Riding home yesterday my steed went lame. I was flying down a hill out to westham. There is a man-hole cover which I know isn't flush with the road surface. But as I got level with it a van was overtaking me so I couldn't take my usual avoiding action and swing out to go around it.
Thump...thump (add that one to the list of things that hurt on a road bike especially at 17mph.. ouch!) but carried on OK. Got the 10 miles or so home but cycling up the high street in Ninfield I happened to look down to see the front wheel changing shape once every revolution.
I got home had a closer look and saw this. Thankfully the wheel and rim itself is OK. But there is a distinct "s"-bend in the tyre. Not quite sure if this is safe to leave so I've done some googling. On the various fora it sounds like in the words of one respondant " if there is anything you wanted to say to that tyre, you better say it now!" With other mentions of high speed blow-outs going down steep hills, and there's plenty of those round here, I think she's had it. I will take the wheel off tomorrow and toddle off to Halfords for some advice on whether it is salvagable but I doubt it. I should also ask if the inner tube needs replacing I suppose. I've looked at the prices of new tyres of this sort on-line and found one for £17.50. But I guess I should change both so that'll be 35 quid. This charitable cycling thing ain't turning out to be cheap you know. But then neither would coming off at high speed going down Earlsdown as your tyre explodes as the road bears right up to Three cups corner.
Hey ho that's me grounded for a few days. Shame I'll jsut have to visit the Blacksmiths Inn tomorrow and partake of Rugby and the Grand Prix instead. Or I could go to the gym........nah!
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