In the past two months, I have been making good progress with cycling. Ironically, lockdown discouraged me from cycling into town so instead, I went out into the countryside and have been going further and faster. I still take care of back and hips and follow a disciplined routine of stretching, essentric exercises and all-round strengthening. I have worked hard to find new exercises to work on any weak part of my body. I’ve had many false dawns in past four years, but feel reasonably hopeful.
In fact, progress has been so good I decided to get the time trial bike down from the loft. Over the past four years I have toyed with selling the bike, but the loss of value selling on the second-hand market always dissuaded me. Plus I really enjoy riding the time trial bike. I find it as comfortable as a road bike, but you get an extra 1-2mph free speed. There’s nothing better than flying along a bit of road with a nice tailwind and body in good shape. Despite only a couple of months of training, I have felt quite fast.
Yesterday I went out to Brill hills for one of my favourite circuits around Brill, Chilton, Chearsely, Ashenden and Dorton. The ride was going very well. Perfect weather and I felt some of the old form going up the climbs. On my final climb up to Brill I had a bad gear change and then a pretty brutal clunk as the rear mech went into the wheel and tore off part of the frame. In one sense it was an innocuous little accident, but devastating for the bicycle. Update, it looks like it is just rear mech hanger (not frame) I had to ring for a taxi and get a lift home. £55 for a taxi, but that is just the start. I shall contact Trek UK to see if they can help.
I was stranded by the roadside and tried to shorten the chain to make it work without gear mech, but it was a fruitless effort and I only succeeded in smearing oil all over my hands and clothes. I walked up the hill to a nearby house so I could work out the postcode and exact address. A nice man seemed to see my predicament and from suitable distance told me the address. I sat on the grass and watched a few other cyclists go up to Brill; it was quite a popular place to be cycling. Brill is becoming a place of bad luck. I remember having to get another taxi from Brill a couple of years ago for a similar situation (Broken chain).
In this age of austerity and falling income, it doesn’t make sense to splash out on new frame or new TT bike (I noticed a whole Ribble TT bike was cheaper than a new Trek Speed Concept frame). It doesn’t make sense, especially when I don’t feel any guarantee I will be able to make much use of a TT bike. But, I would like to get back on a TT bike, we shall see.
On the positive side, I’ve been enjoying cycling more than for a long time; on the negative side, cycling can be an irritatingly expensive hobby.
Still in these days, good health seems the most important thing to be grateful for. There are worse things happening than a broken rear mech hanger. My youngest sister has had a bad case of COVID, which has lingered with many different symptoms for four plus weeks. She is in her 40s and quite athletic but has still had a rough time with the virus – a reminder we all have to be careful.
Pictures from the side of the road waiting for taxi
ouch. At least you’re ok.
You could always go retro; i’ve built up an old TCR for almost nothing. You could use most of the parts from the trek. Maybe not the rear dropouts.
My Ribble after just 200miles is falling apart, front wheel came off , chain disengaged , water bottle bolt sheared off . All after 200 miles of use
After contacting them I was told to take to the local bike shop
No apology just appalling service
Stay away
Looks mostly as though it’s just the derailleur hanger, I can’t really see from that image but there doesn’t appear to be too much damage to the carbon, so you may be able to get it repaired.
Yes. My first impression was it was frame damanged, but now I see the rear mech hanger is separate (for good reason)
Sounds about correct there Simon.
Sorry to hear this. If you’re not going to TT competively again but just like riding the TT bike maybe buy something second hand and personalise it using parts from the old one.
Stick a new hanger on it lad and get back out there chap 🙂