On a coincidence of last names

I was making a reservation over the phone with a B&B in Drumheller this morning. As my last name isn’t very common, after giving it out of habit, I immediately gave the spelling of it. The owner chuckled in amusement as he pronounced his last name the same way but used the French (or more probably Breton) spelling rather than the Welsh spelling of my family. My last name is rather ordinary Welsh word which has its' equivalent in Breton which is a closely related language. That last name is not uncommon in Quebec but is pronounced in Quebec French rather less pleasantly to the ear than my last name, at least in my opinion.

On good news, bad news, good news and indifferent news about Floria die Fleddermoose's recent tune-up

The tune-up worked wonders for Floria die Fleddermoose. By replacing the rear wheel, I did away with a hub that was well past its prime. It has been a relative joy to bike to and from work. I was thinking this as I rode home today and decided I would pop round the bike shop to pay my compliments. As I got a bit further on, I noticed that there was a bit of a grinding sensation when I pushed down on the left pedal. At a red light, I investigated, thinking that maybe a bearing had gone in the left pedal, which would be not big deal as pedals are cheap and easily within my ability to replace. However, I discovered that the left crank arm seemed to be loose, moving somewhat out of its' usual plane.

I assumed that it was a case that someone at the shop hadn't tightened it as completely as he should have. As I don't have a large enough Allen key, I stopped at the shop on the way home. After complementing the staff on the good job they had done, I described the apparent problem. Steve got the staff to investigate. It seems the person who worked on the crank should have applied Locktite instead of grease at some point in the reassembly of the crank.

The mechanics went to work and got Floria back in shape in ten minutes or so. One of them explained that the crank is on the old side, hence the need for Locktite. He suggested that I consider replacing the crank at some point. I expect I will, but not until it is time for another tune-up.

(I believe he is the same person who, when I dropped off Floria two weeks ago, suggested that I should protect my rims by installing disc brakes. At the time, I explained that while disc brakes would indeed prolong the life of my rims, they would also attract unwanted attention from bike thieves. As die Fleddermoose spends much of her time outdoors, I felt that I was better off buying new rims every few years than buying a new bike. Steve, who knows me better, agreed with my logic.)

On the benefits of a long-term relationship with your friendly local bikeshop

I take my bikes for servicing at Martin Swiss. As their website shows, they have been around for more than eighty years. I have been using them for about twenty years and the people there have got to know me, particularly Steve.

Last week, I took Floria die Fleddermoose in for some major servicing, including two new wheels, new brake-shifters and several other lesser bits and pieces. I picked her up after work this afternoon. Steve brought her out and I gave her a once over. There were a couple of things missing from the picture, namely wheel reflectors.

These are required by law in Quebec, especially at night. In addition, my readers will know that I believe in high visibility while biking. (Which is a bit ironic as I was watching Monty Python's "How not to be seen" sketch last night.)

I asked Steve if I could get some reflectors. He dug in a drawer to produce a nondescript, unlabelled set of reflectors. "Here, you can have them for free provided you install them yourself!" He said this with a grin as we had been discussing how busy the shop has been. Also, wheel reflectors are incredibly easy to install. The tricky bit is remembering to put them on the opposite side of the wheel from the valve.

On possible new cycle-tourists in the family

I found out yesterday that there has been a happy event which covers not one but two of the standard topics of this blog. To wit, bike-touring and my nieces. It seems that Désirée, my eldest niece, and Dominique, her mother, completed Vélo-Québec's Petite Aventure. This tour was centred around Victoriaville and was essentially out and back type routes. Over the three days, Désirée and Dominique covered nearly 200 kms. I know that Dominique is justifiably proud and I hope Désirée is too!

While certain of my readers may look at organised tours a shade askance, I think this is simply a step on the path to the joys of bike touring. Who knows, maybe in a few years, I will be taking Désirée across Spain. ;-)