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What lesson have you learned the hard way?

ste0649ste0649 Posts: 84
edited March 2010 in MTB general
Here's mine.
Just installed new crankset, rear mech and cables.
As you're probably aware this involves removing the chain. Anyway, all installed and tuned the gears up perfect, couldn't wait to get out and try them.
Half way round the ride the gears started jumping like mad, kept getting worse until, you guessed it, the chain link gave way. :x The only time i didn't carry the tool and 5 miles from home . Luckily the wife came and picked me up!
Any of you lot had a similar experience?
Scott Speedster S40
Scott Spark 29 Elite
«134

Posts

  • bigmartbigmart Posts: 87
    fitted chain wrong way in rear mech (XT), put it wrong side of the tab on the cage, still it did 20miles wearing away the tab, rear mech wend bang on start of next ride

    Whoops!!!!
  • SplottboySplottboy Posts: 3,695
    You heal faster before 50.

    Oh, and always ensure you run the chain through both jockey wheels...
  • JamesBrckmnJamesBrckmn Posts: 1,360
    keep bolts tight. especially RD bolts in frames without replaceable hangers- it got loose and wore away the thread, and it couldn't be fixed, according to the lbs.
    This lead me to discover another thing - don't always trust the lbs- they just want to sell you stuff. they quoted £160 for a new frame! and the bike had only cost £260 (it was a raliegh flair ht, from back in the days when i hadn't discovered decent bikes). me and my dad managed to fix it for less than 50p with a nut and bolt fromt the local hardware shop.
    There was also a problem with the forks, and they told us the cheapest replacement forks would be £160! of ourse now i know you can get forks from about £50, and frames from around £80.
    I also learnt this way not to buy cheap bikes or ralieghs.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    never eat yellow snow. learnt it the hard way.
  • captainflycaptainfly Posts: 1,001
    Wear a full face helmet if you are a bad a rifer as me, my jaw still clicks from a not that big crash.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • mrfmilomrfmilo Posts: 2,250
    Don't wear a cotton t-shirt on a long hot XC ride....not fun
    Marin
  • bigmartbigmart Posts: 87
    unclip as you stop, not after!
  • Rich9Rich9 Posts: 1,635
    Never chop wood in a rubber dingy

    Oh, and dont buy forks off ebay
    2014 Whyte T-129S
  • DanlubeDanlube Posts: 454
    Never think "looks rather warm today"
    Kona Tanuki Deluxe
  • NorthwindNorthwind Posts: 14,675
    Never get involved in a land war in asia.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • al2098al2098 Posts: 174
    Simple one for all walks of life.
    Buy cheap, buy twice. :wink:
  • cavegiantcavegiant Posts: 1,546
    +1 on buy cheap buy twice.

    Or as my experience dictates:
    Buy cheap - not right for the bike, bin
    buy middle - bike gets stolen
    buy expensive - it breaks
    buy very expensive - it breaks
    buy more very expensive - it breaks again

    conclude most bike parts are over priced censored !
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • GHillGHill Posts: 2,402
    Northwind wrote:
    Never get involved in a land war in asia.

    Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
  • RaymondavalonRaymondavalon Posts: 5,346
    Never try and stand up when you have a compound fracture of the lower leg
    The Bouncer
    The Shaker
  • jpstarjpstar Posts: 561
    When using a bike with a triple chainset to much about on jumps, switch to the 3rd ring, you crash you might need 6 stitches and 6 weeks worth of hospital visits with anti-biotics...
    :lol: still not the same colour as the rest of the leg, that was nearly a year ago now :shock:
    Rigid Specialized Hardrock
  • ilovedirtilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    I've done exactly what you described in the original post about four times recently. Went into the bikes shop, apparently the ends of the pins on the chains are burled so that once youv'e split it, it's censored and i ended up shelling out for a new one because when my powerlink popped off and half of it disappeared, i just slapped a new link in there, ended up costing me £20 for a new chain rather than £4 for the powerlink - note to self, buy spare powerlink connector for the future.
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • scottgeniusltd2005scottgeniusltd2005 Posts: 575
    slicked out mtb's cannot keep up with a roadie chaingang on a hilly route...at all
    Cotic Soul rider.
  • MeddlEMeddlE Posts: 322
    Don't buy nice stuff, some chav censored will only nick it.
  • ValyValy Posts: 1,321
    Don't ride on naked ice. Don't ride when not fully awake and not notice curbs in your way as a result.

    Kind of agree about (some) LBSs - I came in once asking whether I could get a LH crank, before I knew it the guy was asking me for the postcode to order the part - not a word about price. I had to say "hang on der".
    London2Paris24 2014 Fundraising for Scope UK
    Facebook Page for more information and updates!
  • Chaz.HardingChaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    Women are the devil. Lot of them! :lol:

    Bike's are SUPER uncool to 'normal' non-biking folk (IE, the VAST majority of folks you come across)

    Bike's are great, but more addictive than crack. As such, you'll spend the GDP of a small African country per year pointlessly up-grading.

    Don't ride bikes :lol:

    Running really, really far HURTS

    You can indeed, get 'high' on sugar. The resulting 'come down' is frickin' horrid, and as a result, you WILL want / need more sugar.

    The more phys you do, the fitter and better looking you become, but you spiral into a never-ending pit of race bills / kit bills.

    And finally, competition is EVERYTHING when you have raced and felt like you really achieved something. Them pesky endorphins.... You say you'll NEVER do it again when it hurts, but 2 weeks later... You've already booked your place :wink:

    Actually, sod it - endorphins and adrenaline are the most addictive thing E.V.E.R. Once you taste them, you'll always want that hit, but more. So you train more, race more, spend more money, get more injured... Damn vicious circles.... :lol:

    8)
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Pork, stuffing, crackling and apple sauce sandwiches at 2am are fooking great.

    Not really a lesson - but something I have learned today... ;-)
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    Switch the elecy off before you change a plug
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • ValyValy Posts: 1,321
    stubs wrote:
    Switch the elecy off before you change a plug

    Oh dear God...


    :lol:
    London2Paris24 2014 Fundraising for Scope UK
    Facebook Page for more information and updates!
  • bannedbikerbannedbiker Posts: 382
    Credit cards and loans are too easy to get when you turn 18.
    7 years later I'm just out of debt and have nothing to show for what i used the credit cards and loans for!
    (I do have 2 purdy bikes, but i paid for them with cash...!)
    Giant Reign - now sold :-(
    Rockhopper Pro - XC and commuting
    DH8 - New toy :-)
  • bomberesquebomberesque Posts: 1,701
    3am it's pitch dark, raining and about 5deg, I'm yanking the chain out between chainring and frame where it's decided to get stuck every time I change down thinking "really, fitting a new drivetrain and then embarking on a 24 hr race without test riding it first is not very bright"

    Oh and "if you want to look back to see where your mate is, don't be doing 40 at the time"
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • bails87bails87 Posts: 12,998
    bigchazrocks wrote:
    Women are the devil. Lot of them! :lol:

    +1 :wink: :roll:
    bigchazrocks wrote:
    Bike's are SUPER uncool to 'normal' non-biking folk (IE, the VAST majority of folks you come across)

    Oh yes. The number of times I've heard "What, I didn't know bikes could cost that much....what do you mean it's only for a frame? What a waste."
    bigchazrocks wrote:
    Running really, really HURTS

    Fixed that for you. :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • clodhoppa74clodhoppa74 Posts: 331
    black routes are not for the fainthearted. by faint hearted i mean first timers.

    do not believe nutty mates on safety, especially when telling you to go ride stainburn the first time out.

    helmets and gloves are essential.

    she won't be as into it as you want her to be if she already isn't.
  • ilovedirtilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    bigchazrocks wrote:
    Bike's are SUPER uncool to 'normal' non-biking folk (IE, the VAST majority of folks you come across)
    Yep, i get that a lot, they just don't seem to understand that they're wrong :(
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • bails87bails87 Posts: 12,998
    ilovedirt wrote:
    bigchazrocks wrote:
    Bike's are SUPER uncool to 'normal' non-biking folk (IE, the VAST majority of folks you come across)
    Yep, i get that a lot, they just don't seem to understand that they're wrong :(

    I think a lot of people genuinely believe that the only reason you'd ride a bike is because you can't afford a car. :shock:

    It's a mountain bike, not the bus! :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • captainflycaptainfly Posts: 1,001
    bails87 wrote:
    I think a lot of people genuinely believe that the only reason you'd ride a bike is because you can't afford a car. :shock:

    It's a mountain bike, not the bus! :wink:


    That's because it would be their reason for riding a bike. Never underestimate the ignorance of others.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
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