Oh what fun on the bike ride to work this morning: got the green light to make a left at a busy intersection, stood up to get maximum power and — EGADS! — the right pedal's crankshaft sheared completely off!

We're talking solid metal about half by one inch just breaking without warning – structural failure of the worst kind.

Had to call Shelley for a pick up given that I was six miles from home and the same from work. She brought me home and I telecommuted again today. Those cell phones are indeed handy some times.

Took the bike down to the shop where it was purchased as soon as it opened. These things happen, they say, but rarely. They say I'm lucky nothing worse than a top-bike-bar to the groin came of it. They've heard of this kind of thing happening to other people who need stitches in the ankle - or worse.

Anyway, it's gonna be an expensive fix (no warrantee) and the bike will be ready tommow night.

I'll be adding the sheared-off crankshaft to my collection of mutilated bike parts that so far consists of a large mangled chainring, which bent like wet bread when I tried to climb Library Slop at Cornell back in the '80s.

Oh yeah: The guy at the shop couldn't resist pressing the orange button on the handlebars. Boy did he jump as a full-powered air horn blasted everyone there.

:-0



The chainring with broken crankshaft.




Cross-section of the broken crankshaft.