more bike failures

pre-race- I felt AWESOME. everyone wanted to know how i was lucky enough to get #50

post-race- I felt like a big idiot and my bike wasnt too happy either. i wanted to know why number #50 was so unlucky




i had real high hopes for my race at french creek, but my dreams were shattered by a broken pedal. the night before the race i got some new shoes and fixed my bike up and it was PERFECT. when i got my bike off my car my friend and i rode to the table to check in and get our numbers. as im riding up the hill in my crocks i notice that there is nothing under my foot- the pedal had come off the spindle and it was on the ground. i found my pedal and picked it up and continued to the registration tent. i frantically went through my shops team's tool box and found a 8mm socket and i fixed my pedal (or so i thought). the race began and i immediately made my way to the front of the group. everything was going good, the course was the hardest course id ever ridden but i was doing ok. as i neared the home stretch (last few miles or so) my pedal once again fell off and i was stuck with the pedal on the bottom of my shoe and the spindle in the crankarm. i did not have time (or the tools) to do an on-the-trail repair so i stuck the pedal, which was clipped onto my shoe, back into the spindle. i rode but couldnt push myself or the pedal would fall off again. i got passed first by singlespeeers... and then by the women (i dont dislike either group, i just should be able to ride faster than them). i came across the finish line in almost double the time it took the winning pack, but at least i finished.

my failure in this race happened because when my pedal initially fell out the bearing races spilled out. i was riding with plastic on metal and after a few miles of riding it was too much for my makeshift setup. i love my crankbrothers pedals, but i probably should have serviced them once over the last 4 or 5 years.