Midday was a tiny bit weird, overcast and windy, while the morning and the late afternoon were sunny with temperatures approaching 70, a pretty darn nice day.
But I was riding during the weird part and it took a leap of faith to go ahead and ride 12 miles away from home with dark clouds overhead. But I did.
I discovered that it is now THIS season:
The bike shop was on the route home, I made my second appearance of the day.
First owner Ron, then Ron again, then mechanic Cayley, then Ron again, eventually Cayley a couple more times took rides on my noisemaker. The first trip by Ron wasn't able to reproduce the noise but based on my description Cayley made some additional adjustments (turned out the FRONT hub was loose and that the bearings are worn enough to suggest replacement this winter will be a good idea). I started for home and the noise was back and quite a bit less intermittent. I got less than a block.
I circled back, decided we had talked the issue to death and circled towards home.
Screeching began again immediately.
Back I went.
Ron again. He said to Cayley that the noise would scare the heck out of you.
Kaylee for the first time, more adjustments, Cayley again on a test ride with a different front wheel, more adjustments, Cayley again.
I rode it home, a final 7 miles without a problem.
For now it's like when you see your personal physician. I have been invited to figure it out on my own. I should try a different front wheel (which I happen to have although the tires are a different color), if the problem continues try a different rear wheel and report back, help us eliminate potential causes.
I am pretty optimistic though, it seems good right now and Cayley and I have established a procedure that will eventually get me out the other end of this process with a bicycle that doesn't scream at me.
6 comments:
I am not sure why you are optimistic (and what's the difference between a Cayley and a Kaylee?). AND, I am never told to figure it out on my own by my personal physician. I did experience the weather ups and downs however (mainly hanging out with ancient ones during the ups), but otherwise, I feel like I am on a different wave length. I admire your optimism and perseverence.
You have to listen to your own body/bicycle and figure out what works. One size truly does not fit all -- diets/exercise/bicycles. It's all a similar theme.
Still, ongoing bicycle issues are annoying. They are amazing machines, however. They hold up amazingly well if cared for even minimally.
Ashes are wimps.
Ashes give up way too easily. Quitters.
What is the difference between a Kaylee and a Cayley??
That's a fair question I guess. I have a receipt from the original repair job with her name on it and that's how she spells it.
Beyond that, blame her parents I suppose.
She knows her way around the inside of a bicycle wheel hub and doesn't mind getting her hands greasy, qualities I find admirable in a bicycle mechanic.
...and she's using the applied sciences approach, which is: "Try something and if that doesn't work, try something else."
Now I will prove I'm not a robot so this can be posted. However, I might just be a really sophisticated robot. What then?
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