Wrenching Blues

Friday I realized that I left my Garmin and sunglasses at work. No big deal, I'll go for a long run Saturday AM, buy the bike computer I was looking at getting anyway, then do a short ride. Save the long ride for Sunday.

Saturday's long run started off great. A very nice breeze, lots of clouds, and some thunder in the distance. I did the first of three 4.6 mile loops, and it was lightening on top of me. Cut that run short.

Purchased a bike computer, and chain tool at the LBS and looked forward to finishing putting together my new wheel, and changing my chain for the first time. Putting the new tire on the new wheel, and the trainer tire on the old wheel was a pain, but it worked. Taking out pins in the chain was easy, but putting them back in was horrible. Certainly there was an easier way to do this?

Get it all together and go out for a test ride. The chain is slipping like crazy! Must of not taken enough links out, but better too long than too short.

Take another link out Sunday morning, and still slipping. Take another one out, and still slipping! In addition to the chain issues, I also clean my old cassette and install my new computer, and it's almost noon. Instead of being 4 hour into a 5 hour ride, I still have a broken bike. Unsure of what else I can do, I put my old tire and cassette on with the trainer tire. It works great, but I don't want to ride on the trainer. I figure I can limit the damage of not getting my workouts in and go on a 28 mile ride. 20 miles into the ride and it's raining. 21 miles into the ride and it's pouring. 22 miles and it's lightening all over, so I take a shortcut home.

I'm not sure if the new chain is for a 10 speed or 8 speed. Tuesday I stopped at the LBS and bought a 10 speed chain. That should fix it. Wednesday I took the time to actually count the number of gears on my old cassette. Eight. I should have known that. Now I have a 10 speed cassette and a 10 speed chain to take back. What a way to lose an entire week of biking.