how in the?

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Actually, I know how. But dammit it all to hell.

Illustration for article titled how in the?
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While attempting to leave this parking lot, I managed to drive right into a well camouflaged hole. Besides the expected yet still unsettling noise from the car, I heard a loud bang above me. Did a quick check to make sure the bike was still there. Wasn’t until I looked at it from the front did I realize the crossbar itself was bent.

Being a long ways from home, and worried it might crack, I concocted a plan.

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Found a little hardware store and got two steel flat bars and some gorilla tape.

First I bent the crossbar back into shape as best I could by propping it on this root and stomping on it.

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Illustration for article titled how in the?

Then there was the trimming down of the flat bar. The hardware store wouldn’t do it for me so I had to buy a hacksaw and do it myself.

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Illustration for article titled how in the?

I stacked the two bars and shoved them inside the crossbar and then gorilla taped the entire section. Figured even if the aluminum cracked then it shouldn’t come apart.

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Illustration for article titled how in the?

Held up quite nicely. Got my bike home at least.

Illustration for article titled how in the?
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Illustration for article titled how in the?

Ordered a new set, but I’m not doing any riding right away anyways since the impact also destroyed the front wheel on the bike. -_-