I'm going to try to keep my comments down to a minimum, but I did want to make an observation about ME. This probably doesn't fit anyone else but ME...
I was out today looking for a bike frame. I went to the thrift shop on my bike (any excuse to ride it). On the way back there a long downhill stretch and the bike just stopped in the middle of it. I checked the tank and since I couldn't see any gas, I poured my emergency fuel in. I just knew that couldn't be the problem but there was room for it so why not.
that's when I noticed the spark plug wire had come loose from the black box. No big deal I just shoved it back in. So I'm pedaling down hill to drag start it and it fires up. Just about this time a big bubble butt dumper truck passed me. So far no big deal. I know what a dumper sounds like, but then, but then, suddenly there is this huge sound like my bike just exploded. Needless to say It just scared the b jesus out of me.
It took a second to realize the dump truck had a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I have no idea how much pressure one of those things blows but it sounds like the death rattle of every mechanical thing within a hundred miles. My bike not excluded.
It was about ten minutes later that I realized. I ride that bike everyday just expecting and waiting for the next thing to go wrong. Like I said it's probably just me but I always expect something to go wrong when it doesn't I consider it a great day. And it usually doesn't but things like the wire coming loose happen often enough to stay in the back of my mind.
Okay some of it was me running out of gas. And I almost never have to push it home. Though I have left it chained to a post while I walked home for my car. I have ridden it home on broken spokes ect.
Still nothing like the death rattle of a 10 ton dump truck with a blown exhaust gasket.