Not again!

(left, Hosang and Tom perform temporary single speed surgery to bypass the broken derailer. It really didn't take well.)

Bikes are beautiful, but if you are looking too closely, it usually means trouble. For the second time this season, a stick lodged into Tom's rear derailer and snapped the dropout. We had just hit the Ipswitch trials before experiencing a replay of what happened back in November.

Tom just had the derailer hanger and drop outs repaired by GT back in December. Seems the full supension frame is not up the task of dealing with common ailments. Tom stopped immediately after feeling the stick but it was too late. At least this time there was a chain tool on the scene.



Also, a bike is not as beautiful when viewed from certain angles. Like when it's being shoved, broken, into my car at night on the Campostella bridge.

It was a memorable weather night on this Wednesday night ride. Temps started at 6pm in the 50's then started dropping moments before the derailer broke. It was easily 10 degrees colder on the return trip from Ipswitch and 20mph wind pushed down the Campostella bridge. Clouds covered the sky stage set for an eclipse later that night, but I was in bed before all that went down.