# Two Bicycles in a mincab - Not your every day Pootle!



## Mice (25 Feb 2012)

A gentle pootle that turned out to be a bit of an adventure about the bike and not on the bike!

The first day of spring - Hoorah! I met up with Rebecca Olds for cappuccinos and chitchat in glorious sunshine followed by an amble from Stockwell to Streatham, destination Streatham Common. Just near the Ice Rink there was a loud clunk, a horrid metal scraping noise beneath my feet and stagnant pedals  as my chain trapped itself on the chainstay thingy. Close inspection showed that one of the links had actually split over both sides of the chainstay.

Once I have finished reading my excellent copy from Father Christmas a la Famille Arallsopp I will know what to do about such things. However with no spare links nor such knowledge, the only thing to do was find a cab and head for a great LBS in Norbury that Rebecca knew. Swift Cars at Streatham Hill Station lived up to their name. Really helpful taxi driver albeit a West Ham supporter  who treated our bicycles with tremendous respect and care. He didn't bat an eyelid about me holding the chain like an oily snake (it had finally come away from the bike), hovering above his upholstery.

He took us to De Ver Cycles (632-634 Streatham High Road) who were just what you want from an LBS. Friendly, helpful, really knew their stuff, and after a detailed conversation between Paul (one of their mechanics) about mileage, service history etc, etc, less than 20 minutes later I had a brand new chain. I should add that some of the conversation between Rebecca and Paul was way too technical for me, they were both using complete sentences about which I understood not one word. I have much to learn. I did understand however that I dont need to oil this new chain for 6 weeks! Paul also gave me some spare links so as soon as I have read the book I will be ready for the next time.

With my shiny bright new chain, I hope this means that I have well and truly met the FNRttC blogspot T&C's - at least for a little while! Especially as I still don't have mudguards!

By this time it was home time so I bid farewell to Rebecca and headed along to Tooting Common and onwards.The twilight sky was stunning and my camera does it no justice whatsoever. Thank you Rebecca - that was an adventure and a half!

I took some pics some of which may be a bit blurry! https://picasaweb.google.com/108733...authkey=Gv1sRgCM2S6NvHo5XErQE&feat=directlink

M


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## gaz (25 Feb 2012)

Why get a taxi from outside the ice rink? It is barely a mile to de ver from there.

Glad to hear you had a good ride apart from that


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## Mice (25 Feb 2012)

gaz said:


> Why get a taxi from outside the ice rink? It is barely a mile to de ver from there.
> 
> Glad to hear you had a good ride apart from that


A Mile? Pushing my bike?  

It was getting a bit late in the day and it just seemed to make sense at the time. Besides, if we had walked it we wouldnt have met the excellent cab driver! Tis all good tho! (Sorry I missed you on Wednesday btw, I havent seen you for a while)

M


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## gaz (25 Feb 2012)

Mice said:


> A Mile? Pushing my bike?
> 
> It was getting a bit late in the day and it just seemed to make sense at the time. Besides, if we had walked it we wouldnt have met the excellent cab driver! Tis all good tho! (Sorry I missed you on Wednesday btw, I havent seen you for a while)
> 
> M


Maybe it was more than a mile as well, if you where before the ice rink :P

If you where on the trike it would have been so much easier to spot you the other day :P


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## Mice (25 Feb 2012)

gaz said:


> Maybe it was more than a mile as well, if you where before the ice rink :P
> 
> If you where on the trike it would have been so much easier to spot you the other day :P


 
Too true! I was blending in with the others on two wheels and upright! 

M


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