beng1

It was in the high 80s temperature-wise and about the 30th mile of a brisk ride to see how a different rear freewheel was going to work for me. The ride had included some variety including fast riding, 35ish mph down a long steep paved section with a pronounced curve in it, having the wind on my back and spinning up a 52/18 gear, riding in city traffic, poorly maintained roads, hopping curbs etc.. Then, on a flat, straight street that turns into part of USA Route 20, I thought about how hard it was for me to pedal the bike, was I that tired? And I was hearing noises and feeling like the rear of the bike was moving around. So although I was wanting to finish the ride up and get back home I stopped and got off the bike and started looking for something loose. While I was riding I was looking down at the cranks to see if the big nut locking the bearing adjustment in had come loose and checked this again now with my hands. Then I went back to the rear wheel, grabbed it and was surprised that I could move it side to side a LOT.

At first I thought the rear bearings had somehow become loose, but in retrospect that is impossible with them being held by locknuts and locked further against the rear dropouts by the axle-nuts. But I was tired and in the hot sun, so without thinking any more I pushed the bike to a tree so I could be in the shade, flipped the bike upside-down onto it's seat and handlebars, grabbed the Crescent wrench out of my messenger-bag and took the rear wheel off. As soon as it was clear of the bike it was apparent the rear axle was in two pieces. I never expected to see that.

So knackered, no cell-phone and miles from home I am thinking I am screwed. Then I pan my head to the right and see a building I had rode by many times before but had never stopped at, a building belonging to s church charity that was supposed to run a free bicycle cooperative repair clinic. As I looked at it I saw some people moving. So I picked the bike up in one hand, the wheel in the other and walked towards it. There were people there, and they were working on bikes in the parking lot here and there. An old man washing a bike with soap and water, some kids scattered around, a group over there with another bike doing things to it. I talked to the old man, maybe because I am an old man too and told him I had broken an axle. He said I would be best going in and talking to someone behind a door he pointed at. So I set the bike down against the building and carried the wheel in the door, and there was a bike shop inside with people working on bikes, and it looked very well equipped and stocked with a lot of used bike parts, piles, boxes and bins of them everywhere.
I recognized a man inside as a bicyclist I had seen around for quite a number of years, on critical mass rides, then just about town casually at the grocery store etc.. He said "what's up a flat tire?", and I said "no broken rear axle.", Which of course surprised him. He moved a short distance and gestured at a bin full of hundreds of bicycle axles, pulled one out and said I could try it, and if it was not right try any of the others in the bin.

The axle he handed me was not the right thread, the nut felt the right TPI but it was loose on the threads. So I looked in the bin, saw an axle with a bearing cone and locknut and dust cover still on, and tried the nut on it and it felt perfect. Also the bearing cone and locknut were in the exact position as those on my broken axle. I had my Crescent adjustable wrench still, but needed more, so I walked around the corner to a fully stocked work-bench and grabbed a 15mm Park wrench that was hanging on peg-board with dozens of other tools and wrenches, went back and put the new axle in the wheel. After it was in a noticed a bearing ball in the floor, but the axle seemed to spin very well and smooth and it's adjustment was good, and I was really tired and hot, so I just threw it and the old parts and my wrench back in my bag so I could get back to my bike. The guy said "You found one?" and I said "yeah". I got outside, my bike was still there which was great because it was not the best part of town, but who would want an old bike with a missing wheel anyway? The rear wheel went back in fine as usual and I cleaned up my hands with a rag and got back ready to ride home. The one guy was outside now and I pushed the bike over and said I would work the axle off by volunteering sometime, when were they open? He said they were open just that one day a week from 1pm to 4pm !!!

So I broke a rear axle after riding about 30 miles, and came to a stop a few hundred feet from a fully stocked bicycle repair charity that was only open three hours on one day of the week and the first axle I picked out of a bin of hundreds was the exact right one for my bike. I rode the miles across town back home, drank some water, used the bathroom and took a nap on the livingroom floor. I thought it was all unusually lucky and strange, like instead of being real I was in some sort of dream, video game or work of fiction.

koala logs

If you've been misfortunate for so many times, one day you'll find luck in the craziest manner. Like you said, like a video game. "You have % chance of bad luck" or "you have % chance of luck"

I hope mine would be a briefcase with $1million so I can finally move away from the things that's been torturing and killing me slowly and live in the mountains!

beng1

I have had crazy good luck all of my life like this from my perspective. I would not change a thing if I could go back, because if I did then I might not be me.

SoSmellyAir

That was fortunate indeed. Maybe next time you volunteer there you can organize that bin of axles.

VegasJen

That's some pretty awesome luck to have everything line up like it did. Of course, would have been better to not have broken the axle in the first place, but if you're going to break an axle, what better place and time to do it?