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Breaking news. Unfortunately, I really mean it.

My beloved road bike is dead. I took it in for a tune-up this morning; the shop owner called me this afternoon and left a message saying, "you're not going to be riding your bike tonight" (as he had promised this morning).

The frame is cracked. Badly. On both sides of the top/seat tube joint. The crack was concealed by cable housing, so no one noticed it until they removed the cable for replacement.

All of you who have ridden with me will certainly recall the annoying on-and-off creaking coming from my seat post in the last year or so. And how every now and then I have to adjust the seat height, because it slips and I just can't get it tight enough. I think this crack explains all that. No way of telling what actually caused it; I have shipped this bike and put it on airplanes but never crashed hard. I did have a clumsy fall-over on Saturday, but it didn't seem like the sort of thing that would crack an aircraft-grade-aluminum tube (although it did completely screw up my rear derailleur). I don't think I am strong enough to have caused a crack by overtightening. The bike shop owner theorized that it started small and invisible and grew until it became visible through the paint. But who knows.

To all of my dear cycling pals, thank you for putting up with my creaky bike. I am going to try to get some sort of crash replacement deal on the frame. I would love to get a whole new bike, but that's not really in the budget at the moment.

And now a public service announcement: Having a good relationship with a local bike shop is a Very Good Thing. Treat your LBS well and they will do the same.

Stay tuned for a teary-eyed ode to my bike, and for memorial service details.

March 5, 2007 5:52 PM