Bike problems: Back tire.

So, lately when I’ve been riding my bike, I’ve noticed that it’s gone slower and occasionally there’s been some regular metal rubbing sound that goes in time with my pedaling, but I figured that that was just maybe a lack of oil on the chain, and the bike falling apart, and my being tired or maybe my getting used to the light bikeshare bikes and suddenly finding my old Schwinn heavy.

The other Sunday, though, I biked up to this lakefront café before heading out for a beachday, and after I got my bike off the rack, it was like the brake was always on, and so for like ten to fifteen minutes I was stop and go on the path, trying to figure out if the brakes were whack or my back metal mudguard was rubbing the tire or what.

Eventually, I figured out that the back tire was loose and would wobble heavily, and when I began riding, it’d kick majorly to the left, and start rubbing at its edge against the frame.

So, I checked out a bikeshare bike, rode it down to the turnoff towards my house and locked it up there, went on to have my beach day, and later picked it up and walked it home.

I’m guessing now that the tire must have been like this for a while, and somehow my locking it up at the lakefront café must have forced the frame over or jarred the tire loose, to where it got to the point where I couldn’t ride it if I sat on it.