Park Tool – St. Paul, MN

Posted on July 24, 2016

It is always the last place you look!  A perfect complement to our 97˚F / 82% humidity would be a sunset bicycle ride along historic Kelly Drive.  The Art Museum Loop, we call it.  As the day before, hitting a trail of somewhat smooth asphalt as Rush Hour hits its finest knuckle-whitening tension.

Yesterday everything was perfect.  Pedal, sweat, hydrate.  Using my E.U.-Approved water, I did not resolve my dehydration, but satisfied my thirst  (no wonder the Brits Brexited).  My 1980s Technium had performed like a champ.

But today?  Its front wheel sounded like my back after cutting out three tons of boiler pipe.  Once again, the spokes want service.  Our local bike shop would have suggested -again- new rims, but until the wheel completely collapses,  I’ll use the original Rigida wheels Raleigh installed three decades ago in Kent, Washington.

After searching everywhere, the Park Tool spoke wrench I’ve used for years is found.  In, naturally, my Executive Tool Bag.  An hour of tranquil “tuning” of my spokes returns the rim to true.   The clatter is no more.