To celebrate an all-around glorious day of biking and Day 9 of Dry January, I thought I’d whip up a post.
Reason for glory #1: I finally put flat pedals on the Stache which made my morning commute even more heavenly.
Reason for glory #2: I solved the mystery of the skipping chain on the Aberration. History: I bunged up the derailleur trying to keep up with Adam and Egg a few months ago. After putting off buying a new one, the way I do, I finally bought an identical replacement. Same chain, cassette and chain ring, but the chain started skipping as the quick link engaged the cassette. No ghost shifting and it only skipped once every few rotations.
Theories: the new derailleur had narrow/wide pulleys, so I figured the quick link was getting stuck on them for some reason. I installed a new 11 speed quick link thinking maybe the old one was worn out. No luck. Egg thought the chain was actually a 12 speed chain, but I had already experimented with a 12 speed quick link.
Solution: I figured I’d give a new chain a go, knowing full well that I’d probably have to replace the derailleur as well. Twenty bucks and a new 11 speed chain later, and the Aberration rides like a dream again. Turns out the old chain was severely worn, but the new chain doesn’t skip on the cassette. Glorious.
Next week: maybe a review of Jody Rosen’s book “Two Wheels Good”. Or maybe a profile of one of my riding buddies.
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Travels with Pops 