The Hardest Thing I've Ever Had To Do..

..Ever!!

Last night - Saturday night - was I out clubbing, partying, socialising? No, I was at home organising my mp3 collection with MediaMonkey, free software not dissimilar to iTunes but Apple isn't involved and it doesn't take over your computer. Life's exciting, eh? Anyway, that's pretty much an automatic process, so meanwhile, I did some work on my bicycle, more specifically changing out my old non-clip-friendly pedals for new ones that I can clippify.

Oh

My

Goodness

Have you ever had to get off old pedals that are jammed into the crankshaft and possibly super-glued too?! (Or so it seemed!)

Picture the scene - me, small wrench (bigger ones wouldn't fit in the gap), rolled up rag, groaning and pulling for all I'm worth, laying into it with a hammer for nothing but effect, grease going everywhere, screw-drivers, feet dug into bits of frame for leverage, war-cryyyyy. Nothing.

Although I thought I'd worked out which way I should be turning, I was wrong. Anyway, that resolved, still couldn't move the bugger. So I resorted to a secret weapon. A hair dryer. The logic being, heat up metal, expands, makes life easier. This theory was relying on the crank-shaft heating or at least expanding faster than the bolt of the pedal, otherwise this would in fact be counter-productive.

Dried it for about a minute. No initial results, but with a final yell that must have been heard at the Warrington Hotel, we had movement. I suspected the wrench had just slipped round, but no, the battle was won. Sigh. Next pedal up. This one, to cut a long story short, was even harder than the first. But at least I turned the right way from the beginning. In managing to free this one I was on the floor, back arched, and when it finally moved I collapsed on to the chain, grease everywhere, nice!


Before and after

But 'tis done. I had a beer to celebrate (just the one) - Callum's Ale from Front Street Brewery. Wasn't very nice, too malty for my liking.

Onwards to Lille!

Incidentally, just come across a song called Warwick Avenue by Duffy, very nice!

When I get to Warwick Avenue
Meet me by the entrance of the tube
We can talk things over little time
But promise me you wont stand by the light

Pedants will note that there are two entrances to the tube. Doesn't detract from the song though.