Saved from bike emergency

My bike saddle had been a bit loose for quite a while. I probably should have done something about that! But I never did. It didn't seem to affect anything, really. But it later turned out to be a portent for worse.

I was just biking home and not got very far when I took a low curb. I heard a bit of a sound and I felt something happen, and within a few meters I realised what it was. There was something with the saddle! It was still fixed to my bike, but it could freely rotate, in several directions. And that means you couldn't sit on it. If you put your weight on it, it would just pivot and you would slide off. A bike you can’t sit on is not a very good bike!

I quickly consider my options. Did I have any way of fixing that saddle myself? No. Was there anyone around who could? Yes! There is a Halfords in Bangor, and I'm sure they can fix saddles to bicycles. And they would be open until 8 pm. It wasn't particularly nearby, but I figured I could get there. Most of the way it's quite steep anyway, and then it isn't particularly onerous to have to stand on the pedals. So that's what I did. It was about 3 km.

I took the bike in, waited my turn, and I explained the problem. The man dealing with my query said that the whole bolt had sheared off, and it would either need drilling out, or I needed a new seat post. Well, new seat post, please! 

In Halfords

That was easily sorted. And while we were waiting for the computer to deal with its side of the transaction we made some small talk. Where did I need to go? What route would I take? The man turned out to be quite an avid cyclist, but he was entirely unfamiliar with the route between Halfords and Bethesda. Maybe he'll one day bike it! It's quite pretty.

With a bit of a delay and a bit of a detour I was on my way. It felt good to have a functioning bicycle underneath my bum again! And this has taught me to pay attention to anything being not entirely as it should be with my bike. Things can get uncomfortable quite quickly! And this time I got away with it, but I could imagine situations in which I would have to leave the bike altogether, be it at location or at Halfords, and find myself a bus somewhere!