Hello fair city of Boston! I am taking my break since I’ve been up since 4:30 AM and writing you this update on my day with Metro Ped. This morning I was pleased to find cooler temperatures, desolate streets and some dense fog to keep me cool while on my ride into work. Thankfully,  I’ve ridden the route plenty of times so I didn’t get lost. When I arrived at the shop I was startled to find one of our cargo tricycles with a crippled rear wheel. I had a schedule to attend to, like all working cyclists do, so  I started my day with some pastry deliveries in Cambridge, Somerville and Boston. Just to get this straight, I consider a working cyclist one who uses a bicycle for work, not one who does handless track stands.  When I returned, I started the coffee like all working cyclists do and I got busy on the rebuild.

Abstract close up

The Damage

The Guts

For those of you interested in what happened to the trike in the first place, the bicycle lane ran out/merged with the car lane and the tour bus approaching didn’t want to give up some space or stop, so pinched the carriage and wheels of the trike between the curb and voila! (No one was hurt, but the bus that drove off was kind enough to leave our driver with its information in form of the rear panel and its identification numbers. Full story yet to evolve. Unlike most bicycles, ours have a much more complicated measure in replacing the wheel. Since our trikes carry loads of up to 500 lbs, we have heavy duty axles, disc brakes and like vehicles, rear differentials. In order to get the wheel off, I have an hour of work of just disassembling parts and such. Note the photos and you’ll get a better idea (coming soon). I have a mechanical background thanks to my father and his fix it yourself motto in life so this stuff excites me and is kind of like yoga? Well, thats it for now because my break is over and I’m back to work. Oh, and to the two of you who honked at me and flipped me off. I’m going to keep smiling and waving because if you didn’t notice on the road right in front of your car, that’s a symbol for a bicycle and it kind of looks like this. So keep honking for your support of all types of cyclists!!!