The Word Spoken Here

The sound is very distinctive, but not easy to describe. It is percussive, like a drum beat, but not as “sharp.”

Too high to be a big drum, too dull to be a little one, a quick, visceral “thump” or dull “pop.”

I would sort of expect it to be metallic, to have a “boing” to it, but it doesn’t.

It is, blog pals, the sound of a spoke snapping.

And the word spoken then won’t be printed in this blog.

Broke my spoke on the way home last night—about 2/3 of the way through my commute. I had been pumping along, pushing my bike, in a chocolate-fueled frenzy to see my grandkids as quickly as possible.

But, rather abruptly I slowed my pace a lot and dawdled. I did not want a rear wheel suddenly giving way, at least not at full speed.

Well, I made it home, and the bike is in the shop. Could I replace a spoke myself? I suppose, but I prefer to let the pros handle this one so I’m sure it’s placed correctly and the wheel trued.

Well, it was so windy today that maybe breaking a spoke Wednesday was not a huge tragedy. And I should get the bike back and return to commuting the way it’s intended—on two wheels under my own power—soon.

Two Rides As the Sumac Changes

Just in time for the rush before school, my bike is out of the shop.

When I took it out for a short ride after picking it up, it was obvious that “high summer,” the dry pre-fall season of big grasshoppers, browning grass, high corn and early turning leaves is underway along the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. I only went north a few miles along the paved stretch of the trail, but saw several stands of sumac red with the first turning leaves of the season.

Those early sumac are responding more to dry conditions, but the lush green of the Iowa summers are giving way slowly to more muted yellowish and brownish greens, and many roadside weeds are drying out to go to seed and get ready for the next year. I wrote about the change on my garden blog.

It was good to be back on the bike, sad to think I have little time for any rides before the school year is underway—but at least I will have the bike to commute on.

After my short ride, I borrowed my wife’s bike to take grandkids Nikayla and Tristan on a short neighborhood tour. I had removed the trailer hitch from my bike prior to RAGBRAI and put it on hers. I am not sure if I will move it—it’s a Schwinn trailer, she has a Schwinn bike, and it seems to fit on her rear axle better than mine. But I do feel very silly riding a bike that is way too small for me, so we’ll see.

Anyway, CR Biker is back on the roads of Iowa’s second city, so drivers beware!

Bike To Work Wheely Good News!

Bike to Work Week--and the folks at my local bike shop get a "thumbs up."

As you know, blog fans, during a trail ride this weekend one of my spokes when "sproing." That's a fairly rare event, as biking mishaps go--it's much more common to break a chain, a de-railer, get a flat--but spokes are supposed to be strong.

Anyway, I took the bike in about 1/2 hour before Northtowne Cycling closed Monday evening. I was all set to have a little bit of "attitude," due to having a spoke broken for the second time in two months (in 40 years of biking, these represent the only spokes I've ever broken).

My 'tude was quickly deflated. Instead of a long wait--I thought the bike would be in the shop for a week--a bike mechanic quickly assessed it, proclaimed the need for a new wheel to fix the problem, and said it was covered by warranty.

Well, cool. And to top it all off, he got it fixed in about 15 minutes. Photo is my new back wheel this morning before the commute.

Blackie is back! Riding to work during riding to work week on my own bike again!