Chain broke

[uforgot]

No bike shops in Kirksville? What's that all about? I had that very same thing happen to me a couple of weekends ago. Fortunately Red Wheel Bike Shop was halfway on the Jeff City Greenway. And then it was mostly downhill to it. Luck was with me. (I will never, ever forget my chain tool again!) They even put the new chain on for me. I was due for one... Highly recommend Red Wheel.

Which shop did you use in Columbia? I bought my mountain bike from Cycle Extreme. Love them. I have had nothing but friendly excellent service there.

[Melalvai]

I used to go to Cycle Extreme and then my friend who worked there had a falling out and I moved to Walt's. I've heard some stories about CycleX, but nothing awful, so I think they're a decent shop, at least to shop at if not to work for. I really love Walt's now.

I want to start up a collection for a Community Grant for a bike shop. Maybe we could pay for the set up and a couple months' rent, and talk Walt's or someone into starting up a Kirksville branch. I know so many people who go all the way to Columbia for a bike shop, I know there would be plenty of business for it. I heard there used to be a bike shop downtown but it closed in 1991.

My friend's spare chain turned out to be SRAM. I had no idea what that meant. The master link on a SRAM chain is one that you can pop open and closed with your fingers. You don't need a chain tool and you don't break the link to take it off. However they cost a little more, and a chain tool is so cheap, that I think I'll just buy the old kind and a chain tool.