Fake News - Bicycle communicates with human rider!

Not strictly true but bikes definitely make noises when they are unhappy. I recently disappeared on holiday to Crete which btw is a great sea swimming destination. In the days prior to flying I had a couple of wet road and mtb rides, in my rush to get sorted for a week away I didn't spend the 2 minutes it would have taken to spray the chains with some GT85 or WD40 to protect them until my return. I knew this was a mistake but felt under pressure to get sorted for a week away and decided to chance my arm...

I return from Crete to some cracking British weather and take the mtb out for a spin, my chainset was already fairly well worn after lots of wet and gritty highland abuse. Instantly the ride started with unhappy feedback noise from the chain and sticky shifting. The gritty noise and sticky shifting gets worse, I turn the volume up on the podcast I am listening to! I have a feeling this will lead to disaster but crack on anyway eventually the chain snaps amidst a mistimed climbing shift and I have nobody else to blame for the walk home...

The following day having stripped and cleaned the mtb, I confirmed that the chainset had pretty much reached the end of its useable life I ordered and a new set. But I had wasted the opportunity of a great days riding the previous day through bike abuse and neglect. Time to take the roady out, the chain looked ok if not a little crusted up from some of the muddy puddles the Cotswolds had gifted on its last ride. The flat spin up to my local hill session ride seemed uneventful until I started the first climb and the chain immediately started making scary bottom bracket cracking noises. Having already ruined the previous days sunny ride I headed straight home for a quick clean and lube. Back up University hill and the chain was purring with delight about its clean and shiny state.

This was a useful reminder for me that looking after your bike with a couple of minutes post ride love will save problems on your next ride, which due to Murphy's Law will always be a rare blue sky British sunny day. Bikes make lots of noises all of which provide riders with feedback about set up, component wear and how well your bike is maintained. Next time your bike starts talking to you, take a minute to understand what its trying to tell you!

​Darroch