take my phone every time.
I always ride solo, I have no cycling friends.

Nagrom_

What is this? a mini cult meeting?

Shoulda wheelied home. HTFU.

bianchi10

It kind of has but I still haven't decided. Taking wheel to lbs shop tomorrow to get fixed. At least it didn't break on me while sprinting down the hill!!!!!

bianchi10

WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT!!!!

jtwilson

That sucks man. I ride solo all the time, and I have always thought about what it would be like to walk a lot of miles in socks/bare feet due to such a situation. Just yesterday I took out bike #1 which hadn't been ridden in quite a while. During the ride, my seatpost's saddle clamp yokes vibrated loose, and I had no tools. If I lost the bolts, I would have to basically shove the saddle in my jersey pocket and stand the rest of the ride home. I was 25mi from home!

I figured out that my house key would work to turn the bolts a little bit, so I had to use that to snug the bolts up 4-5 turns, ride about 4-5mi [depending on how smooth the roads were], then stop and re-'tighten' them. It really sucked! It was almost enough to approach random farm houses to ask for a set of allen keys, but I stuck to self-reliance and limped it back. My saddle was sliding fore-aft all over the place and my knees hurt today, but I made it back. FWIW, I had my cell phone with me and thought about a rescue call, but it would have taken so long for anyone to 'google map' my boonies location and get to me that I figured I should just stick with my house key method.

Still finished the 52mi with a 18.9mh average. Not too shabby!

PCR

Sorry you had to endure this. Thanks for the lesson! Hope your feet feel better soon.

jtwilson

Apr 2008 join date with 17 posts. Respect!

surgeonstone

It happens. Just went for a ride this afternoon. 21 degrees, some light lake effect snow showers predicted. Go out get about 15 miles out and it becomes a whiteout. Can't see a damn thing, left my rear Dinotte light at home thinking I would not need it. Really wishing I had it because this is not safe. Decide to call wife and bail. Reach for my phone realizing as I do that it is at home. Crap. Kept going and it turned out ok but it could have been worse.

evan938

First year I started riding, I didn't carry anything except a flat repair kit. went out on a ride, 10 miles in, my chain broke...super pissed. Luckily i was able to have my then gf come pick me up. Only time ive ridden without a phone, is when I forgot it in my car

Jaytron

Damn, that kinda sucks.

Leukybear 

"kinda"...

Bianchi, have you ever thought about carrying a fiberfix emergency spoke in your saddle bag?



Applied:


~If you're using a wheelset w/ recessed nipples, you would also carry around the spoke key (if it doesn't fit in bag, stow under saddle) and use the nipple from your wheel instead of the one provided in the fiberfix kit. Not really much of a hassle considering what you "kinda" endured.

krobinson103

I only ride solo. I also use plaform pedals. That way if I must I can walk. Had to do that twice so far. Once when the QR failed and once when the chain snapped. That was the one tool I didn't have. I also always have my smart phone and 2 spare batteries. Electrical tape is great as well, just tape the spoke to its neighbour and ride slowly home. At slow speed the wheel should hold up and even twic as fast as walking beats walking.

Tycho Brahe 

Sometimes a phone and a group ride still does not help.

I once was biking on a closed road with two friends. About a mile down a 2.5 mile descent, my chain jumps, falls on my bottom bracket, and gets twisted. I have friends with me, I have my phone, but since no cars can get to where I was, I was stuck.

So I took off my shoes and started to walk back. After a while, my feet started hurting a little. Then they started hurting a lot. I burnt the soles of my feet on the hot asphalt. After that I put my shoes back on, lowered my seat post, and pushed my way back while seated. The burns were not bad, but they hurt for several days.

EDIT: I'm addicted to Strava, so I always have my phone. I also wear a RoadID bracelet.

Homebrew01

You couldn't twist the broken spoke 3 or 4 times around one of the other spokes ? That's what I have done and kept riding.

ahsposo 

Now you tell him.

bianchi10

I tried that after it came out but it wouldn't stay. Plus after rolling on it for that 50ft it became so untrue that the tire was hitting the inside of the fork. I even tried to bend it back and forth to snap it off completely but it wasn't working either

You can see that I tried....

unterhausen

I woulda told him to twist the spoke around some other spokes if he had just called. oh, wait

Mike F

I had a spoke break at 0430 and I had a phone. I wrapped the spoke around another and opened the brake up because the rim had bent. It wasnt rubbing the frame so that was doable. Rode home slowly no problems. I could of called wifey that early but that would have made walking home seem pleasant Im saving that card. Now I keep one of those dinky wire ties in may saddle bag in case it happens again (tail in towards the center if needed). I worry about the spoke coming loose again and smacking against the carbon.

pdedes

you have chubby feet

bianchi10

Haha I had just walked several miles barefoot on country roads with gravel everywhere. They were a bit swollen, but that is the first thing i thought of also when I saw that picture....holy hell, my feet look like Fred Flinstone all swollen like that!!!

JonnyUtah75

Another reason I ride Speedplay Frogs. No problems walking.

wheelreason

Is dismounting the tire and tube and pulling the spoke through not allowed in the west coast?
After downhill riding in South America (you know, those other bikes) and being many miles from anything, I don't think I'll ever walk home.

bianchi10

Wheel was so untrue it was hitting/lockint on the inside of he fork.