Sunday, February 28, 2010

Yikes!

So, I felt a bit draggy on the way home from the rock gym this afternoon, and stopped outside my building in the parking lot to check the back tire, and see if it had deflated or something. And realized that the wobble I've been noticing, where my tire's a bit oddly lumpy, is the result of a rupture in the tire. Like, the inner tube is peeking out through a little diagonal slit in the rubber.



Yikes!

I think I even know when it happened - coming down Bank Street a couple of weeks ago I remember hitting a small rock and hearing it just 'ping' out from under the tire. That almost metallic sound that means your tire has really delivered some force in a tangential kind of direction. I should remember to work harder on avoiding those small bits of junk that wind up at the edge of the road, but there are just so darn many of them... 

You'd think I'd also have learned after last year's multiple-flat-tires-in-one-week debacle that anything wonky with your tire will probably, if left unchecked, turn into something that will just shoot down your whole day. So, this afternoon it's time for fun with duct tape to try and reinforce the inside of the tire (I love duct tape: as I said to a friend this afternoon, it's like the Force: it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together... and the Force is strong with Mike.) With luck, I'll feel secure enough to take Mike out to the show I'm supposed to be seeing tonight. And tomorrow I think I should probably find time to stop at a bike shop and replace the tire. Sigh. I'll be waiting for the inevitable *pop*hissssss...... otherwise.

3 comments:

  1. I got fed up of getting flat tyres till I discovered "Schwalb" hybrid tyres. I wonder if they do one for your bike. The blurb says that it is "almost" puncture proof. touch wood, it's been fine so far for me. tonight, i bought two Pro 3 racing tyres for the race on Sunday. will be fun keep changing from one set to another every week now that race season has started.

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  2. I'll have to look for them... might be worth it, thanks for the tip. It's less than a year since I bought this set and the sidewalls are wearing through at the rims, not to mention that slit and a couple more threatening to form. . . now I'm wondering whether to look for a full set of slightly thinner tires (anticipating summer and looking for a bit more speed) or just replace this back one and think about the 1.5" tires when I don't have to contend with slush anymore... I suppose I can handle having two sets if you can change tires every week... where do you race?

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  3. Well the racing season starts this Sunday here in Scotland. The first one is a short Duathlon (3Krun/20Kbike/3K run)but hoping to do a race at the end of March which is a qualifier for the age-group European duathlon championships,So every bit of technical help would come useful, hence the tyres, Here's me hoping :) And then of course a dozen triathlon races and the fiercy fought club championships points.

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