Panic Attack

Just had a panic attack.

I was getting my bike ready to ship next week and found a crack in my rear wheel. Too late to get a replacement from my wheel supplier in California. So I had to start calling the bike shops on Cape Cod to find replacement wheels. Not too many Cape bike shops stock high end wheels - really can't blame them as the typical Cape Cod bike rider uses a beach cruiser or hybrid. Most high end bike riders that do ride here are coming from "off-Cape" on vacation - and I doubt they are coming here to buy high end bike components. So pickings were slim.

In any case I decided to go with a heavier wheel with more spokes (24 spokes versus 20 in rear wheel). Hopefully this will be enough added strength (2nd rear wheel I have blown out in the last 13,000 miles).

What amazed me was that before buying the wheels I checked out as many bike forum and bike reviews as I could and could not find a single wheel that did not have a bunch of negative comments (hard to get tires on, broken spokes, hubs suck, etc.). Either we have reached that point where the reduction in weight has reduced bike wheels to point where breakage is a common occurence - or - we bike riders just like to complain about everything. I can't even image what kinds of issues are going to develop with the latest craze to use carbon wheels!

So now I have replaced practically every component on my bike (chain, front chainrings, cassette, wheels, tires, brake pads and cables, rear derailleur, bottom bracket, seat, and stem). Should have bought a new bike. Oh well.

Now my only problem is finding spare spokes in time to take on the trip. Worst case is I might have to have my wife fed ex them to me.