I had what was to be a pleasurable 10 mile measurement ride entirely on flat bike paths yesterday. At mile 2 it began to feel like I was riding uphill. Something was jamming my back wheel and it wasn't the brakes dragging. I managed to slog through the final 8 miles in a lower gear and a slower speed. When I got home I found that the rear axle had broken, and everything was held together by the through-the-axle tensioning rod.



I replaced the axle, then tried to adjust the rear brakes. I then noticed that the rear brake cable was about gone - only two strands of wire left.

Bike is now in the shop getting new cables all around and a new chain. I bought the bike in 1995 and shamefully neglected it.

It should last me for a while now. Boy, that ride yesterday was awful.

Careful maintenance is the lesson here. Still, would checking the axles for stress cracks be something I could have caught? This was a new one for me.

Pete the parts failure can only be attributable to your powerful legs, the kind which are usually only found on TdF winners like Armstrong and Indurain.

Could be! I had a feeling akin to 'roid rage when I finally finished that miserable ride. I'll have to cut back on those dietary supplements.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pete Riegel,