I kept telling myself I needed a few more gears than three.
And I finally did something to fill that "need."
In the first world, a bike with more than 3 gears isn't much of a need. But it's one of those things that would give me a little more motivation to get outside and go biking, which a) improves my health and b) gets me off of Facebook. :D
So when my aunt offered to give me a bicycle that was just what I was looking for -- the right size, 10 gears, everything -- I jumped at the chance. A mini tune-up later, and it was ready to rock!
I took it out on the first group ride of the season yesterday, looking forward to tackling the hills on the 17-mile route with ease (or, at least more easily than I tackled some of the same hills on a 10-mile ride last year with my 3-speed). I was nearly halfway through the ride, quite happy with how the bike was working out and how sure I was I'd have the energy to finish the ride, when the unthinkable happened.
OK, maybe it wasn't the unthinkable. But I did land on the pavement with a badly skinned knee and a bike out of whack.
Another rider helped me straighten out the handlebars, which had been knocked askew (Google it!), and I proceeded on my way. I shortly realized that my wheel had been knocked out of whack, too. I'm fairly certain the spokes are out of true, which means some of them need a good tightening so the wheel doesn't rub up against the left brake.
Only later did I also realize how badly I'd hurt my knee. It was numb and swelling by the time I drove home and cleaned it up. (TMI, I know. :P )
So my goal this week is to re-straighten the front wheel and nurse my knee back to health (by which I mean, don't do much besides take care not to, say, knock it into the side of a table).
And then, it's back on the bike with me. Because not even a minor accident can keep me from a sport I actually enjoy!
And I finally did something to fill that "need."
In the first world, a bike with more than 3 gears isn't much of a need. But it's one of those things that would give me a little more motivation to get outside and go biking, which a) improves my health and b) gets me off of Facebook. :D
I took it out on the first group ride of the season yesterday, looking forward to tackling the hills on the 17-mile route with ease (or, at least more easily than I tackled some of the same hills on a 10-mile ride last year with my 3-speed). I was nearly halfway through the ride, quite happy with how the bike was working out and how sure I was I'd have the energy to finish the ride, when the unthinkable happened.
OK, maybe it wasn't the unthinkable. But I did land on the pavement with a badly skinned knee and a bike out of whack.
Another rider helped me straighten out the handlebars, which had been knocked askew (Google it!), and I proceeded on my way. I shortly realized that my wheel had been knocked out of whack, too. I'm fairly certain the spokes are out of true, which means some of them need a good tightening so the wheel doesn't rub up against the left brake.
Only later did I also realize how badly I'd hurt my knee. It was numb and swelling by the time I drove home and cleaned it up. (TMI, I know. :P )
So my goal this week is to re-straighten the front wheel and nurse my knee back to health (by which I mean, don't do much besides take care not to, say, knock it into the side of a table).
And then, it's back on the bike with me. Because not even a minor accident can keep me from a sport I actually enjoy!
Comments
Yeah, rubbing wheels on brakes is not conducive to the health of the brake or the wheel...:-)