I just went two days without riding a bike.
It’s terrible.
I have to take the *shudder* TTC or walk everywhere. Either way it takes way longer to get everywhere, which really only means it takes me longer to get to work - so I just get there late (like I’m going to wake up earlier).
I declared my bike unridable after getting back from that long Sunday ride because of the brake situation. I had to take it slower than my friends that day because my brakes weren’t stopping me as quickly and quietly as I’d like, and it only got worse.
The Odyssey (my Peugeot) has always made weird noises, it’s kind of endearing. When I slow down with my front brakes it sounds like Obi-Wan Kenobi powering down the tractor beam on the Death Star. When I used my rear brakes it was usually silent, but frequently sounded like those shadow creatures from Ghost. I could live with that.
Saturday night, I took a spill taking a 160degree turn too fast on wet leaves. Somehow I bruised my shin, but who cares about personal injuries when your bike could be broken!
People heal, bikes don’t.
I ran through the gears and pedaled around slowly, it was fine. Then I pulled the brakes – front and back sounded like out-of-tune trumpet playing dolphins being eaten by a barking leopard seal that is somehow eating and playing a kazoo at the same time. Oh, and that kazoo is made of pomeranian puppies punching each other in the face.
Also, it took me probably 10 metres to stop later on when I was heading fast down a hill. I like being alive just enough for that to be a problem with me.
With the narrowing hours of bike shops as the season winds down, I’ll have to wait until tomorrow evening to ride again.
I know it’s a little against the spirit of this blog to have somebody else work on my bike, especially this early on. I know it sets a bad precedent; the thing is though, that right now I’m missing some key things to do it myself. Important things like tools… and knowledge.
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