I'm an idiot thread

[elStado]

One of the bonuses of running a light set with standlights. After every night ride I have a visual check when I dismount that the tail-light was working as it glows reassuringly.

Mine are B&M and both have a standlicht function. But as they are dynamo and the rear comes on automatically with the front when I ride I don't usually notice/look at it.

[il padrone]

But surely you see it glowing at the end of each ride, to confirm it's working? So the worst you could do is one ride with no tail-light before you'd pick up the failure. I run a dynohub and have the lights on full-time so am always expecting to see the tail-light glowing whenever I get off the bike.

[mikesbytes]

I run 2 headlights and 2 taillights, which gives me backup in case of failure. A lot of the roads I ride on carry heavy traffic and hence the caution

[jacob_T]

Currently stopped on the side of the road waiting for the support car (friend) to bring my helmet. Was so excited to ride today forgot to put it on.

I think it was just a subliminal message that you'd prefer to not have to wear a helmet

I have to admit, it did feel pretty good to fly along with just a cycling cap on.

[superdryq]

I run 2 headlights and 2 taillights, which gives me backup in case of failure. A lot of the roads I ride on carry heavy traffic and hence the caution

Is it me or are drivers becoming more vision impaired these days?

Oh well, safety first!

[Graeme H]

I must be an idiot, because until now I didn't realise that you could make a "mens" frame by bracing a "ladies" step-through frame with a bit of conduit and some insulating tape.

Link to the gumtree advert

[jasonc]

I must be an idiot, because until now I didn't realise that you could make a "mens" frame by bracing a "ladies" step-through frame with a bit of conduit and some insulating tape.

Link to the gumtree advert

dear god. does that "fat tyre" in the background come with it?

[Bobbybobson]

I must be an idiot, because until now I didn't realise that you could make a "mens" frame by bracing a "ladies" step-through frame with a bit of conduit and some insulating tape.

It's the new hipster fad. Fixies are dead. Cyclocross is out. Bring on converted ladies frames.

[bychosis]

[uncle arthur]

Quote of the day

[Mulger bill]

Quote of the day

Abso-bloody-lutely. That is pure GOLD!

[TomBikes]

I recently made a pair of foot straps for my pedals. Few days ago I knocked on the door and asked my brother to open the garage, I thought I'd be a cool kid and attempted to ride backwards... Little did I realize that I had the straps still on my left leg, bike leaned too far left and I had my first 'crash'. Worst bit was the fact that my house is right in front of a cafe... It was full. Second I crashed I jumped up, did the classic 'anyone see that' shoulder look over and rushed into the garage with a broken pride.

[ldrcycles]

Forgot to put my dentures back in after brushing my teeth this morning, got halfway to work before i realised my mouth felt different. Had to get my dad to bring them in so i could answer the phone properly and smile without scaring customers .

I never thought that's something that would happen when i was still in my 20s .

[Lizzy]

Failure to launch outside the bike cage at work resulted in the toe-cage 'stop, drop & roll'. Yay. The positives: I rebound better than I thought I might at this age, and no audience. But I thought you lot deserved to know

[jasonc]

Failure to launch outside the bike cage at work resulted in the toe-cage 'stop, drop & roll'. Yay. The positives: I rebound better than I thought I might at this age, and no audience. But I thought you lot deserved to know

is there footage on the security camera?
more importantly is the new bike ok?

[Lizzy]

Hrmn, hadn't spotted a camera, but hopefully the Security guys enjoyed it if there is one. Yep, bike is fine, I broke its fall nicely

[Bentnose]

I had my brifter suddenly become wobbly on my new bike, it didn't seem loose, it felt more like it was broken, never had a brifter come loose before. So I thought I'd peel back the bar tape to check it out, ruined the bar tape and realised I could have just tightened it up with and allen key socket under the brake hood. So now my bar tape is held together with insulation tape and the bike is only 100km old.

[Summernight]

I had my brifter suddenly become wobbly on my new bike, it didn't seem loose, it felt more like it was broken, never had a brifter come loose before. So I thought I'd peel back the bar tape to check it out, ruined the bar tape and realised I could have just tightened it up with and allen key socket under the brake hood. So now my bar tape is held together with insulation tape and the bike is only 100km old.

Whoops!

My right brifter was loose too from new and slid down and crinkled the bar tape underneath where the brifter goes. But I don't have to see it when riding so 'tis all good.

[AKO]

Got a couple.

First one cycling related. Traffic backed up for road works one afternoon. I slide up the left side of the que, unclip, stop and commence perving on the ridiculously attractive stop/go girl . As she seductively (may be my imagination) turns the sign from stop to slow, I clip in and start pedalling. While turning right and as I'm half way through saying "how you doing?" I feel the bike straighten while my upper body (and momentum) are travelling right. Next thing I know I'm doing the running man across the road in front of 20 motorists, 1 lolli pop girl and 10 or so road workers. With bike and drink bottles strewn all over the road I quickly realised that the road crew had excavated my side of the road down approx 4 inches creating a step up which straightend my front wheel up and threw me off .

Second one was many years ago whilst in my second year as an apprentice Truck Mechanic. We had a large furniture removal truck towed in overnight with a crunchy sounding gear box. When a truck is towed they usually drop the tailshaft off at the diff to prevent driveline failures. My first job was to bring the truck up to the workshop and start diagnosing the gearbox noise. Trying to be a little too clever I decided to refit the tailshaft in the workshop instead of rolling around in the dirt and gravel where the truck had been dropped. Even cleverer was the fact that I would probably have to drop it again anyway if the box had to come out. So after lugging this 80kg lump of steel 30 metres up to the workshop, I return to the truck, start the engine, select first gear and drop the clutch. Nothing. Say What? Gearbox must really be cactus. Then it hits me . So I sheepishly return to the workshop. Stand next to the tailshaft and look around to see if anyone has realised what I've done. Coast looks clear. I bend down and as I stand up with the tailshaft in my arms the entire work shop crew jumps out from behind their jobs and give me a standing ovation . Man did I feel dumb. Felt a bit better a few years later when I watched a Mechanic with many more years experience than myself do the exact same thing at a different work place. I was even kind enough to offer him a hand carrying the tailshaft to the workshop (but not back again ).

[mikesbytes]

AKO, next time you encounter the lollipop girl, here's a line: When she turns it from stop to slow say "there's no need to rub it in"

Little Sis brought a second hand racer earlier in the week. It came with toe clips and straps. Also supplied separately was Look Keo Easy pedals, Shoes with Look Keo cleats attached and a spare set of cleats, which were SPD-SL So I'm to ride it home, I head off, putting my feet in the toe clips, tighten up the left strap was I'm riding, but I cannot get the right strap to tighten give up and stop to find the problem. Turns out to be right strap is installed upside down. OK I can understand someone installing incorrectly as its not obvious how to do a strap, but to have one correct and one upside down should be pretty obvious that one must be wrong

[Marto]

Never leave your bike leaning against the back of the car. Just sayin'

[trailgumby]

Action starts about 55 seconds.



Landed on the camera mounted on my chest. Continued to ride another two laps before I figured out all was not well.

Cracked a rib, No technical mtb riding for about 8 weeks.

The embarassing thing is I've ridden through here so many times I've lost count, it's not like I don't know better!

[ldrcycles]

Never leave your bike leaning against the back of the car. Just sayin'

Been there, done that .

[WestcoastPete]

Just received two new identical bicycle locks. Took them out of the packets. Each had a "Code card" that you use if you ever need new keys for the lock. Great! Put them safely in the draw of no return.

Then I realised; which code is for which lock?

[RonK]

Recently I stopped for a "natural break" and to refill bidons at some public conveniences about 30 kilometres into my Saturday morning ride.

Went to take off my helmet and it dawned on me that I was wearing only a cycling cap.