Velowander

Day 22: Derailleur deja vu (you won't believe this)

Near Donovan, IL Maggie and I ran over a big rumble strip in the middle of the road (designed to alert motorists to the upcoming railroad tracks) and driving over it practically rattled our teeth loose. About 4 seconds after riding over the rumble strip, my bike came to an ubrupt halt.

I dismounted the bike and realized that my tank top had fallen from my seat, become tangled in my rear wheel, and mangled my new SRAM x.7 rear derailleur that I have had less than two weeks since the tree branch destroyed my previous derailleur. I took the wheel off but my shirt was really wrapped up in there and I couldn't get it out. Fortunately, two motorists, Dennis and Barbara saw us on the side of the road and stopped to aid us. We discussed our situation with them, realizing that we were effectively crippled. I could ride the bike as a single speed if I could get the shirt out and resize the chain, but I wasn't able to do that.

Dennis and Barbara left to get their other car while I continued to try to extract the shirt without success. We called the Tern of the Wheel bike shop (404 W Broadway St Bradley IL 815-933-9152) and they said they didn't have a 9 speed rear derailleur. But we had no choice we needed their help to get the shirt out. So, Dennis drove me in 1 car about 30 miles all the way to the shop, while Barbara took Maggie to their home in Donovan, IL.

Fortunately, the folks and Tern of the Wheel were able to find a derailleur (another SRAM x.7) and I installed it more quickly than last time, perhaps due to the practice. Then Dennis drove me and my bike to their house where they generously fed us and Maggie and I spent the night in comfort.

Labels: Bike Mechanical, Bike Touring

posted by David @ 4:25 AM