More Baja

I was reminded of some other incident that happened even before we got out of the US and into Mexico. The shoe previously discussed in an earlier entry did finally turn up. Pedaling with one shoe isn’t optimal, but not being able to pedal is even worse. Seems that the pedal on one of the bikes totally disintegrated after a few revolutions. This couldn’t have happened at a more inappropriate time considering the lost shoe put us behind schedule and dusk was quickly falling. Added to the fact that we were cycling in unknown territory in darkness, we weren’t getting off to a very good start. Fortunately, we were able to find a store the next day and replace the misbehaving pedals.

The next major problem was broken spokes. Although the bike was a brand new one and a reputable brand, it did not perform well. Those spokes happened out of range of any cycling shop that would have the correct freewheel remover. Word got out and we did eventually meet somebody along the way who had the remover that we needed. New spokes were installed and the bike lasted for a few revolutions. More spokes popped in just a few miles time.
We tried to trade the freewheel remover with one of the many others that were in Bob’s pannier. Some say that he carries enough parts to build an entire bicycle, but this particular part was one that he didn’t carry.

This trip made us think hard about preparation for these month-long, self-contained journeys. From that trip on, we got into the habit of doing training rides and a shakedown ride. Within the short three-day weekends that we rode, we could determine which equipment was up to the task of surviving a month. Front racks disintegrated, spokes broke and knobby-tired mountain bikes held back the strongest of riders.

It was a much simpler task to replace knobby tires with slicker ones or find a dependable front rack while still near a bicycle shop. Even though we will use most of the same gear and equipment for this trip, it is still a good idea to give it a trial run. That will be the easy part. Since we live in a temporary situation right now, the tough part will be digging through the storage unit and finding everything. Anybody seen the part for the clipless pedals?

That reminds me that it might be helpful to learn to ride clipless before we leave. Better start looking for those pedal parts and maybe put some snow tires on the bike. The weather isn’t the best for riding, but as you can see below, the right gear makes riding possible even during the cold. Great way to start the New Year.