Busy

So far this month, I've had another two flats. Neither of them forced a bus ride home, but now I've got a new (used) wheel on the front and a new tube & tire on the back.

Citrusy. Since putting the 700c wheel on the front, the original side pull caliper brake was cranky. It still worked cuz I'd adjusted it, but it did this weird hop before it engaged completely and slowed the wheel. I knew it was time for a new brake. The bike had Shimano 105 aero brake levers and hoods. I wanted to change out to a crosstop brake lever, partly yes, due to style, but also because the top tube is a bit long for my torso, so I couldn't ride resting on the brake hoods anyway.

This involved a lot of research and a lot of YouTube videos. I learned how to take apart what I already had on there (deconstruction always so much easier than putting the damn thing back together) and thought I had a pretty decent idea of how to install a new brake.

Taking it apart was fine: remove bar tape, remove brake levers, remove cable, remove brake...wait a minute. The 5mm hex nut holding the brake on to the fork was totally stripped. More YouTube. I tried a torx on the thing, but it didn't work and then the damn torx bit flipped out of my screwdriver and I lost it in the dirt. Next try: drilling. Step one: find the drill. Step two: charge the battery. Step three: find an appropriately sized drill bit. Step four: rake the dirt looking for the torx bit and then clean the handle bars with mineral spirits while the battery charges. OK! Drilling. Yeah, that didn't work either. Time for radical action. Hacksaw. I sawed thought the bolt on the front side and popped the stripped nut out the back. 

Now to install the new brake, which was a used Tektro 500somethingorother that I got from The Hub. Uh. Bolt isn't long enough. Crap. Get in the car, drive to The Hub. Dude says, "Oh, this is a rear brake." Wonder why the first mechanic grabbed me a rear brake when I specifically asked for a front brake. Back to the used parts area. Found a front brake, similar to the back one (which was in really decent shape), transfer the brake pads to the new old brake, and drive back home.

Now to install the new brake. Put on the crosstop brake lever, figure out where it's most comfy, tighten it up. Put the brake caliper through the fork, tighten the bolt, keeping the brake pads as even as possible. Unwind the cable housing, watch one of the metal tips fly off, hit the house and promptly fall into a black hole. Anyway. Thread the cable through the lever, then through the cable housing, realize it's all way too long, trim to appropriate lengths. Adjust. Adjust again. Finally centered and working. On to bar tape.

Though I didn't pledge 30 days of biking in April, I've ridden every day except for the 9th. I rode 116 miles this week.

No patching that

With 30 mph winds and gusts to 48 mph, I wasn't extremely confident in my ability to bike home anyway. Taking off the tire and discovering this total tube failure was just kind of funny. Well, I learned how the bike carriers on the bus work.

Bike, bike, no run

Ten days of commuting to work by bike in March for a total of 204.8 miles. Eight days of driving and I took the bus twice. I ran once. I think the dogs are going to rebel, especially since the weather is so nice this week. I guess I'll have to step it up and run with them. I also signed up for the Get in Gear 10k at the end of the month, so running some is probably a good idea.

Fingers crossed that there are no thunderstorms this afternoon when I have to ride back home on the bike!