Never knew that so many things can wrong

Never knew that so many things can wrong in a simple mechanical equipment like bicycle!

I always felt that cycle was a

very simplistic equipment, and hence very dependable. Not to be so :(

Since buying the Hero Thunder Racer just one month back and using it in past two weeks (first two being sick, I couldn't ride), I am facing any number of problems; continuing with me having to walk from office at 10:15 PM last night.

First it was the brakes that wouldn't work too well. I tried adjusting the tension. Didn't help much; noticed that the problem was brake pads not properly aligned, and so contact point was too small. Got the vendor fix the rim by adjusting the spokes tension. It ain't too bad now, except that I have to use ONLY the drop bar position levers to stop. The other set of levers for use in upright position on bars only slow down, never stop the bicycle.

Then the first gear on rear dérailleur would make noise since the plastic disc next to it was not in perfect horizontal plane and so chain rubs against the disc. Got the vendor fix it for me. The mechanic reportedly fixed a disc or something in between to increase the distance between plastic disc and gear.

Next I was not able to get the chain on to third gear on front dérailleur. The dealer tried to fix it, but the display (shifter) would fall back to position 2 automatically when it was in third gear (big one). So if I had to shift to second from third, I would have to shift to first on shifter. And if I had to shift to first gear, I will have to carefully manage to go to second and immediately go back to first! The mechanic with a sorrow look asks if I couldn't manage, and was display really a problem. When I insist this is really troublesome, he keeps the vehicle for one more (in all three days) and fixes it; only to notice while I ride, that whenever I try to take even a smal turn, due to change in tension in cable, the shifter and thence the gear goes to second gear from third! Vexed and assuming the guy didn't know his job too well, I read up on Internet about front gear and fixed it myself spending more than couple of hours. Only to notice the next day, the problem ain't solved fully well. The gears shift much better then they did when the mechanic fixed it. But the third would go back to second any time. I then take the bike to a different mechanic far away from my location mentioning the problem of display. He tries for half an hour and fixed it so, that I could use either of first and second, or second and third gears only; not all three. He complains the gear shifter and the gear changer were defective! I convinced myself (a perfectionist that I am), into focusing first on riding and worry about using all features at some other time. I opted for the bike fixed to run on second and third gears only, knowing too well, I needed the first gear at two places to my work where the road is too steep to ride on second or third gears :(.

And bingo, yesterday night - tired and suffering from head ache and returning at 10 PM after a very long and stressful day, as I was pushing myself hard on steep road near my office, the whole drive mechanism to rear wheel started slipping. Got down walked over the steep and tried to pedal later, only to realize later the chain was stuck between gear five and frame. Luckily I was carrying a screw driver and an adjustable spanner. When pushing the chain with the screw driver did not help, I ended up loosening the wheel nut significantly and pulled out the chain and put back on a gear. I try to ride the bicycle now, only to realize there was no 'hold' between the gears and the wheel. No matter what I do, pedaling does not rotate the wheel!! My knowledge yet had not extended or expanded into fixing this on the road on the fly, when it was nearly pitch dark. And here I go, walking up to home, while the commuters on the road are bewildered to watch me walking with a cycle, sporty attired with a fancy looking helmet, gloves, backpack and what not.

I mean how many things can break in this bicycle while I am holding on my tenacity to stick to biking for commute? Should I have struck to my original decision to buy the expensive Bianchi? Not sure. I can't believe, just because it happens to be manufactured by an Indian manufacturer, despite being the largest cycle manufacturer in the WORLD, the product could be so defective.

Thanks for your patient read.

Mallik