Your Best/Worst Cycling Equipment Moments for 2011

[Parera]

I'm bored, on a windy/rainy Friday so I thought it would be interesting to share your best/worst gear decisions of the past year.

Best:

-Purchasing a Giant Anthem 29er X. This thing is awesome, made me enjoy trail riding so much more. Converting to a 1 x 10 was another good decision on my part, made my legs much stronger. Considering I put around 3000 miles on this thing it's definitely money well spent.

Worst:

-My herpderp road bike ordeal. I went from having one road bike I was neutral on (a Special-ed Roubaix) and one I enjoyed (a CAAD9) to having zero road bikes. I briefly owned a BMC Racemachine which ended up being a massive waste of time and a AAA PITA. Thankfully I was able to divert funds from that project into a cross bike otherwise I would only have my crappy beater and a 29er full suspension. The Special-ed is an unmitigated disaster at this point; I sunk way too much cash into this thing for no good reason and now it's sitting disassembled, with issues that I can't fix nor Specialized will warranty because they are the worst company I have ever dealt with. I really have no clue what to do with this thing or the damn components. The CAAD9 is gone, sold it for less than it was worth. I'm not upset, but a stupid move on my part.

Hopefully my cycling gear idiocy will remain in 2011 and I can figure something out for 2012. Until then, the TCX is going to have to do.

 

[ElChingon]

Not realizing my front derailure brazon mount (has two screws to the frame) was loose and the cause of my ever on going miss shifting front derailure. Once I figured it out I loctited the living daylights out of it! I also made sure it was tightened to prevent it from moving again.

 

[Parera]

Not realizing my front derailure brazon mount (has two screws to the frame) was loose and the cause of my ever on going miss shifting front derailure. Once I figured it out I loctited the living daylights out of it! I also made sure it was tightened to prevent it from moving again.

I was surprised I didn't rip off my FD braze on mount on my Special-Ed back in July when I mangled my 105 FD in epic fashion (uphill sprint + chainsuck + slight cross chain = massive fail). Maybe that was my worst moment of 2011, I know my buddy laughed his *** off as he heard the grinding of the chain, witnessed my loss of balance and the awkward tumble to the asphalt.

 

[ustabe]

A new set of impressively light traditional tubular wheels that I'd built up, rendered useless by crappy Challenge tires. This spring I'll spend a little more for Vittorias and start enjoying them.

 

[42x16ss]

Scraping together the cash for a Cannondale Super Six Hi Mod frame. It was an ex-demo that I got at "mates rates" from my local Cannondale dealer (who I race for locally). Easily the best frame I could get for the money spent.

 

[Martin318is]

Not mine but one I witnessed:

I helped a friend of a friend get a massive deal on a TT bike through another friend's shop (think $1800 AUD for a full bike where the frame is usually around $4000 by itself). It was a demo bike that had only about 200km put onto it but had been bumped by one rider in a way that affected the FD shift quality.

My shop friend put a lot of effort into getting the position spot on and improving the FD shifting and said to him - in front of me - "If there are ANY problems, it will most likely be cable tension. call me and I will come out to your house and sort it for you. Dont adjust it yourself".

So....

The guy turns up to a triathlon and has minor problems with the shifting - but when in big ring it was fine so the race was no problem. The next day he pulls out the allen key set and 'tightens' the bolts on the hanger so tightly he rips the entire hanger assembly out of the frame.

My mate then took the bike back and had it repaired and returned it to him a week later - no charge. After that, I privately told the guy that bought the bike that if he does any more work on it himself I will come around with a hacksaw and solve his transport problems by making the frame fit in a small suitcase.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

The most memorable was the worst: two flats in the first 2 miles from home burned through my spare tubes, CO2, and since I had no pump that day the extra patch kits were of no use. To top that it was 95 degrees F, sunny, and the pavement was like walking on a bed of coals. OFC to make walking easier I doffed my cleats and walked in my socks the 2 miles home... ending with major heat blisters on the balls and heels of both feet. Still, I loved the other 1.9 miles that were not impared by flats.

Edit: Now I'm reading the other posts... some great war stories here.

 

[knewcleardaze]

Not good to see this happens to others as well.
I flatted twice within 5 miles with one spare tube.
The first during a brief shower. Puncture number two when the rain really began to fall. I don't think a drowning man could have been wetter. After walking forty minutes, a guy fixed me up with a spare tube.
I've since paid it forward.

 

[Martin318is]

The most memorable was the worst: two flats in the first 2 miles from home burned through my spare tubes, CO2, and since I had no pump that day the extra patch kits were of no use. To top that it was 95 degrees F, sunny, and the pavement was like walking on a bed of coals. OFC to make walking easier I doffed my cleats and walked in my socks the 2 miles home... ending with major heat blisters on the balls and heels of both feet. Still, I loved the other 1.9 miles that were not impared by flats.

Edit: Now I'm reading the other posts... some great war stories here.

Ouch - Thankfully, the last time I did that was roughly 1993 - had to walk 5km home and when I got to my Accom the majority of the bottom of the socks were completely missing (feet were okay though as that was in my 'marine biologist' phase and didnt wear shoes except on the bike.

 

[Fatclimber]

Not good to see this happens to others as well.
I flatted twice within 5 miles with one spare tube.
The first during a brief shower. Puncture number two when the rain really began to fall. I don't think a drowning man could have been wetter. After walking forty minutes, a guy fixed me up with a spare tube.
I've since paid it forward.

I'd have to say that an early flat is better than a second(and final spare tube) flat 100 meters after the turnaround point in what should have been a 3 hour ride. Luckily a fine gentleman and his grandson picked me up and drove me to my house.

Edit: sorry, meant to reply to the other flat tire story.

 

[RedheadDane]

As I'm still rocking my 10-year-old grinder it's sometimes a little... sketchy. A few times I've had the chain randomly lock up (but after some manuvering it works just fine again)
And some weeks ago I discovered that the front screen has a crack.

Hey! Bike still works!