Bicycle Overhaul

5-26-15 

     When Giant changed the back wheel and gear rotor on my bike last week, they bent the valve. That's why when I picked the bike up Saturday morning the tire needed air. They pumped it up enough for me to ride the river but I didn't notice the tire was becoming deflated for two days because of the rain, until yesterday morning when I was setting off for Mandarin tutorial. I had to take a taxi there; 190NT. Leona brought me back on the scooter. The Giant dealer was closed Monday so I also needed a ride to and from American Eagle in the evening. I will bring the bike in for a new valve today after we get back from my dental appointment near Chung-Yo Dept. Store.

After the seventh day in a row of rain, sometimes torrential, there have been some clearing ups, like last Saturday morning when, after retrieving my bike from the Giant dealer, I rode up the Han, and a morning or two when I could sit on the and has patio and have coffee, such as today. It rained almost all day yesterday though it had stopped when I went back to the Giant dealer to complain about the air leak in my rear tire. All the owner did was straighten the valve and fill it up. It wasn't enough. I had enough air to ride to American Eagle with no time to stop off at Eagle again. I could see the tire was getting flatter. In the rain, I rode to American Eagle but by 6pm, the tire had barely enough air to get me back to the Giant dealer in my neighborhood. In the rain I rode there for immediate action; I couldn't go on like this as I use my bike for daily transportation, not just exercise. If I had to take buses to my destinations, it would take much longer; taxis are cheaper than in NYC but still would cost $50 on the days I go to Mandarin tutorial and American Eagle class. 

      The tube valve was bent by the Giant technician and riding the bike home with a soft tire must have hurt. Though I had a month or so of life left on the tire, I opted for a new rear tire and had to get a new tube, a tube that was fine until they broke the valve. My front tire, the original from 2 1/2 years ago was time to change so, for 1200NT I got two tires and a tube to add to the 1900NT rear wheel and gear rotor I got installed last week. A few months ago, I got new brake pads, too, so, essentially, my bike has all new parts for about $100us! It is 1/4 the cost of the bike originally but if I can get another 2 1/2 years out of the sweetest bike I've ever owned, it will be worth it.