Post by manuel6b on Feb 28, 2014 10:30:46 GMT 1
Just Graham and me out last night. Graham was 10 minutes late as he had to fix a puncture at home before setting off. I joked with him "hope that is the only puncture we get tonight".
We set off into a very cold night which was expected after a fairly bright and cloud free afternoon. I had said to Graham that this would have been a good night for the "coffee run". We laughed but kept on cycling.
We kept a good pace down to the footbridge. Crossed over and headed for Minnowburn then up around the Giant's ring. Just past the trench that has been dug in the path Graham calls for puncture. We stop, Graham changing the tube quickly. I offer him my nice pump with the old fashioned extension. He quickly inflates the tube but when he unscrews the extension it takes out the valve and the tire deflates rapidly. Re-attach and try again. Two other groups of MTBers had passed us as we were working away fixing this puncture. Good to see so many out.
Off we set to the Ring, crossed over and out the other side down Ronan's way to Minnowburn and along Shaw's and into the trees. I struggled up the climbs again. Up Vomit Hill and then around the loop. Graham was going well and was just out of sight ahead of me. I was happily cycling on when I heard BANG! Back tyre had blew out. Loud enough to scatter the birds in the trees overhead. Graham thought someone was out with an air rifle. Wheel off to inspect the damage. Big hole in the tube but a big hole in the side of the tire was the biggest problem. New tube in with some cardboard to cover the hole and one cable tie to hold it in place. Shame I didn't carry some more. I inflated the tire with my nice pump. When I went to take it off it had taken out the valve and the tire deflated again rapidly. Grrrrr! We went again but this time we got the extension off without taking out the valve.
I walked the bike back up to the car park. The tube was starting to poke out of the tire. I gently cycled on making plans with Graham for what to do next. We agreed to try to get back to Shaw's bridge and then sort out something. On the way to Shaw's the problem got worse when the bulge was now bigger than a tennis ball and hitting off the frame of the bike. I had a brain wave and called Scuba Stevie. He had a tire but couldn't come to me. Graham went to him to collect and I walked up to the entrance to Shaw's bridge car park to use the street lights. I took the tire off and waited for him. He duly came back with a nice new tire. I fitted it using a different tube (one that did not have a retractable valve) and pumped up the tube. A car came out of the car park with some young people inside. The driver wound down his window and said something like "Nice night for it". We said "yes thanks". He pulled out into the road to turn right but didn't see another car pulling in from his left. We shouted "Watch out" but they collided. Both cars then pulled into the entrance to the car park with me standing on the footpath still pumping up tire. This car was full of young people. They were all on their phones ringing home telling mum and dad about the incident. No one hurt. Graham passed on his number and we finally set off again.
Headed for home. It was getting even colder. No further incidents thankfully. I was running out of energy from Lambeg onwards and struggled to keep up with high cadence Graham.
A strange night indeed. Glad to be home and warm.
Roll on next week!!!!
We set off into a very cold night which was expected after a fairly bright and cloud free afternoon. I had said to Graham that this would have been a good night for the "coffee run". We laughed but kept on cycling.
We kept a good pace down to the footbridge. Crossed over and headed for Minnowburn then up around the Giant's ring. Just past the trench that has been dug in the path Graham calls for puncture. We stop, Graham changing the tube quickly. I offer him my nice pump with the old fashioned extension. He quickly inflates the tube but when he unscrews the extension it takes out the valve and the tire deflates rapidly. Re-attach and try again. Two other groups of MTBers had passed us as we were working away fixing this puncture. Good to see so many out.
Off we set to the Ring, crossed over and out the other side down Ronan's way to Minnowburn and along Shaw's and into the trees. I struggled up the climbs again. Up Vomit Hill and then around the loop. Graham was going well and was just out of sight ahead of me. I was happily cycling on when I heard BANG! Back tyre had blew out. Loud enough to scatter the birds in the trees overhead. Graham thought someone was out with an air rifle. Wheel off to inspect the damage. Big hole in the tube but a big hole in the side of the tire was the biggest problem. New tube in with some cardboard to cover the hole and one cable tie to hold it in place. Shame I didn't carry some more. I inflated the tire with my nice pump. When I went to take it off it had taken out the valve and the tire deflated again rapidly. Grrrrr! We went again but this time we got the extension off without taking out the valve.
I walked the bike back up to the car park. The tube was starting to poke out of the tire. I gently cycled on making plans with Graham for what to do next. We agreed to try to get back to Shaw's bridge and then sort out something. On the way to Shaw's the problem got worse when the bulge was now bigger than a tennis ball and hitting off the frame of the bike. I had a brain wave and called Scuba Stevie. He had a tire but couldn't come to me. Graham went to him to collect and I walked up to the entrance to Shaw's bridge car park to use the street lights. I took the tire off and waited for him. He duly came back with a nice new tire. I fitted it using a different tube (one that did not have a retractable valve) and pumped up the tube. A car came out of the car park with some young people inside. The driver wound down his window and said something like "Nice night for it". We said "yes thanks". He pulled out into the road to turn right but didn't see another car pulling in from his left. We shouted "Watch out" but they collided. Both cars then pulled into the entrance to the car park with me standing on the footpath still pumping up tire. This car was full of young people. They were all on their phones ringing home telling mum and dad about the incident. No one hurt. Graham passed on his number and we finally set off again.
Headed for home. It was getting even colder. No further incidents thankfully. I was running out of energy from Lambeg onwards and struggled to keep up with high cadence Graham.
A strange night indeed. Glad to be home and warm.
Roll on next week!!!!
