I bought a bike on Sunday. It looked like a good solid bike - nothing you'd take touring but perfect to get around on. Was pleased with my purchase and savvy at having found a good, cheap second-hand bike. I headed off to the bike store the next day, got some oil and tools and told the workshop guys loudly and proudly that I planned to do a little mantainence on it myself.

All excited in the sunny arvo, I began. Went to remove an old light attachment and found that couldn't be done without taking the rear wheel off. Went to do that and found some bolt the likes of which I've never seen before and have no idea how to remove. So, oiled the chain and scrubbed off some rust (satisfaction), and then moved on to oil the brake cables. Felt I wasn't getting sufficient oil down, so, feeling quite cocky after successfully oiling the chain, I detached the back cable. Got lots of oil in but then COMPLETELY muffed the reattachment. Tried for about an hour to get it back on but to no avail. The cable was bent, frayed and cracking beyond repair and I couldn't even get the bolt back in its hole. So, with great frustration and resignation, I headed back to the bike store with my head low and tail between my legs, to book the bike in for fixing.

A crank fell off on the way.