Little (dangly) things

[Easy Rider]

....are sometimes VERY important, if they are long enough to get caught in the chain/back sprocket.
Like long strings on tennis shoes or very frayed cuffs on jeans or anything loose on cargo being carried.....
OR extra long straps that are used to tie down bike luggage.

Thinking you have them securely tucked away is NOT good enough. The wind can pull things loose that you would NEVER imagine. The moral of the story is: If you have a lot of extra strap left on a tie-down, CUT IT OFF so that it is not long enough to reach the rear wheel hub if it comes loose. :cuss:

And the second moral to the story is: If you hear a loud CLUNK from the bottom of the bike while going down the highway, stop IMMEDIATELY and check it out. It could be something has gotten caught in the chain/sprocket and is just waiting to take a bite out of your leg or lock up and put you DOWN. :blush:

I got lucky this time. After the first clunk, I went on for about a mile with no more noise.......until I had slowed almost to a stop in a parking lot and then clunk, clunk, THUNK.....small skid. Crap.
Had not one but TWO luggage tie-downs tangled in the rear sprocket and chain. Thankfully it chewed them up and they broke but it could have happened very differently.