Thursday evening I was so excited to be riding home in the dark for the first time with my new super bright light (Valentine gift from hubby), the Cygolite Expilion (I love it!) Things couldn’t have been going better. Great weather, very few crazies on the trails…Happily I’m riding along the Lincoln Drive trail, mid-way between Ridge Avenue and Forbidden Drive, when my chain snapped. Ugh. I nearly fell off my bicycle! Since it was pitch black it took me a second to even figure out what happened. (And the first thing my husband wanted to know is if I brought home the chain. Really?) I quickly went from feeling like a super hero to feeling like a scared sitting duck. So, when I get around to writing that “how to be safe on the trails” post, I’ll make sure to add “be sure your chain is in good shape”. Add this one to stuff I should have paid more attention to: When to Replace Your Chain
The good news is that hubby was easily reached by phone and did a rescue pick-up. Bad news is that my bike is in the shop until Wednesday. Since I was so late in replacing my chain, I also need a new rear cassette.
Lesson learned. Take better care of my bicycle!
After I endured a 45 minute lecture/ridicule session from my “real cyclist” brother after this incident, he sent me these fun videos:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12674956/cycling-explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMCkuqL9IcM&feature=youtu.be
phillycycletowork 
Is the trail open all the way to get to Wissahickon Ave or is it closed at that part?
The small section of the trail along Lincoln Drive is still closed from lot 11 (where Lincoln Drive and Forbidden Drive Trail meet) to Rittenhouse Town (where the side trail comes out at Rittenhouse Town and the parking lot along Lincoln Drive–there is a little bridge there leading to the parking lot off Lincoln that I believe is referred to as the Pabst Bridge). You can still ride into Rittenhouse Town from Wissahickon Ave, but the paved trail that continues to the Lincoln Drive trail is closed. If you’re trying to get from Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill to Center City, it is best to use one of the entrances to Forbidden Drive Trail (I take Kitchens), then ride along Forbidden Drive Trail until it dead ends at Lincoln Drive (lot 11). The Lincoln Drive Trail at this point on toward Ridge Ave is open. (I was told the small closed section will remain closed until late April.) Happy riding!
Glad your adventure with the chain ended safely. Wow, I’ve never had a snapped chain (knock on wood). Sorry I didn’t happen along, but I’ve been avoiding the trail and taking Ridge up the hill to the neighborhood at the top of the 100 steps and then crossing the Walnut Lane bridge. I couldn’t take the mud on the trail to Kitchens Lane any more. I get enough mud crossing Allens Lane at McCollum.
I heard you were talking to Klaas’s wife and asked if his name was Ken. LOL. I could just picture him muttering, “That Ken, he shows up everywhere!” I met Klaas several years ago on a BCP ride and it was his description of commuting by bike that got me started. 🙂
Very funny. I actually do know Klaas, though not well, so I shouldn’t have made the mistake, but I was in a a bit of a foggy state when I ran into his wife and she asked about the blog…As for fighting the mud to Kitchen’s, another alternative is to just ride along the Lincoln Drive guardrail from Forbidden Drive to Rittenhouse Town. It is narrow, and if you ride with panniers on the sides you may have to walk for parts of it, but it certainly is less of a pain than going up and down those steps–whew!
Yes, the broken chain was a pain, but my bike is riding great now with the new chain and rear cassette. I can’t believe I let it get so bad.
I’m not sure where you mean — along the guard rail. Are you going against the traffic on Lincoln Drive? I’ll keep an eye out for someone going that way.
Oh, and I didn’t mean that I climb the steps. I go up Ridge and turn into the neighborhood just past the train station. Then I take the street that runs parallel with the Lincoln Drive Trail. It’s the street you would get to *if* you climbed the 100 steps, but I don’t recommend lifting a bike up that. 😉
I took Kitchens Lane twice this week just to stay out of traffic. It wasn’t so muddy. But with yesterday’s rain, I think I’ll avoid it today.
Oh phew! Yes, that makes more sense…
I was riding home last night and saw a woman at Ridge across from the bus center. Her rear wheel looked like a potato chip. I asked if she was you. She wasn’t. 🙂
She told me that a bike had hit her. She was crossing at the pedestrian signal and a bike flew through against the red light. She didn’t look hurt and she said her husband was on his way to pick her up.
It was only her second day of commuting by bike. I hope she doesn’t let this stop her.
Ugh, what a sad story. Glad she’s ok, and yes, I do hope it doesn’t dissuade her from doing more bike commuting.