Luck

lateralus
lateralus Posts: 309
edited July 2008 in The bottom bracket
Had a close shave today. After the usual high speed commuting through traffic, I rode down the ramp into the carpark at work, and as I pulled up by the bike racks suffered a sudden and total front brake failure.

It took me ages of checking cables, pinch bolt, etc before I worked out what had happened - one of the retaining pins on my cartridge-type V brakes had fallen out, and as I made that final stop, one of the brake blocks came out (I later found it on the floor where I had stopped).

What are the odds of that happening in the safety of the car park rather than 30 seconds earlier when I braked hard to avoid that pedestrian? Should have bought a lottery ticket!

Anyone else had fate look kindly on them recently?

Comments

  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    Have you got your brake blocks mounted the wrong way round? Might be a stupid question, but it would mean most of the braking force would be going through that one little split pin :!:
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    don_don wrote:
    Have you got your brake blocks mounted the wrong way round? Might be a stupid question, but it would mean most of the braking force would be going through that one little split pin :!:

    wot he said. They should stay in under braking even without the pin.
  • lateralus
    lateralus Posts: 309
    I admit to being not the world's best mechanic, but think I have that right. Open ends facing to the rear so, as you say, forces going into the closed end of the holder. Helpfully marked with "front" and an arrow just in case there was any doubt. It's the 3rd set of blocks I've had in those holders, and never had problems before.

    Scratching my head as to how it managed to come out. :?
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    There was a girl cycling the opposite way to me on cable st this morning with 1970's style pink pom pom streamers on her handlebars.

    It made me smile and she gave me a smile AND a wink.....

    I'm booking that as a win and given how I look - very lucky
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?

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