What????!!!! Two posts in one day? Yes, so I overshot on my departure date, so I need to gain some traction on the posts. This post I am keeping short, because I need to cook dinner and prepare for my wedding tomorrow. But here I will discuss the replacement bike parts that I will be bringing with me.
I already discussed in a previous post the multi-tool that I will be bringing with me that has basically all the gadgets that I need to maintain the bike. Two things that it is missing are – 1) a second tire lever and 2) a spoke wrench. For the former I found that you can get by on one tire lever as long as you have a second slim metal item to keep the pulled out portion of the tire stable as you pull out the next portion of the tire. I can use my fork and knife set for this if necessary and did on my test drive. For the latter I purchased a spoke wrench and have this packed in my baggage.
Other bike related items that I am bringing are:
- Replacement tubes (2) for 26″ tire using a Presta valve. Having 2 tubes is essential, should you hit a bad patch of shards and take out both tubes to the point that a patch set is unusable. This may be unlikely, but with tires, which are the life blood of any bike, I am willing to be ultra-prepared.
- Patch Kit (1) – Got me a patch kit. Already used it and it is super cheap and super easy to use. Love my patch kit.
- Derailer cable (1) – This is the cable that invokes the shifting action when you change gears with any shifter. Speaking with a bike mechanic, if my derailer goes I may have a shot of fixing it myself.
- Bike Cable (1) – This is the cable that is used to support the braking action when you pull the brake lever. If my break cable actually does snap I am screwed. No way that I could actually install a new brake cable, but what the hell, I am bringing one along anyway. Maybe I will find a bike expert on the road to help me.
- Cleats – Have a second set of cleats should I lose one on the road. Not essential, but I have found that pedaling with cleats is way more efficient than pedaling without. Also, my shoes are pretty slick without the cleat.
- Brake pads (4) – Got some Avid “Rim Wrangler” brakes and pads and a set of replacement pads. The Avid “RW2″ brakes are sweet because the pads are easily replaceable. My current brakes are not RW2, so when they wear out I will replace the entire brake and from there go with replaceable brakes.
- Chain Lube (1) – I am going with Perdros “Go!” chain lube. Need to lube the chain to keep it slick and moist.
- Rag (1) – Taking along a rag to mop up the dead bodies that I leave in my wake from pedaling like a banshee and tearing up the asphalt. Sorry officer, nobody could have predicted that these tree trunk legs on that bike would have resulted in a deadly weapon. I only wish that I could have saved the children.