Last month my old light died on me during a dark ride to work in Portland. I picked a $25 set from Amazon over a $60 one at the local shop because I was short on cash. Three weeks later the mount broke and the light fell off into a puddle on Sandy Boulevard. Now I'm out the money and I still need to buy a real light. Anyone else had a cheap light fail on them like this?
Soaked my laptop and a change of clothes after a 20 minute ride through light drizzle last week. Anybody found a rain cover that actually works or should I just stick with cheap dry bags inside the panniers?
I swear I spent 3 months trying to figure out if I should get panniers or just keep using a backpack for my 8 mile commute to downtown Portland. Backpack was free but made my back sweat like crazy, panniers cost $120 but kept me cooler. Which side did you land on and how long did it take you to make the call?
Rode through 3 months of wet mornings before I caved and bought a set of SKS raceblades. I was stubborn thinking a rain jacket was enough but my back was always soaked with road spray. The fenders cost me $80 at a shop in Portland and after the first ride in drizzle I felt like an idiot for waiting. No more soggy pants or that gross grit on my laptop bag. Has anyone else found a cheaper set that actually holds up to daily use?
I was crossing the tracks at 5th and Jefferson last Tuesday morning, took the turn a little too casual and next thing I know I'm on the ground with a twisted handlebar. A guy in a yellow jacket helped me up and just said 'those tracks in the rain will get you every time.' He had these fat winter tires with little metal nubs. Two days later I swapped my old slicks for a set of Schwalbe Marathons and it's like riding on rails now. Has anyone else had a specific crash that finally pushed you to upgrade a piece of gear?
I was getting flats left and right on my commute through downtown Austin. Turns out I was running my tires at like 40 PSI when the sidewall says 65. I checked a bike repair blog and they said tire pressure drops about 2 PSI per week naturally. Now I top them off every Monday morning before my 5 mile ride and haven't had a flat in 3 months. Anyone else check pressure more than once a month?
I tested a $40 poncho against a $120 cycling-specific rain jacket (the kind with taped seams). The poncho billowed up like a parachute at every stoplight and got caught in my spokes twice. Has anyone else had a poncho nearly flip you into traffic like that?
So last month this mechanic at REI in Portland said I only needed to lube my chain once a month. I went with it because he seemed confident. After three weeks my chain started squeaking so bad I could hear it from half a block away. By week four I had rust spots and had to replace a $35 chain. Now I'm back to lubing every 100 miles like I used to and it's fine. Has anyone else gotten bad advice from a shop employee that cost you money?
I kept hitting the same traffic light on my ride to work downtown. After getting stuck for the third time last week, I noticed a hotel parking garage that had a bike friendly ramp on the side. I asked the valet guy if I could cut through and he just shrugged and said go for it. Has anyone else found a random building or alley that shaves time off your commute?
Rode a ratty old hub motor e-bike for 2 years through Seattle hills and thought the noise and weak climbing was normal. Swapped to a $300 Bafang mid drive last month and suddenly I'm passing traffic on a 12% grade without breaking a sweat. Anyone else hold out on upgrading only to realize they were missing out the whole time?
Was biking to work like usual near 5th and Market in Philly when some dude in a black SUV cut me off to park in the bike lane. I slammed my brakes and almost ate shit into his bumper. How do you guys keep your cool when drivers treat bike lanes like their personal parking spots?
I was so sick of sitting at the same light on Main Street for like 3 minutes every day. One morning I was running late and noticed a gap in the fence behind the strip mall, so I cut through their parking lot and popped out on the side street. It turned a 15 minute ride into 9 minutes flat and I barely deal with traffic now. Has anyone else found a sneaky path that cuts a ton of time off your route?
Last Tuesday I was weaving through traffic on 6th Avenue in Denver and my loose backpack strap clipped a parked SUV's side mirror. Scared me so bad I nearly dumped the bike. Now I tuck both straps into a bungee net I keep on my rack, keeps everything tight to the frame. Anyone else almost wrecked from a bag swinging around?
Spent $60 on these fancy Ortlieb knockoffs on Facebook Marketplace and my laptop bag was SOAKED through by the time I got to work. Is there a spray or coating that actually works to seal up cheap panniers, or should I just save up for the real deal?
Rode past the corner of 18th and Jackson last week and noticed they installed two u-racks right where the 45 bus stops. Anyone else have a spot near them that finally added proper parking?
Hit a nasty pothole on Elm Street last week and my rear tube exploded like a firecracker. Had to walk my bike three blocks to the bus stop covered in sweat. Anybody else keep an extra tube in their bag after a similar screw up?
I always thought changing a bike tire was super simple. Then I got a puncture 4 miles from work and spent 45 minutes on the side of the road struggling with tire levers that kept snapping. Turned out my rim tape was shifted and the tube was pinching every time I tried to seat it. I finally bought a set of metal tire levers and some Gorilla Tape for $12 total. Has anyone else run into a simple repair that turned into an hours long nightmare?
Been commuting 8 miles each way for two years in a cheap poncho. Last week a guy at the bike lockup said I was basically wrapping myself in a garbage bag and cooking from the inside. Switched to a breathable shell with pit zips and I'm not showing up drenched in sweat anymore. Anyone else go through three jackets before finding one that actually works?
I used to think fenders were optional extras for fancy riders, not something I needed. Last Tuesday I was 6 miles from home on the Springwater Corridor when the sky just opened up. By the time I got to work my entire back was soaked through with that nasty road spray, and my backpack felt like a wet towel. A guy at the coffee shop near the trailhead saw me squeezing out my shirt and told me about his $30 set of SKS Raceblades that take 5 minutes to put on. Now I own a pair and I actually get to work dry even when it's dumping rain. Anyone else had a specific crappy ride that made them finally buy gear they were avoiding?
I always ran a giant Wald 139 basket up front, figured more cargo room was better. Last week I swapped to a tiny $15 wire basket from a garage sale, just big enough for my lunch bag. Turns out the big one was making my steering feel heavy and slow, especially in crosswinds. Now I turn way sharper and the bike feels balanced again. Anyone else notice a big difference after downsizing their front load?
Last Tuesday morning I was riding to work like usual when I hit a pothole and my 8 year old rain jacket just split right down the back seam. It was some cheap brand I picked up at a garage sale for 5 bucks back in 2016, but that thing got me through hundreds of wet commutes across Portland. I had to stop at a gas station and buy a trash poncho for 3 dollars just to finish the ride. Now I'm looking for a replacement that's actually breathable but won't break the bank. Anyone got a rain jacket under 80 bucks that's held up for multiple seasons?
Last Tuesday I was stopped at a light near the industrial district and a guy on an old beat-up mountain bike pulled up next to me. He saw I was fighting with a bungee cord that kept slipping off my rack and he just said, 'Try a toe strap instead, it won't bounce loose.' I laughed it off at first but then I tried one from a hardware store for like $3. Honestly it's been a game changer for hauling my lunch bag and a change of clothes on my 8 mile commute. Has anyone else gotten a random tip from a fellow rider that actually worked better than the fancy gear?
It was basically a thin shower cap with buckles and now I'm back to using a dry bag inside my regular pannier, anyone else find a cover that actually holds up more than a month?
So I saw some guy online say to put a plastic grocery bag over your head then put your helmet on top to keep your head dry in light rain. Tried it this morning on my ride into work here in Portland. Worked great for about 10 minutes then the bag slipped and completely covered my eyes while I was going downhill. Had to pull over and almost dropped my bike. Learned that trick only works if you tuck the bag into your helmet straps real tight. Anyone else got a better way to keep your head dry without fogging up your glasses?
I was commuting in from Capitol Hill and saw like 6 people on electric scooters just parked in the middle of the protected lane near Pine Street. Has anyone else been dealing with scooter clutter on your regular route or is it just a downtown problem?