Snap! Ever since I repaired my most recent puncture, crammed in the confines of my utility room on a chilly winter night, my gears haven’t been working quite right. I did try to fix them but there’s only so far you can get in adjusting the derailleur mechanism with the bottom bracket precariously balanced on a block of wood.

That might be why my bike dropped to a smaller cog on the rear sprocket when I was climbing the final hill on the way home tonight… and that might explain, in turn, why there was so much pressure on the drive train that the chain broke. Not a long walk home but it looks like I may be walking or catching the bus to work tomorrow.

I’ve done a bit of research on repairing broken chains and have reached the conclusion that I really could do with a chain repair tool (I used to have one but gave it away during my bike free period in Lewisham) and, even then, it would probably only be a temporary solution to patch up the old chain.

As my bike is now regularly parked under partial cover rather than in an internal cycle shed, I think I might need to invest in some more cycle maintenance equipment; as the life of the bike becomes tougher, I need to be able to give it better care.