Wednesday 9 July 2014

Epic Fail...

Yesterday was the first puncture of the season. Having travelled some six miles, the right front tyre started making a rubbing noise. Initially I thought this noise was being generated by the mudguard catching the tyre and so I decided to adjust the position of the mudguard when I stopped. With about a quarter of a mile to ago to my intended destination, I realised I had a puncture! On a very quiet country road and with such a short distance to go, I elected to carry on. Though I would certainly not recommend anyone doing this, I was very surprised how easily the trike rode with a flat tyre. Having arrived, I laid the machine on its side and prepared to removed the punctured inner tube.
For many years I have carried spare inner tubes, so this should have been a relatively quick and easy task. But not so...Whilst trying to inflate the replacement inner tube, the business end of my pump simply snapped! Luckily help was at hand; my wife was home. Using my trusty mobile phone I rang and asked her to drive over to where I was with my stirrup pump. When she arrived, I connected my newly fitted tyre and tube to the stirrup pump. It was then that I discovered the Schrader valve in my replacement inner tube had jammed solid! I assume this is the reason my other pump broke. My wife, cleverly woman that she is, had thought to bring a brand new inner tube with her so problem solved.

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