Cone Suck occurs at 43a

After encountering this peculiar form of bicycle malady a few times over the past couple of weeks, I feel compelled to devote some thought to the rather particular phenomenon known as Cone Suck. Cone Suck, defined as the condition wherein the drive-side cone on the rear hub gets “sucked” into the center of the hub body as a result of continued riding on loose bearings, usually arises from a bent axle that causes the cones to loosen. Once loose, the cone nut on the rear hub’s drive side can become wedged against the bearing cage or the balls themselves and—because it has a right-hand thread—screw itself further into the hub body over time. While it bears mentioning that Cone Suck is usually the product of prolonged negligence, it can result in severe damage to the bearing cup in the hub body, including the complete separation of the cup surface from the rest of the hub.

The tell-tale signs of Cone Suck are not numerous, though the condition is not inherently difficult to diagnose. Considerable looseness in the rear hub axle, especially underneath the freehub body or freewheel (Cone Suck is generally associated with thread-on freewheels and steel hub bodies), is probably the most prominent sign that continuing to ride will worsen the situation. Pushing one’s drive-side cone into one’s rear hub takes equal parts patience and mechanical apathy, but its pecuniary consequences are certainly not insignificant and typically entail wheel replacement.

I was first induced to try hot patching by an elderly gentleman who informed me that, contrary to many peoples’ opinion, the rubber cement applied to the tube should be allowed to burn as long as the flammable contents of the cement would allow. Up to that point, I (like countless others) had been under the apparently mistaken pretense that lighting glue on fire would inevitably result in scorched tube rubber. When, to my surprise, I ignited the rubber cement on the inner tube and watched the conflagration expire without any obvious damage to the tube, I realized just how controlled this supposed “witch doctor” remedy can be if done correctly. All at once, the generations of would-be bicycle mechanics who had come to rely on this method of fixing flats were put into their proper perspective: members of a unique do-it-yourself community whose expertise derives from nothing more complex than the quotidian need to get down the road safely and in good repair.

Needless to say, my first couple forays into the world of patching tubes with fire have so far turned out satisfactorily; that is to say, those tubes have continued to hold air flawlessly. As for the elderly gentleman who besought me to trust the hot patch as a legitimate form of tube repair, he has yet to come back to the shop with a flat tire.

Many folks have told me over the years about the necessity of being lit from behind to avoid being hit by a car. While I don’t dispute the practicality and safety of a rear light, some of these same people will happily cycle after dark with naught but a blinking rear, safe in their assurance that they are protected from all other traffic. For the sake of being seen at night by other road users, the most important light on a bicycle is a forward-facing light. This is true regardless of whether one is riding with or against traffic, to which I will return later.

Though it is true that a rear light will help one avoid getting hit from behind, such collisions comprise a small statistical part of all bicycle-automobile collisions. The vast majority of cars that hit bikes hit them during a change of direction (either a right or left turn, for example), before they have a chance to properly see the cyclist’s position on the road. In spite of everything else about them worthy of forgiveness, motorists do fairly well identifying objects directly in front of them, even at night. Periheral objects, including cyclists, benefit far more from enhanced visibility as motorists wield their machines on the road.

Still, this engrained preference for rear lights belies a general cultural fear of getting rear-ended by an automobile while riding a bicycle. This fear is of such a magnitude and power that entire communities of cyclists have been motivated to cycle in the opposite direction of automobile traffic in the mistaken belief that they will encounter fewer wayward cars. This behavior, which informal surveys have led me to believe me is motivated by this fear, is a unique example of a population voluntarily exposing itself to increased risk in an attempt to reduce risk. Put in this context, perhaps excessive faith in the protective abilities of rear lighting may not be the most dangerous manifestation of this preoccupation with getting rear-ended.

Protecting one’s feet against the wind on a cold day can make even a short commute a good deal more pleasant. Plastic grocery bags, applied over one’s socks before putting on shoes, present a simple and effective solution in this regard. In many cases, these can be acquired from almost any local merchant for free, at least for very small quantities. Gathered at the top and tucked into one’s socks, using grocery sacks to block the wind need not be more obtrusive than any other weather-related fashion necessity. Indeed, in the case of sudden rain, these same bags may be retied on the outside of one’s shoes to provide temporary protection. However they are worn, it is important to bear in mind that, though relatively water-resistant, plastic grocery bags do not let one’s feet breathe. Off the bike, their prompt removal helps keep one’s feet fresh, as well as making sure they remain in good condition for later reuse.