– ODO- 16684 -16786km
– Location-, Thailand
– Weather- 24-34
As I approach the 20,000km mark the wear on my bike and is becoming more and more apparent. As my body gets slicker and stronger each component has worn gradually down. My bottom bracket is loose and my pedals move left to right on each turn. My back tyre is worn down slick and I can see flecks of the blue inner puncture coating wearing through in a regular pattern. My inner tubes are almost more patches than rubber. My saddle has worn through where my inner thighs beat down repeatedly. My right-hand pedal is loose so my shoes click out just a little too easily when I’m pulling up with my legs and the damp air had begun the gradual process of rusting the frame, gear and brake cables sticking them to their sheathing. I’m overdue a service. In a few days time, I reach the end of leg 4 and I’ll give my bike the attention it needs. I’ve learned to repair each element as I go. Keeping things running. Keeping me moving. But there’s something about the wear that I quite like. The symmetrical way each element shows the distance it’s come and the distance I’ve travelled with it. Wear that come hand in hand with experience.
