It was bound to happen.. I crashed.

Last week I mentioned that I was hoping that next week brought me some better news. Unfortunately the very next day things went wrong.

Now that a couple of my bicycles are here with us in Wisconsin, I've been trying to get three rides every week. It has been so much fun to get out there and explore the area I live in. That was until Tuesday.

I knew it was inevitable, but this last Tuesday put the riding on a temporary hold for most of this last week. What happened? I crashed. Nothing like a a guy my size going down into rocks and dirt.

I'm okay, with a few scrapes, sore muscles, and a bruised ego. I'm going to take some time to let my body recover. The bike survived relatively well, but the front wheel didn't do so well in the crash. Upon closer inspection, the accident dented the rim. Seeing that I knew what I had to do: replace the wheel. I was going to have to find a replacement.

Sun City Cyclery, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Lucky for me, this 26" mtn bike wheel is a pretty common wheel. Knowing that, I was pretty confident I would be able to find a replacement at a local bike shop (LBS). This Friday I took the wheel off and headed up to Sun City Cyclery in nearby Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to see what my options were. I had never been to this LBS, so this was also an opportunity to see what they offer and see if it felt like home, a local place to go to for parts and service.

They took a look at my wheel and confirmed that the wheel was damaged beyond repair. That was my fear confirmed. My hope reemerged when they mentioned that they may have a good used wheel that I could purchase for something like $20-25. He checked their wheel collection, found a good wheel, put it on the truing stand to make sure everything was good. I was so relieved that I was going to have my bike back for a such a great price. 

That afternoon I took the wheel home and swapped the tire/tube, rim tape, and quick release skewer. I had no problems and I once again I had a running bike. The timing was good too, as I was starting to feel well enough that I was hoping to go for a ride that weekend. 

On Sunday I suited up and headed out on the new wheel. I was still a little uneasy about being back on the bike, so I kept the mileage to about half of what I've been riding. The ride went well, I felt really well, and this week I hope to get back to my usual rides and mileage. 

A last note I wanted to share. In an effort to join a community of bicycle enthusiasts who share my same interests, I've become active on the Bike Forums message board. There are two forums that you will find me on: Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) and Classic & Vintage. The first forum is made of big and/or tall riders and the second forum is for people like me who like to take older bikes, restore them, and love them! If you are a member, stop by and say "Hi!"