Being 900 miles from home and having only one bike with me, encountering a mechanical issue was almost the worst thing that could have happened. It’s not as bad as a crash with injuries—something with which I have experience—but it’s still a pretty serious threat to my cycling ambitions. My rear shifter lever had been getting sticky on recent rides, sometimes refusing to return to its original position. On Monday’s ride, the spring responsible for that return failed altogether.
The lever still works, but it dangles comically from its remaining point of connection. That point of connection, though, is what still allows me to shift gears. So, the bike isn’t completely disabled. The local shop was closed yesterday and today, otherwise I may have dropped in to see whether the shifter could be repaired quickly. I plan to begin my return trip next Thursday, so there’s no time for ordering parts and leaving the bike in the shop for several days.
Enter the humble rubber band. This hack is as cheap and simple and they come, and it works!
I got through a 30-mile ride this evening with no problems at all. I could shift up and down the cassette with ease. I will count on this setup to get me through my remaining rides in Pennsylvania.
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