Bike of Doom reacts to extreme cold: breaks — 3342 Km
by Steve ~ February 19th, 2008. Filed under: Maintenance & Repairs.The cold has been tough on the Bike of Doom. There have been numerous sub -40 days in the past few weeks. Environment Canada warned of -45 temps this morning with extreme windchill. Trying to switch gears the other day I broke the shifter for the rear derailer. The Dude at Maple Leaf Test Rides experienced something similar on his SC1800 last year. So, now I’m stuck in a higher gear than I’d like until I make the repair. No biggie, it’s in middle ring on the front. Everything is a bit tougher in the cold, though. I guess I’m about to find out how good Canadian Tire’s service is when I order replacement parts for a $99 bike.
Other that that, nothing much to report. And no, I don’t think my good bikes would be faring much better. I rode through a winter a few years back on a reasonably good Raleigh, and then on a Specialized Hardrock Pro with disc brakes. Both suffered quite a bit. I ended up throwing out the Raleigh in the spring (a mistake) and when I took the Specialized into the shop the mechanic was a bit horrified at the state it was in. That was an expensive tune up, and one of the reasons I stopped winter cycling. Having the Bike of Doom is great, because, hey, I don’t really care what happens to it, and I’m pretty sure I can keep it in running condition, anyway.
If it gets too tough pedaling the Bike of Doom, I’ll dig out the Giant and see how it does in the cold. That’ll teach it.
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February 20th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Love your blog read all the time
February 20th, 2008 at 10:03 am
You’re insane.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Hey Steve, just found your blog. Awesome!
You may be interested my little bike commuting blog project… called The Daily Ride.
I’ve been posting a photo for each day I ride my bike to work for just over a year now… kind of a fun way to keep track and remember all the adventures!
http://thedailyride.blogspot.com
- Grady (in Calgary)
February 20th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I’m insane… you just realized this?
February 20th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Grady… Cool. Riding in shorts with snow on the ground! That deserves an addition to the Blogroll.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I’m starting to think that it snows 365 days a year in Canadia! ;-)
Down here in Oz our snow season barely lasts 3 months, and then only settles on about 0.01% of the countryside. Which is a nuisance, now that my lovely wife has convinced me that alpine skiing is A Good Thing.
BTH
February 20th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Incidentally Steve, if you e-mail me your address I’ll send you a replacement front shifter that *won’t* break. ;-)
BTH
February 21st, 2008 at 1:26 am
I found the Specialized Hardrock was a great winter bike. It lasted me a couple winters in Edmonton. I sold for about the same price I paid for it yet I still regret selling it.
Great read.
Good riding.
MCX
February 21st, 2008 at 4:38 am
MadCatX — I have fond memories of my own Hardrock. The disc brakes were a nice touch in winter. Mine was stolen. I spent two years eyeballing every Hardrock I glimpsed on the road. Never saw it again. Sniff.