Am I the unluckiest cyclist?

This is a bit of a rant i guess, but I thought i'd have a post and have a look see if anyone can outdo me.

7 Years ago i got a present of a bike, €300 worth of dual suspension crud.

I didn't use it all that often, never for anything more than 5k anyway.
The bike lasted me until August of last year, when I decided i was going to need a proper bike to get me to college. I spent €350 on a new hybrid, a "Cross Arrow", similar to a Trek 7200. Another €100 or so on lights, mudguards, lock etc..

On my first day of college, 9 days after i bought the bike, I was cycling home and the front tyre exploded, just blew out. I got the bike home, and spent hours trying to fix multiple punctures before I gave up and put a new tube in it.

On my second day of college, 10 days after i bought the bike, i cycled into college, and forgot my lock. I got one of my friends to lock the bike to his motorbike with his lock, but since he was leaving early, I couldn't rely on that all day. So I got my sister to bring in my lock with her. My friend had gotten the time wrong, so I was left waiting for him for 45 mins before i got my bike unlocked and then relocked with my own lock. I went to a lecture (1hr), and when I came out my bike and the lock were gone, so I have no idea what failed.

So i decided that a new bike drew too much attention and went with the old bike route.

I took my dad's ancient racer from the garage, and began cycling that. Unfortunately, it was in a poor state, and within 3 weeks, I needed to buy new things for it. €12 on a set of drops, €30 on a new lock, €70 on a new set of wheels, € 15 on brake cables and pads.

This kept me going (apart from almost killing me when one of my 2 week old brake cables snapped as i came to a junction) until a few weeks ago, when i decided that it was no good throwing good money after bad and decided to buy a "newer" old bike. So I bought one off a guy on here, and it was a lovely runner. He had taken great care of it, and it ran smoothly.

I gave him €130 for it, and it cost me another €10 for handlebar tape..

It cycled beautifully, and i was smitten.

And yesterday, I was coming down a hill, flying along on the racer, when someone with their ipod in their ears stepped off the path and i smashed into them, completely their fault. Anyway, i flipped over the handlebars and landed on my back. I'm okay, but the front wheel has disintegrated. So i tell the guy who stepped into me that he'll have to pay for a new wheel as its his fault.

We went to the nearest bike shop, and dropped in the bike to get a new wheel on it, €40, to be fair, he paid, not me..

So, stiff and sore this morning, i climb onto the old racer to get to college while my new one is being sorted. It makes it to college, but on the way home, the gear cable snaps....

Am I cursed?? This just seems like too much for one person to have to take.

EDIT : Longest post I've ever written! Quick Summary - €710 worth of bike in 6 months...

youcancallmeal

I had my fair share of problems too, couldnt arsed typing it all out but highlights include breaking my leg in the wheel spokes while getting a crossbar off my Dad when I was 5, cycling into a car door that was opened out in front of me resulting in a destroyed front wheel and a broken nose, having picked up my bike after a service the chain snapped on the way home and I've also had many a bike stolen on me over the years

Just seems to be par for the course when it comes to cycling, I just accept it and get back on me bike

Hal1

When I was working in the city centre I left the car at home and bought a new trekk mountain bike. There used to be a place to park near a building site before the pay & display meters went up and that was that. But on one morning I was nearly creamed on the bike going down christ church onto the quays. The traffic was stopped as it always is and I crossed over the road while still on the bike. There was an artic truck on the road where I crossed and I was in the truckers blind spot. As soon as there was a space in the bus lane the traffic starts moving and with that the truck starts to push against the bike so I jumped off and landed on my side and kicked the bike away from me. The back of the bike was crushed and it could have been me I was lucky.:o

Civilian_Target

Sounds like you guys might want to take a look at how you cycle, and how you choose your bike gear. I've spent about €200 on my bike this year, mostly on "consumables" (Tyres, cables, brake pads and a replacement front light), the only real incident I've had in over 1000 urban miles was an attempted theft, given I have been frequently parking in central London and in Blanchardstown that's not unlikely.
If you leave your bike improperly locked, or locked in the wrong place, it's gonna run - hell, someone tried to steal mine almost certainly because it appeared to be locked only by the front wheel.

If you break traffic lights or do stupid stuff on the road, of course you're more likely to get creamed. Always stop at lights and always stay clear of HGVs. Making sure your bike is in "ship shape" with decent components which are securely attached helps, as does cycling clear of parked cars and pavement when going at speed, and the fitting of a bell, decent lights and visible clothing, and a bike health check every few weeks.

Sure, you're still gonna crash or tumble, now and again these things can't be helped, but you can easily minimise the chances with a little common sense!

kona

thats what happens when you commute on ****e bikes, tbh. youd get a decent bike for 400, and for 710 youd get a real nice bike if you shopped around, or built one yourself, a lesson learned.

I've always believed that if someone wants to steal your bike, they will. No matter what kind of lock you have, there is a tool to break it.

When my first bike (€350) was stolen in UCD, I was told by UCD security that they have been informed that people come round during the day with vans, look for the closest, most expensive looking bike, clip the lock, bike in the van and off they go.

Unfortunately, they have no proof of this, as they have yet to have any clearcut evidence of it.

So with that in mind, that is why i refrained from buying a "decent bike", since my commute involves leaving the bike in UCD for 2-8 hours every wekday.

Itsfixed

sorry to hear about your troubles, emmet

can't outdo your bad luck, although i did get two expensive specialized bikes stolen from one after the other a few years ago thanks to not locking it properly and not locking it at all, respectively.

have got a shiny new, very blue frame to build up into an about town bike, but am wrapping it with black insulation tape to make it look less shiny and after that, running through as many puddles as i can find to make it look as mucky as poss.

also getting a second, chain type lock, (have a krytonite u-lock also) for locking at the bike park at my destination.

tywy

in ucd if you have a newish bike you need 2 lock, one U lock and one strong cable lock. supposedly bike thieves either won't have both tools to break both locks (decent U lock needs a car jack, decent cable lock needs a bold cutters) or else will move onto something more convenient.

I have a €600 bike for the past 18 months and I lock it at the eng block in UCD everyday and it hasn't been nicked yet (touch wood).

Tough luck btw! I hate pedestrians who step out in front of you, grrr!

kona

dont let a bunch of ****ed up rap loving tracksuit wearing illeterate embryotic waste dictate they type of bike you cycle, m bike i use to commute is very expensive and is a bit flash, but ive had is 2years, locked it in the city centre regularly, no hassle. 3-400 euro aint expensive for a bike at all, if you paye1.60 in bus fare 5days a week you will have the bike paid off in bout 3-4 months, and be fitter.the forks on my jump bike cost e400, and thats just the forks, a kona stinky will set you back bout 2.5 grand, 3-400 is not expensive especially if its decent enough to use regular and have little hassle.
dont let pikies scare you, i have had a fair few run ins and always come out on top(coz they mostly run off)

Blowfish

tywy wrote:

in ucd if you have a newish bike you need 2 lock, one U lock and one strong cable lock. supposedly bike thieves either won't have both tools to break both locks (decent U lock needs a car jack, decent cable lock needs a bold cutters) or else will move onto something more convenient.

I have a €600 bike for the past 18 months and I lock it at the eng block in UCD everyday and it hasn't been nicked yet (touch wood).

I agree, UCD is pretty bad when it comes to bike security. Its probably best to find an out of the way single bike rack, thats beside a busy pedestrian walkway, but not accessible by car.

Thankfully my bike has managed to last me my whole time here so far (4 years), which i'm suprised at considering its locked with a cheap chain and yale lock.