Bicycles are a common sight on German roads, and I thought it would be useful to have one for fun or maybe the occasional need. Back in April when I was looking closely at one of my (then) future residences, the tenant offered to sell me her bike for 40 euros. She admitted that she had not ridden it for quite some time. The rusting chain and the broken seat told a clear story of neglect. But I thought, quite naively as it turned out, that they could be replaced quite easily and cheaply. The price was also hard to resist as a brand new no-frills bicycle would easily fetch 100 euros or higher! (How can every family afford so many bikes?) I accepted the offer in the end. At that time, I was still staying at the on-site guesthouse of my research institute. The bicycle didn’t have much use and I did not have any tools handy. I thought I could wait until I moved into my current residence. It was June when I moved, followed by uninterrupted good weather. World Cup matches, colleagues’ barbecu...