Bike Tour: This is Kind of Funny!

So, not to discount the climbing and the wind and the heavy load, and my general lack of training, but I found something out today. I took the touring bike out on a ride with Joan today and kept struggling to keep up with her. I mean, struggling. Sure, there are times when she gives me a run for my money, but unless I'm having an asthma attack or some other malady, I usually don't have too much trouble keeping pace with her.

Joan mentioned hearing something rubbing, but I didn't really see anything. She said she could hear it. Nah! I looked around the front end of the bike but didn't see anything. Glanced toward the back, nothing. It's just the wind working around the packs and gear, I figured.

Well, I struggled on home and, as often is the case, I was starting to feel a lot better. Usually after about ten miles or so I get to a point where I could probably just ride forever without too much worry. Our ride today was twelve. However, as I coasted into the driveway where we were sheltered from the wind and other noises, I finally heard the noise Joan was talking about. It was definitely coming from the rear end of the bicycle. I checked it out.

There's a type of spring arm that runs up the sides of the brakes that keeps them pulled away from the rim. When you squeeze the brake lever you actually work against this spring to apply pressure against the rim with the brake pad. The spring on one side had come unclipped and the brake was squeezed shut the whole time. Now, it wasn't both sides and there was no real "clamping" like you get when you squeeze the brake, so I didn't really notice. You still have to compress the brake to really put a stop to things, so to speak. But it was causing a continual drag and had obviously been like that for some time--the brake pad is worn way down!

So, there's one more reason why my legs were so wasted last Friday--on top of all of my other obstacles I was working under a continual load from the rear brake! I at once feel a lot better about my condition last week and also kind of bummed because part of me thinks that made all the difference between finishing my tour and abandoning it. Ah well, what are ya gonna do?

Start planning the next one, I say!

(And buy a new set of brake pads....)