Don't Roll Out Of The Door Without These!

I don’t know about you, but with the recent time change, and a string of warm weather days… I have a case of full blown Spring Fever!

Let me tee up a scenario for you.    I’m not saying you’ve done this… but as you will see, this has happened to me at least once.

The work day is over, it’s beautiful outside and I’m itching to ride.

 

As I’m driving home, I start to eyeball how much daylight I have left. 

I start calculating my drive time, factor in the traffic, add in the time to get dressed and get my bike ready... and the idea begins to bubble up... I have time for a ride... :)... not just "a ride"...  but the

"OKAY… I HAVE TIME TO GET IN A QUICK HOUR RIDE!!!!"  

Now isn’t it a magical thing… for me it’s always that hour mark. 

Not 45 minutes…

Not 57 mins…

It’s gotta be an hour to make it worth my while.  

Not sure why, but for me, that 1 hour ride is… 

I don’t know… “worth it”, anything less… Is a waste of time.  

So, even though deep down inside, I know that I really don’t have enough daylight left in the day and the traffic is at a total standstill… today’s ride, somehow has become something I cannot live without. 

I have now decided, that I MUST get home and get on the bike for my hour ride...  AT ALL COST!!! 

So... Now, I am a total menace on the road, not to mention, probably an exhibitionist.  Or something else bordering on close to illegal...   In addition to lead footing it home by ignoring the posted speed limit, I decide to save time by partially undressing in the car.

To my neighbors horror,  I roll up to the door of the house with half of my cloths in my hands.  I explode out of the car with my hair on fire and race into the house with a yard sale of stuff flapping behind me.

From that moment on… it’s a full on fire drill, grabbing everything and anything that vaguely resembles riding crap because now I figure I have only 40 minutes of actual daylight left, but damn it, I’m riding for my hour!!!!

I hit the door at full tilt, grab my bike, pivot and race out the door as if my life depends on it, I hop on my bike and I am now rolling down the street and I’m damned happy about it.  Because... you guessed it… I’m going for my one hour ride!!!!

8 miles into my ride guess what happens… you got it… I flat, not just a small hisser.  A major banger!  The type the leave the tube hanging out of the tire like a fish that just got  gutted.  You know what else…. Ohhhh, yeahhhh!  I dashed out the door without any of my reeeeeepaaaaairrrrrr crap!!!!!  

NO TUBE!  NO PUMP!!  NO PATCH KIT!!! NO CELL PHONE!!!  NO FLASHER!!!! NO NOTHING!!!!

Just little ole me…. And lots of these!

So guess what…  now?????   My nice little one hour ride, turned into a miserable 2 hour swear session thumping home on my rim!!!

What… What!!???  What was I suppose to do, pull a Magyver?   Sure…  If I had something, anything to work with... I might have had a freaking chance, but I was a complete idiot, I admit it. 

I was focused on getting in that one hour ride and completely forgot that I didn’t have anything I needed in the event of a break down.

So… here’s the deal! 

Now that the riding season is upon us, again.   It’s time to take stock of what you have in your repair kit or jersey pockets. 


Also keep in mind… take a flasher for the next few weeks, because day light drops faster than we anticipate.

I also did a bit of research on some pretty clever road side Magyver tricks that may come in handy that I will share with you.  


Don't leave home without this stuff


*  Tube or two
*  Patch Kit
*  Pump or CO2 w/head
*  Tire levers (2) 


Good Idea to have these along


*  Quick link
*  Multi - Tool
*  Chain Tool
*  Tire Boot
*  zip ties
*  Electrical tape/duct tape
*  ID (RoadID  Bracelet  (This is a great idea, just go to the RoadId web site)  It’s a way to have your contact info on you all the time in the event of a medical emergency and they need to contact your next of kin in case of emergency.
*  Cell Phone

Magyver Fixes

Slashed Tire -  Use a used Gu Pac, folded dollar bill, potato chip bag, coke can, anything you can get your hands on to line the inside of the tire and stop the tube from poking through.

Patch - if you've flatted and have no spare and no patch kit, this is where duct tape or a piece of electrical tape will work as a patch in a pinch.  You may have to stop and refill the tire a few times on the way home... but it will at least get you home.

Broken Spoke -  Wrap it around the spoke next door and open the brake so the wheel doesn't rub too badly and head home.  

TACO'D WHEEL - Odds are the wheel is toast and can't be fixed.  If the tire is still holding air the chances are that if you give the wheel a few good whacks you'll be able to straighten it out enough to get it straight enough to ride home.

Derailleur Hanger/Chain - if your derailleur hanger or your chain breaks you can set up your bike as a single speed, cut the chain to work as a one speed or by pass the derailleur and shorten the chain to fit.

Lost Bolts -  If you lose a bolt out of your cleats... try one of the bolts from your water bottle cage, it seems that many of the bolts are universal.

Forgot your tire levers -  Use the flat end of your sewers... just be careful... if you snap the skewer lever... you will be screwed, because you won't be able to get your wheel back on. 

If you are stuck out in the middle of “no where” with nothing and are forced to ride home on the rim… 

Exhale a lot

Don’t sit on the seat

Try to unweight the wheels 

Think light thoughts… and for god sake… 

Don’t be a boob and ride through any pot holes.  

That’s a great way to fold a perfectly good wheel. 

Have fun out there,  Ride Safe

I'll talk with you all soon

The Peanut Gallery