On Friday I used to be out for an extended journey on my recumbent and I occurred to look down at my entrance wheel and observed a damaged spoke. The wheel appeared in adequate form, not too badly “out of true”, and was nonetheless ride-able. So I headed dwelling and switched bikes, finishing the journey on my upright. I later took an excellent take a look at the wheel and located it really had 5 damaged spokes. All broke on the J-bend the place the spoke comes out of the hub. I used to be shocked as a result of I’d by no means damaged a couple of spoke earlier than and likewise often there may be an audible ping. That is my entrance wheel with the electrical motor, so the spokes are subjected to torque from the motor in addition to impression, e.g. from potholes. It had carried out simply high-quality for properly over a 12 months so I assume I will need to have hit one thing pretty large just lately. I ordered substitute spokes on Amazon, being happy to seek out out they arrive in customized lengths so I may order the fitting measurement. I’ll repair the wheel after they are available in and get it again on the highway. I’ll attempt to remain on smoother roads sooner or later.
Within the meantime I can nonetheless journey my upright if I need electrical help, and I’ve the unique wheel again on the recumbent. The timing is fortuitous. I hadn’t been using my upright sufficient since I recovered from my final bout of sciatica. So my butt was getting sore on longer rides on the upright. A got here throughout an amusing time period for this on an ultramarathon biking web site: “marshmallow butt”. I have to toughen my butt again up, from “marshmallow” to “iron”, as a result of in Could I’m entering into a buddy’s van all the way down to Paso Robles for a number of days of biking, and my recumbent received’t match so I’ll be taking my upright. I’ll be sure to get extra saddle time in on the upright earlier than them.