In a message dated 3/28/2004 3:00:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, I have not seen life threatened maybe because the riders were professionals, but at a cyclocross pro event in the early 1980's I saw more than one competitor who at first appeared to be portaging his ride during the carry portion, but alas, the main machine was o'er the shoulder and in the other hand was a front wheel. A double take revealed a fork attached to the wheel, severed at the top of the crown and separated from everything else.
Another rider carried two pieces, his being a frame which you might say had a breakaway head tube.
Not that big a deal, there were three pits along the way to get rinsed, refreshed, and another bike.
I could have used all three today. Someone will file a report , or I will after a rest.Almost a dozen fixed gearists attended the Millersville rib ride, including many CR's.
Some nice old iron in the freewheel dept as well.
Paul Raley's Hetchins won overall paint and detail and is a tough act to follow, and will be for a long time.
I did the long route, 38 miles, others did the extra long and the way extra long. They had a brake and I was brakeless so I didn't want to take too much a chance. Besides, I got srtarted late and had no idea about the longer ways.
I was also over geared with a 23/7 and the spokes were looser then I would have wanted, causing the wood to wobble unter the aging stick-ons and the crackling shellac.
Larry Black Mt Airy, Md.
chuckschmidt@earthlink.net writes:
> > (ctu) so maybe I'll meet my
> > end when an ALAN frame or the Vitus I recently bought suddenly and
> > catastrophically fals.
>
> Never heard of failure like this. Cracks but not a life
> threating failure.