Mark Chick

A tale of a new bike pump, kindness and some cycling karma.

Before a recent cycle tour of the Netherlands, I decided I should take a more appropriate pump than the mini-pump I have usually taken. On all my previous tours I have not punctured or needed a pump.

On day 1 as we cycled through Noordwijk aan Zee, we were approach by a family from Germany. One of their bikes had a soft front tyre. We helped them out and pumped it up. A satisfying first use of my new pump.

On day 8 it rained. Lots. All day. One kilometer from our accommodation in Zwolle we stopped for a coffee as we were too early to check-in. At the roadside outside the café, a shard of glass introduced itself to my back tyre. In the pouring rain but thankfully under some shelter, and with wet hands slightly warmed by a coffee cup, I unloaded my bike and replaced the inner tube. A second, more self-interested use of my new pump.

#Cycling #BikeTooter #CycleTouring #BikePacking #Ortlieb #Renkum #Arnhem

Oct 18 at 6:22pmWeb
Show threadMark ChickOct 18

On day 10 to Arnhem, we stopped for a short break at a roadside picnic table. We spotted a couple on bikes heading in the same direction as us. One bike was being cycled. One was being pushed. Between their German and our English no common language was spoken but a flat front tyre was universally understood. They indicated they needed a pump before my quick inspection revealed something big and sharp in the tyre. A gesticulated offer of a repair with one of our inner tubes was accepted and so I set to work. Ah. The bike had a much wider tyre and different valve type, so instead I fixed it for them with a pre-glued patch. A kind offer of a €20 note was politely declined and we headed our separate ways.

(When I came to refit the tyre my heart sank when I noticed it was a Schwalbe Marathon. Thankfully one of the couple we were helping had thumbs of steel and made light, yet forceful, work of getting the tyre back on.)

Arriving at our accommodation in Arnhem (soaked through - shortly after the puncture repair it rained lots), I noticed we had a broken front pannier. Well, more missing a screw than broken. How it had come lose and fallen out is a mystery.

#Cycling #BikeTooter #CycleTouring #BikePacking #Ortlieb #Renkum #Arnhem

Show threadMark ChickOct 18

That evening, attempts to find a replacement screw failed. Huge thanks to the manager of the Bever store in Arnhem. Despite having no Ortlieb spare parts, he attempted to find a returned or faulty Ortlieb bag to salvage a screw from, before finding some other local shops he recommended we could try in the morning.

#Cycling #BikeTooter #CycleTouring #BikePacking #Ortlieb #Renkum #Arnhem

Show threadMark ChickOct 18

On day 11 we planned a slight detour to one of the recommended bike shops. Before that, we happened to pass a bike shop in Renkum and decided to try our luck. In their first box of bits was an Aladdin’s Cave of fasteners, but none suitable. Removing one of the remaining screws in my bag for inspection, he then returned with a second box and emptied it onto the counter. Amongst the sprawled assortment, a very unassuming black screw shone like whatever was in the boot of the car in Pulp Fiction. An exact match. One exact match, to be precise. “Don’t lose it”, he joked. Generously refusing payment, the screw was fitted and the bag repaired. Right then, and still now, this is the Best Bike Shop In The World. Please folks, give Nol Mastbergen Fietsen a try if you’re ever in the area and in need.

https://www.mastbergen.nl/

I left the shop overjoyed. After a quick coffee nearby, I was able to confirm that the appreciation of beer and cake by people who work in bike shops is universal (well, it’s true in the UK and the Netherlands, at least). I hope they enjoyed those well-deserved tokens of thanks.

That was a good day. A good and fortunate day.

Let’s keep looking out for each other out there.

(And checking the screws in our panniers.)

#Cycling #BikeTooter #CycleTouring #BikePacking #Ortlieb #Renkum #Arnhem

Show threadRandyOct 18
@DurableAce The power of karma and kindness 
Show threadJon RoachOct 18
@DurableAce vibration. Threadlock ftw. 😃
Show threadMark ChickOct 18
@FourT4 I think you're right. The fitting the lost screw went into was like a soft plastic nut, so should have been much less prone to coming loose. Yet it did!