“Bike Trouble, and First Big Ride of the Year”

My bike's chain has been slipping occasionally, and has offered some weak resistance to the whole "changing gears" concept. I knew this was coming, as I've put a lot of hard miles on the whole system since last summer when various parts were replaced. A couple months ago I ordered an entirely new package (Shimano Dura Ace)... but then business went a bit soft again so I've only managed to make small payments and keep it on layaway. (But the guys at Mystic Cycle taunt me with it regularly, talking about how shiny and new it is. Sigh.)

Tuesday, after a week off the bike for RailsConf, I went out for my normal (for now) 43 mile spin. The gear/chain slippage was so bad that I was afraid I might not make it home. Eventually I figured out that it was worst in the small chain ring, or in the big ring but the smallest gear at the back. In fact it was difficult to even get it into that smallest gear in the first place.

Wednesday I brought the bike in for some emergency service. Why "emergency?" Today (Thursday) I'm doing ~80 miles with Steve and Mike, starting here at my house.

They had the bike for a couple hours. I stopped back in on the way to class last night to pick it up. Rob and Brian both told me that my chain was more stretched than they'd seen before. "It's like you, it's off the charts." (I think that was a reference to my height == stretched.) I knew it was stretched, I've been through this before. Rob got it working, said I should be able to limp along for a little while, he didn't think today's ride would be a problem. Plus, they didn't charge me anything for the work.

But wait, there's more! For the last month, I've felt like I'm riding on an iron bar instead of a nice bike saddle. Yes, ok, it's a few years old, but the discomfort came on rather suddenly. Bad enough that I've had to stop every few miles after the first thirty, or finish the ride out of the saddle. Now I have a new saddle.

The plan today is to ride for about five hours (including lunch) and then work this afternoon. Steve and Mike should be here about 9:30, so hopefully we'll hit the road by 10 and then I can be working again by 4. We'll see. ;-)