On Locks and Bags.

I am at my wit's end with this darn bike lock I'm using.

I had to store my bike outside under an awning when I lived in Southeast Asia and the humidity took its toll on the lock and my bike, rusting or corroding every exposed metal surface.

The bike is OK but the lock froze up. After gallons of oil and graphite grease, I was able to free the lock and make it usable. But now, despite being full of graphite, it sticks on occasion, and usually on the worst occasions, like today.

I went out for another ride, to the library and back. It's a short ride but it is up and down treacherous hills so I got a good workout. It was raining when I started out and rained the whole time I was out. I went anyway, figuring we can't be held up by rain on the epic journey and as we said in the army, train as you fight.

When I went to unlock my bike at the library, while standing in the rain, I could not get the thing unlocked. It took several minutes of poking and twisting. I'm throwing this lock out. I'm done with it.

I also had a chance to test the new "single" pannier I bought on eBay. I like it better than the set I have. It's a little bigger but it doesn't have the extra side pocket. The mounting mechanism seems to be a little more secure than the one I have. It also has these cool little clips on the straps that let you cinch in the excess strap to prevent it tangling in the rear tire.

So now I'll just dry out for a while and try to win the other half of my pannier set.