36 Broken Bikes and Other Mishaps part II

DIY Bike Repairs

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. Philippians 3:14 NIV

As mountain biking began to spread more and more throughout the U.S. and around the world, so has the biking industry. It has had to. Mountain bikers grew in their abilities and their need to push the limit to new heights, mountain bikes had to meet the demands of those riders. I remember the apprehension I would get when people would show me their new bikes bought at local department stores. Thoughts of split front forks and the dangers that would go along with people riding a “mountain bike” that was not really meant for “mountain” biking.

That is why when I continued racing and riding my I-Drive, after the welding job I mentioned in part I of this story, I was so excited and felt on top of the world to be back on my full-suspension mountain bike. It wasn’t until one of my last races of that season that I felt the impact of “DIY bike repairs.” 

I remember the starting line, there was laughter and conversation between riders, until the announcement for “participants prepare for the start,” blared over the intercom. All racers’ front tires were side by side behind the starting line; riders clipped in and leaned forward. The hush before the rush. Then, came the take off to try and get ahead of the pack. Riders began spreading out under the hot Phoenix sun, wanting to get to the rocky sections, up and over the hills to the long, hot stretches of desert single track. As my legs pumped hard to get up and over, my heart pumped too! Rocks and pebbles, gravel and dirt were pushed aside, and my lungs felt like they would burst. Up and over, down and around I pedaled, until I felt a snap under my seat and as I hit the back tire I looked down and there it was— my front triangle pointing up like a butcher knife; my seat post barely hanging on, and my thigh muscle centimeters away from being carved like a Thanksgiving turkey. BUMMER! I didn’t stop pedaling as adrenaline pumped through my veins, but I had to stand up the entire rest of the race!

On my approach to the finish line, onlookers were cheering me on! “Come on! Faster—put some power to those tires!” Little did they know my legs were spent from standing the entire second half of the race and my thoughts concentrated on fending off fear of that blade in front of me. I had to look down every few strokes to make sure I was keeping a safe distance from the break.

I didn’t get first place that year, (not even close), but I finished the race with no injuries and that was good enough for me! Worries of tomorrow skipped away when all the attention focused on the wicked break my i-Drive had experienced.

The challenge for me on that day was to keep going—to finish the race that was ahead of me. I had to be creative, to “think on my feet.” It would have been really easy to pull to the side during the race, and walk my bike to the finish line. It was to my advantage that my body was pumping adrenalin, propelling me forward. How many times have I not responded that way?

Challenge 36: Whether or not your challenge today is with a broken bike, or worse, a broken heart, it’s the choices you’ll make in the next few minutes that will make a difference in the trajectory of your life. What choices do you have that will move you forward today? We are in this together— …