Tuesday 18 May on a bumpy gravelly path on the gorgeous sanddune
vastbeach oystercatcher Northumberland coast...the little welded-on hole
on the pavement side of my bike frame by the back wheel that the bolt
that holds the luggage rack on, snapped off.

Oh.

We were touring. My light cheap road bike had 2 full panniers. Bike abuse.

I strapped the rack on very hard to the helpfully jagged broken bit on
the frame with a stretchy strap...and trusted elastic, the jagged join,
and gravity, to save us.

Weeks later I lazily asked helpful bike shops about welding on a new
bolt-on hole for that indispensable rack. Bike shops were lovely and all
said things like yeah bring it back all stripped down in two weeks,
leave it a week..and done.

Weeks passed....I left it and left it and rode loads and carried lots
and although the rack felt wobbly and I knew it would end in tears when
I least suspected it....left it and left it.

Until yesterday and the fret of total snappage on the Dynamo kicked
in...and riding past the lambretta/vespa fixers Scooterworks in the Enid
Street arches I asked them if they could do it. Yup. So today dropped it
in on the way to work and picked it up at 3pm on way to Nunhead meeting
convinced I'd find it in a melted heap.

No. Perfect. Broken pavement side fixed and unbroken side reinforced.
And all painted red to hide the work.

£30.

Bargain. I was so pleased.

To Nunhead meeting, then The Cut, and big Surrey Quays food shop. Fine.

Felt rock solid/not trembly any more.

And on the way to Scooterworks to pick the repaired bike up walking
contraflow down Druid Street spotted a bike hoisted up there over an
arch opening I'd not vardered before. 18 Druid Street. So walked in.
Two blokes setting up new shop to restore vintage bikes and do repairs
etc. Amazing. They would have done my bike too. No name or phone etc
yet. Scoop.

Go see.

Barry
07905 889 005