My hybrid got a heart transplant.

Earlier this week I took it to the bike shop. Several times recently I found my bike knocked over after work (for reasons too long to go into here, I suspect deliberate action); and wanted to be sure the rear derailer and/or its hanger weren\’t damaged.

It wasn\’t; but the guys at the shop did say that the derailer was getting worn out. After 12,000+ miles, maybe that\’s to be expected. I also suspected that the gears were getting worn.

So, after work day before yesterday, I dropped the hybrid at the shop. This morning they called to say that it was ready for pick-up, and I walked over there to get it.

I not only have a new rear derailer; I have a new 6-speed cassette. The old cassette had 7 cogs; and it seems strange to be on the biggest cog, and have my twist-shift indicator show \”2\”. I guess replacing that shifter would have taken a lot more time, and also cost a lot more.

I didn\’t have the hybrid available early this morning, so I skipped doing a grocery run. Instead, I went for a short (10 miles) spin on the road bike; and practiced 15-second spurts of low-gear, high-cadence pedaling. This exercicse can be hard on the lungs and send your heart rate up; but when you\’ve got a stiff headwind and miles still to go, this is a skill that comes in handy — even if it does make me feel like I need a heart transplant.