An intact chain is also essential

Friday, April 6th, 2007 at 08:36pm

This afternoon I broke the chain on my bicycle.

Until that point it had been a pretty typical ride based upon my plan:

  • Train from Glen Waverley to Watsonia (via Flinders Street)
  • North along the (technically not yet open) bike path that was added as part of the upgrade to the Greensborough Bypass
  • All of the way down the Plenty River to what used to be the end of the path
  • Along the new section which runs around a golf course, over a new bridge and then through horse paddocks until it joins the Main Yarra Trail
  • North along the Main Yarra Trail to Westerfolds Park where I stopped to have some lunch (that I brought with me)
  • After Westerfolds Park there is a choice, cross over the Yarra River and head up the Diamond Creek or continue up towards Mullum Mullum Creek
  • Up Mullum Mullum Creek until the path ends at Old Warrandyte Road

At this point my plan was to ride along Old Warrandyte Road, Springvale Road and then Mitcham Road to have a look at the construction of Eastlink between the end of the Eastern Freeway and the western portal of the tunnels. And that is what I did. At least until I got onto Springvale Road.

Old Warrandyte Road from the Mullum Mullum Creek to Springvale Road is a long climb so I stuck to the footpath (the Melways says it is a bike path and in sections near roundabouts it actually is) in a low gear. It was here that I started to notice an irregularity while I was pedaling. I realise now that this must have been one side of the chain link working loose until it finally worked all the way out and separated.

Fortunately a friend was able to drive out to pick me up but while I was waiting I continued walking along Springvale Road which allowed me to take some photos of the Eastlink construction from the end of the Eastern Freeway.

I ended up riding 36 kilometres at a fairly leisurely pace which took me just under two hours. I could have doubled that as I was considering riding along the path beside the Eastern Freeway to Burke Road and back.

An ironic aspect to this is that back when I got my current bicycle (almost exactly two years ago!) I also picked up a multi-tool so I could make adjustments or repairs while on a ride. I chose not to get the next model up as I didn’t see the need for the chain tool…

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