Feeling Surly

I was very organised arriving early with plenty of time to do a bit of a warm up ride before rego. Then a look at Demtel hill again before the race start with Steve and Gazza, which was a good idea as it wasn’t the way we rode the week before.

Wasn’t sure how quick C grade would be and I was a little surprised and caught in a bit of a daydream by the casual pace of the start I snapped out of it and put a bit of power down to slot into 2nd as we headed into the single track. I was going nicely and felt really smooth being able to hold on to the guy in first place and not being bothered by the guy in third.

I had decided to have a go and try and take first on the first bit of fire road I was preparing to put the hammer down up the hill when I heard the crunching of gears on my singlespeed and came to an abrupt stop. Looking down I now had a biopace shaped chain ring with a nice big bend in it end of race and no demtel challenge for me.

I suspect the ring might have gotten a stick or stone caught between it and the chain as I wasn’t putting all that much power through it when it happened. It ripped 1 chain ring bolt clean out and almost 2 others only 1 was left nice and snug. I know they where done up properly so it wasn’t a loose bolt just a bendy soft stainless steel Surly chain ring.