Backup plans when bike is in the shop
One of the more frustrating aspects of cycling is that a broken-down bike takes you off the road, sometimes for days or even weeks, especially if you don't know how to fix hardly anything beyond a flat tire.
Curious what people have as backups. How many of you have a second road bike? How many have a spare set of wheels? Or tires? If you have a backup bike, is it your former first-string bike that was demoted after a new purchase? Or did you buy a spare bike used?
I have another bike, but it's a hybrid that's not ideal for the road. There's a paved trail near me where I can go 40+ miles, so the answer might just be to use that as the backup. Trying to decide if I should stick with that or buy a used road bike, or spare wheels, etc.
FYI, the latest mechanical issue is a back wheel that cracked near the hub. Surprised I didn't crash. Happened mid-ride. Bike shop is checking to see if the manufacturer will warranty it. The company hasn't yet responded. Similar thing happened 1.5 years ago. Manufacturer responded several days later and sent 2 new wheels. Now, one of those has malfunctioned.