A Tale of Two Inner Tubes (plus one!)
(With apologies to the Charles Dickens)
It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides with the A Group on the 2nd Feb………
Leaving the canal at West Byfleet, I stopped with a punctured rear tyre and, assuring those passing me that I was ok, set to work. Removing wheel and inner tube took only a few minutes and taking my spare inner out of my bag, I spotted the first problem – a tiny hole, probably caused by rubbing around in the bag.
Securing bike, wheel and tyre to a lamp post, I went in search of a bike shop and found one within a few minutes that had been open just 4 days (Motion Plus Bikes, Aussie owner, Viner bikes) and parted with £3.78 for a Kendar tube.
Back to the bike, checked tyre for foreign bits and finding none, decided that it was a ‘pinch’ puncture happening when in advisedly dropping off a high kerb, fitted new tube and rode on.
Ten minutes or so later I felt something strange with the rear tyre, stopped, and yes, it was flat again! Decided to pump up and press on. With hindsight the sensible course would have been to return to Motion Plus
Reaching Cobham after stopping every couple of miles to pump up, I spotted Village Bikes and this time parted with £5 for a Schwalbe inner tube (clearly, Cobham is more upmarket than West Byfleet, presumably due to Premier League footballers living in the area).
This time I did find the tiny speck of flint that had caused the original problem, fitted the new tube and arrived home about 5pm – somehow having clocked up a total of 49 miles (I must get myself a decent map).
Ken Williams
(With apologies to the Charles Dickens)
It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides with the A Group on the 2nd Feb………
Leaving the canal at West Byfleet, I stopped with a punctured rear tyre and, assuring those passing me that I was ok, set to work. Removing wheel and inner tube took only a few minutes and taking my spare inner out of my bag, I spotted the first problem – a tiny hole, probably caused by rubbing around in the bag.
Securing bike, wheel and tyre to a lamp post, I went in search of a bike shop and found one within a few minutes that had been open just 4 days (Motion Plus Bikes, Aussie owner, Viner bikes) and parted with £3.78 for a Kendar tube.
Back to the bike, checked tyre for foreign bits and finding none, decided that it was a ‘pinch’ puncture happening when in advisedly dropping off a high kerb, fitted new tube and rode on.
Ten minutes or so later I felt something strange with the rear tyre, stopped, and yes, it was flat again! Decided to pump up and press on. With hindsight the sensible course would have been to return to Motion Plus
Reaching Cobham after stopping every couple of miles to pump up, I spotted Village Bikes and this time parted with £5 for a Schwalbe inner tube (clearly, Cobham is more upmarket than West Byfleet, presumably due to Premier League footballers living in the area).
This time I did find the tiny speck of flint that had caused the original problem, fitted the new tube and arrived home about 5pm – somehow having clocked up a total of 49 miles (I must get myself a decent map).
Ken Williams
1 comment:
Puncture repair kit?
Jeff
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