Is Your Bike Ready?

It had been awhile since I got out on my bike, so we decided to take a short easy ride through Huntington Beach. We only had a few hours before it was supposed to rain, so we set out on a beautiful brisk Sunday morning. We road near the pier, checking out the sites and trying not to hit oblivious tourists, dog walkers, and random weird stuff on the path. We were enjoying ourselves and the day and happened upon a cyclist with an interesting issue. 

He was pulled over on the road, with his left crank in his hand. He was on his phone trying to reach someone to come pick him up. 

The poor guy had just purchased a used bike and decided to take it for a spin. Unfortunately, he didn't inspect the bike and its components too carefully. Halfway through his ride, the entire crank came off and he was trying to pedal using only his right pedal and his right leg. Fortunately for him, Andres is really nice guy so we stopped to help.

Andres tried all of our bike tools, but to no avail. Nothing would fit or work and it started to look bleak, especially since the clouds started to roll in. However, Andres is somewhat of a Mexican MacGyver and was able to use car keys to tighten up the connection and secure the crank. It was a good enough fix to get the cyclist a mile or two to where he could be picked up.  

In order to avoid a snafu like this, make sure to get your bike tuned up and ready to go for April 22nd!

Some of our favorite shops and supporters that offer bike maintenance and care are:

Pre-Ride Checklist

Before you roll out for a fun ride, check this list off:

  • Tires - properly inflated (use a floor pump and check the pressure)
  • Chain - cleaned and lubricated
  • Visual check - review bike to make sure nothing is loose or missing. 
  • Fluid - you will need something to drink on the ride
  • Food - bonking is bad.
  • Cycling Wallet
    • Money - In case you need something. I mean actual cash.
    • ID 
    • Copy of Insurance card
    • In Case of Emergency contact - Either on paper and/or set-up on your phone
  • Spare tube(s)
    • And/or, a patch kit
  • Tire Levers
  • Pump or CO2
  • Know how to fix a flat. I mean actually practice it in the comfrot of your garage.
  • A boot - If you get a big cut in the tire, a boot saves the day
  • Basic tool
  • Check the weather - riding in the rain really sucks!
  • Cell phone in a water proof bag.
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