It has been interesting riding the fearless gear-less over the past week. I was able to ride to Centennial Park and did about 6 laps before I went home on Monday. Feeling good nothing becoming an issue. The next night I went to Centennial again – I even had better lights for the occasion and was doing laps when a Police car, fire engine and a ute from the fire brigade came into the park.
They went up to the Kiosk end and the fire engine and ute parked in the areas designated for motor vehicles, while the idiot cops parked in the bike lane. The idiot cop who drove the police car got out not wearing any high vis gear – in fact he was wearing a dark jumper over his police uniform. His partner called out to him about the legality of parking in the bike lane. The idiot cop replied “The park is closed to bikes they shouldn’t even be here” in an accent that reminded me so much of Guido Hatsis.
Being a bit of a stirrer I decided to do another lap and rode around again (there was other cyclists training in the park at the same time I was. When I went through again there was space for cyclists to pass the pigs and the fire engine and firies ute. I wrote a post on Sydney Cyclist and got a couple of replies. It is good to see that not everyone is on the side of the cops. I even got some good feedback from a staunch opponent.
I decided to call it a day eventually and rolled back home. Just as I was going to go I heard an explosion that I thought was a tube going off. I thought I was in trouble until I checked the tyre and found it was still very much intact. When I saw the spoke I knew the trouble was worse. The other times spokes have gone on me they have died quietly. Only to be noticed when the wheel was out of true, this time the spoke has broken in 2 places. It makes me think something got caught in the spoke? I checked the wheel under the light of the bike headlight which I held in my mouth while I rotated the wheel around. I was able to get the bike home but could not be adventurous with regard my route home.
I took the fearless gear-less to Cheeky Monkey to get another spoke. The ride there was hairy enough. I was going to ride from there to Toastmasters at Petersham. I got there and they were busy. No problem I thought I would collect the bike on Friday arvo – if they got it done and given that there was going to be overtime on Saturday. The last 2 illusions were dissolved on Friday. Saras – a workmate whom I am supposed to be training decided to renege on an agreement we had that I would go early on Friday. I was soooo p!ssed off! I couldn’t speak to Saras for most of the morning. I
t turned out my overtime was cancelled as the goods had gone to Brisbane so my only chance was to go to Cheeky that afternoon. When I left work a bit after 5 I was swearing heavily – I even used the words Robert Hughes used to describe the prosecutor when he got off his dangerous driving charge. I had left the front light on the fearless gear-less and I was using the light that I use on my helmet on the bike. The weather darkened as did my mood. I had some near misses but I got to Cheeky Monkey safely and on time to pick up the bike. Pushing 2 bikes home is not easy. I had to use the road on a couple of occasions and duck and weave around obstacles such as power poles and street furniture. On Erskinville Rd City Rail has erected some kind of screen to prevent people from throwing rocks at trains and has implemented a whole heap of obstacles I swore heavily as I went around them.
When I got closer to King St I was accosted by a couple of drunken idiots. One guy offered to take one of the bikes off my hands. Given that I was annoyed I told him in no uncertain terms to F@ckoff! He went down the road a bit and then yelled out “There was no need to talk to me like that! Did you hear that? Maybe we ought to tell him to F@CK Off?” I must remember to make a note for myself that I must not swear at drunken idiots in Sydney. I got bikes back and got them stowed safely. I am still not happy about Friday as it isn’t fair that I carry the can for an idiot.
The spoke is not the only thing that has gone bung with the fearless gear-less, there is a high likelihood in my opinion that the non drive side crank is on it’s way out. I will have a look today but we will wait and see. On Saturday Slowies the front tyre copped a tack – I suspect it has been around for a while but it went into my tyre and stayed there while the tyre slowly died. I pumped it up thinking it had been a case of slow leak caused by perishing. But when I found the tack I knew what had happened. I took the tack out and the tyre began to die. As I didn’t have a spare tube I wound up patching the tube on the spot. It is not my favourite tasks and I had to let the others go. I patched the tyre and got myself underway.
When I got out the gates and on my way to Moore park I found the others gathered around one guy who copped a double puncture. We were going to be late for coffee at the cafe and there was a high likelihood that I was going to be late for the Rocks Markets. We went back the usual way with me leading – I found that I am not a good ride leader and I would say that I missed issues such as pedestrians up front and went through intersections where I should have gone through with the group. We got back to Marrickville safely.
I was terrified that the crank would come off and things would get even more sticky than what they were. I survived the ride.
Jonathonsbicycleblog's Weblog 