Photo: Facebook
There are a lot of things that can go wrong during a bike trip, and being involved in a light crash that leaves you with a broken lever is just one of them. Being no longer able to use the clutch or the front brake not only puts a premature end to the trip but also commands a platform ride back home.
This goes for both road and off-road trips, and can happen even if you simply drop the bike and are extremely unlucky. On the road, it's less likely to run into trouble and crash, but when you do, odds are your bike sustains more extensive damage because of the higher speed.
When riding off-road, speeds are lower, but the chances that you crash are higher. Also, the bike may sustain damage that makes continuing the ride impossible because of the various obstacles it may hit when going down.
A bent rear brake pedal or even shifter are things that can be mended on-site. On many bikes, they are made from steel and can be hammered back to some degree of functionality. If they are made from aluminum or other similar alloys, like the hand control levers are, you're doomed.
Because the handlebar area is further from the pivot point of a bike that is being dropped, the speed it reaches by the time it hits the ground is higher, and so are the chances that the lever on that side will break down.
Now, here's where the hose clamps come in handy, as seen in the photos. If you're lucky enough, there will still be a stub left where your lever used to be, allowing you to clamp in place a small wrench.
Using a bit of caution, you can still make things work, at least to some degree, maybe even make it back to a place where you can repair the bike. A small wrench is usually present in each bike's tool kit, so you're already carrying one with you.
Some guys were even able to use cable ties and make do. Either way, they can fit almost anywhere aboard the bike, and will not reduce the cargo capacity at all. Instead, they could save the day, so grab some before you head out. And you could also check out these two lists of must-have items for bike trips, and others that complement them.
When riding off-road, speeds are lower, but the chances that you crash are higher. Also, the bike may sustain damage that makes continuing the ride impossible because of the various obstacles it may hit when going down.
A bent rear brake pedal or even shifter are things that can be mended on-site. On many bikes, they are made from steel and can be hammered back to some degree of functionality. If they are made from aluminum or other similar alloys, like the hand control levers are, you're doomed.
Because the handlebar area is further from the pivot point of a bike that is being dropped, the speed it reaches by the time it hits the ground is higher, and so are the chances that the lever on that side will break down.
Now, here's where the hose clamps come in handy, as seen in the photos. If you're lucky enough, there will still be a stub left where your lever used to be, allowing you to clamp in place a small wrench.
Using a bit of caution, you can still make things work, at least to some degree, maybe even make it back to a place where you can repair the bike. A small wrench is usually present in each bike's tool kit, so you're already carrying one with you.
Some guys were even able to use cable ties and make do. Either way, they can fit almost anywhere aboard the bike, and will not reduce the cargo capacity at all. Instead, they could save the day, so grab some before you head out. And you could also check out these two lists of must-have items for bike trips, and others that complement them.
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