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TIL a crosswalk comment made me check my brake pads
Riding through downtown Portland last Tuesday, this old guy at a bus stop yelled at me to slow down. I waved him off, figured he was just cranky. Then he said, "Your rear brake's been squealing for two blocks, kid." He was right. I hadn't noticed because I always pedal through the noise. Checked my pads that night, they were worn down to the metal. Cost me $14 for new ones at the co-op. Now I do a quick squeeze test every Monday before my route. Has anyone else had a stranger point out a bike problem you somehow ignored for weeks?
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elliot_hayes162d ago
That squealing noise thing hits home hard. For years I figured if my bike still rolled, it was fine, and anyone pointing stuff out was just being nosy. Then a guy at a red light on Hawthorne told me my front wheel was wobbling, and sure enough two spokes were loose and the rim was about to go. I brushed him off at the time but checked it that night and felt like an idiot. Now I actually stop and listen when a stranger says something, because they're usually seeing what I've tuned out. You got lucky at $14, that noise could've cost you a lot more than pads.
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