So after pottering off to Halfords for 2 inner tubes (one spare) and a puncture repair kit I fitted it I tried again on New Years day morning. Nice gentle 10 miler I thought just down to the beach and back home.
1/2 way down the marsh road I get that familiar thud...thud...thud through the front wheel again. Flat as a flat thing!
As it had been raining luckily there was a puddle to look for the tell tail bubbles. Not 1 but 2 holes very close to each other. Unfortunately at a realy awkward distance needing 2 patches. But there was still a leak so after a third patch I was OK. However during teh repair I managed to snap one of the plastic (and franlky inadequate) tyre-levers supplied in the repair kit.
Off I went again. Got to the beach 3 miles on..thud...thud...thud.
Arrghh!. tyre off again. Another hole this time in the side wall. Just as I was repairing this one Vicky pulled up. She was at the beach with the dogs. "Need rescuing again dear?". "No. I have things under control thank you."
Off she went. Wheel bak on and off we go again. 4 miles on thud..thud...thud. I don't believe it!. Yes I got all Victor Meldrew. Particularly as now it was hammering it down with rain. I fummbled to get the inner tube out with fingers like ice. But it was so wet that the contact adhesive would not stick now and the 3 patches on the original punctures were bulging and clearly not working now. It was so wet that I feared the fluorescent green giant top was no longer waterproof and my ipod nano was going for a burton. So as I got soaked by a passing car going through a puddle I took out my phone and fired a flare.
Vacky duely arrived with the van. "I reckon I'll get to Scotland" I said. "But I don't know about this flaming bike!"
As I remarked on Facebook, I think fate was saying "It's New Years day and everyone else is in the pub you muppet!".
I now have another spare tube and metal tyre-levers.
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