You know... I thought at least a few things would start looking up once I got this bike.
It was supposed to be able to get me to work faster, but also get me around a lot easier and be a way to get some exercise in all at the same time.
It was supposed to come Wednesday, but suddenly showed up on Monday instead. That's a plus!

Out of the box, there was a bit of frame damage (just a few scuffs and scratches), the rear reflector was broken, but most of all the derailleur (the gear changer) was screwy. It was rubbing and clipping against the wheel spokes right out of the box.

I took it on a test ride and it didn't even last 2 minutes. The derailleur clipped the wheel, instantly locking it up and I almost flew off the bike. Luckily I was testing out a basic climb and wasn't going very fast.
I got it back in the yard and saw that the rear wheel reflector had fallen off. I put it back on and it snapped in half in my hand.


Needless to say, I am already not happy about this. Ironically, none of this has anything to do with the main bike manufacturer, or the maker of the frame. The parts in question come from other companies. The frame is just fine, and looks great!


I spent an hour doing what I thought I had to in order to fix it. I'm still learning about all of this, and a derailleur isn't the most simple thing ever. It didn't help that this didn't come with a manual. I found a manual... but it still didn't help.

I took it out again and gave it a test ride. Rode for just under 5 minutes I think. It seemed to pass and I was pleased, though had to change a few things.

It's time for me to go to work and I'm already running late. Late if I were walking that is. It's finally time to ride my bike to work!!




...I got to the end of the yard and it sheared in half.




I don't care how cheap or common a product is, that is embarrassing to have such an awful control of quality, or rather a lack thereof. And apparently, all the things that I have mentioned were common faults.


I said I was going to file a claim, because I did get an extended warranty with this, but as I was running late for work, I needed to get a ride and didn't have the time to file a claim. I finally get back to the house about an hour ago and try to file a claim.
...And I was denied!! I think it might have been my fault because the wording was confusing. I explained a mechanical fault, but I chose accident, and I think they thought I had a physical accident. So now I have to call, which I can't because ALL of my phones are destroyed.
Including the one I had recently gotten. I have to wait until a specific time anyway, by which I'll be at work and can't call.






*sigh*


Guess I'm just not having a good run right now. Which would be fine, until I think about it and see that I seem to have nothing but bad runs. Every time things seem like they're looking up, something comes up out of nowhere to screw it all up.
Like some cruel karmic phenomena that has a fetish for totally screwing me over at the worst of times.
For a very long time, I kept telling myself that I ~deserved~ that cruelty. Why? I don't know. Guess I always figured that I was doing something bad and I needed to be punished.
But after so long, I started to wonder what exactly that thing was, and if all the things I kept enduring was really warranted.



I don't know.



Worst case scenario, my claim isn't approved and I'll have to pay out of pocket to get a new derailleur, which costs anywhere between 15 bucks and 250 bucks. The average seems to be around 50 though. I'm used to paying out of pocket.
But this time was supposed to be different. I had just gotten this thing and it broke on me, and I have an extended warranty!

...Guess that meant a whole lot of nothing.




I'm... just gonna take my kids out again and go to bed.
The lack of sleep I've been experiencing is some of the worst lately, and it's really affecting me.