Waaaaay back when, a good decade ago, I prided myself in the longest journeys, the multiple mishaps, and the triumphant overcomings, of the mountain bike. I rode over 20,000 miles a year (pedaling!) for six or seven years. Every possible problem arose and was cared for with the contents and tools and the what-not's in my pack. That's the definition of a "mountain biker"... one who carries what he needs to ride and survive.
Since I bought a house in the woods six years ago, I stopped riding, because well....I'm already here y'know? But now I've mounted a 70cc onto my Rockhopper....my "baby". And it seems there's been far more trouble in the first couple weeks of motorbiking than the last decade of mountain biking. Countless mechanical issues, countless driveablity (performance) issues...several of which has left me stranded.
So I ask, what is your story of being stranded?
I'l start mine with mine:
First, Fuel line popped off and drained the nearly empty tank by the time I realized what happened. Result: A one-mile pedal home.
Second: (sort of) ran out of gas....but luckily happened in front of a gas station that happened to also sell 2 stroke oil.... does that count?
Third: Since drive chain rubbed through 2.1 inch mountain bike tire, got a Specialized 1.5 inch street tire. Chain clears now. Attempted very first 20 mile commute to work, flat tire at the three mile point... Wide rim and narrower tire equals REALLY short sidewall. Pinch flats easily! But I had everything needed to fix, but brand new patch cement tube was empty! Rode back home 3 miles on the flat, destroying tire and tube.
New tire and tube, new commute attempt, made it six miles, another flat. HA! Have new patch cement!!!! Finished patching, but where's my pump?!?!?! At home!!! DOH!!!
After 40 minute wait, caught a bus to get closer to work, rode 1 mile on that flat tire to work, damaging brand new tire's sidewall. Patched tube at work, debated on bus or riding. Bus would only get me within 3 miles of home...but I'm 20 miles away now... Bus would need 40 minutes of waiting before it could pick me up and drop me off within that 3 miles of home... so decide to ride. Got about 7 miles, pinch flat again! Happened right at bus stop, but 40 minutes until the next one would come along... so I hitch-hiked for the first time ever! Car car car car pickup (THUMB WAY OUT!) car car car car car car pickup (THUMB WAY OUT!) The 8th pickup picked me up and even went a good 25 minutes out of their way to get me to my street instead of where they were going! Whew! And I still beat the bus!
So I'm curious to read about other peoples' stories of being stranded by their motorbike, and how it was overcome. Maybe we could all learn something from them?
Since I bought a house in the woods six years ago, I stopped riding, because well....I'm already here y'know? But now I've mounted a 70cc onto my Rockhopper....my "baby". And it seems there's been far more trouble in the first couple weeks of motorbiking than the last decade of mountain biking. Countless mechanical issues, countless driveablity (performance) issues...several of which has left me stranded.
So I ask, what is your story of being stranded?
I'l start mine with mine:
First, Fuel line popped off and drained the nearly empty tank by the time I realized what happened. Result: A one-mile pedal home.
Second: (sort of) ran out of gas....but luckily happened in front of a gas station that happened to also sell 2 stroke oil.... does that count?
Third: Since drive chain rubbed through 2.1 inch mountain bike tire, got a Specialized 1.5 inch street tire. Chain clears now. Attempted very first 20 mile commute to work, flat tire at the three mile point... Wide rim and narrower tire equals REALLY short sidewall. Pinch flats easily! But I had everything needed to fix, but brand new patch cement tube was empty! Rode back home 3 miles on the flat, destroying tire and tube.
New tire and tube, new commute attempt, made it six miles, another flat. HA! Have new patch cement!!!! Finished patching, but where's my pump?!?!?! At home!!! DOH!!!
After 40 minute wait, caught a bus to get closer to work, rode 1 mile on that flat tire to work, damaging brand new tire's sidewall. Patched tube at work, debated on bus or riding. Bus would only get me within 3 miles of home...but I'm 20 miles away now... Bus would need 40 minutes of waiting before it could pick me up and drop me off within that 3 miles of home... so decide to ride. Got about 7 miles, pinch flat again! Happened right at bus stop, but 40 minutes until the next one would come along... so I hitch-hiked for the first time ever! Car car car car pickup (THUMB WAY OUT!) car car car car car car pickup (THUMB WAY OUT!) The 8th pickup picked me up and even went a good 25 minutes out of their way to get me to my street instead of where they were going! Whew! And I still beat the bus!
So I'm curious to read about other peoples' stories of being stranded by their motorbike, and how it was overcome. Maybe we could all learn something from them?
