Consider this a short postscript to yesterday's entry concerning technology and tires. Less than twenty four hours after I wrote about my Continentals going 2000+ miles with one flat, there I was fixing a flat rear tire in the pouring rain and fading light tonight. Now, who's to say these tires don't run the table for the next 2000 miles, they might.
For clarification it was my full-fendered single speed Trek wearing Continental GP 4 season tires that had the problem, and not my Enigma with the new GP4000S rubber. A couple of notes. One, there's nothing dirtier than changing an aluminum tracked wheel in the rain. My hands made me think of the coal pits in How Green Was My Valley. Go fetch Dai Bando. Two, it had to be the rear, where there's so little clearance with the fender I needed to loosen the Alfine tensioner to get the wheel back in. SOB.
Not wanting to do it twice, I took great pains to check inside the tire for whatever caused the puncture, but found nothing. By the time I was rolling again, it was completely dark. Thanks god for those Knogs and Dinottes, at least the cars could see me even if I was having trouble seeing the road in the black downpour.
Quite a night. First thing tomorrow I'll double check the fix before heading out for what's looking like another rainy day.
8 Comments
Never tempt fate on a dark wet night! her will power is weak and she cannot resist.
I used to run GP 4 seasons on my ‘cross bike for road riding, but after a winter full of splits and punctures I changed to Vittoria Pave’s… You won’t catch me tempting her!
Well think of it this way…you got your one and only flat for these tires out of the way already. You know that I commend you for commuting across the South Bay year round but above that I am amazed that you do this year round let alone yesterday. It was lashing down all afternoon and I was unwilling to even go out in the car. That is amazing and not common around here. Ride safe and let’s pray for some sunshine.
BR,
It was a pretty ugly day. Looking forward to having you along real soon.
rules to live by:
** never say “cr*sh” while riding (i don’t even like to type it!!)
** never say “flat” while riding (because you’ll either get one, or turn a corner and climb a wall you didn’t know was there)
** never say “i don’t think the heavy stuff’s gonna come down for quite a while” while riding
and, lastly, never blog about any of these taboos within earshot of your bike or mother nature…both have a wicked sense of humor and love irony!
( see these and more next week on http://www.cyclomuse.com )
just caught up at last, beautifully written, great photography, has to be the best site for the sport for interest and enthusiasm. Well done.
Dougie
The cyclist’s nightmare and nemesis, The dreaded puncture!
Living in the dark, cold and wet north of England I know all about the flat tyres at the most inappropriate times.
The miles you have covered before the dreaded “P” word happening is a credit and recommendation for Continental, lets hope my new Force & Attack tyres give me the same kind of reliability.
As ever your words and images are fantastic.
Dan
great blog/site, really enjoyable read, thanks.
try carrying a pair of surgical gloves in your kit for keeping
your hands clean when doing repairs/punctures etc, light enough
not to notice them and very useful.
cheers
james
Thanks James, that’s a good idea. I happened to have a hand towel in my bag and it was black by the time I finished the repair. It went straight in the bike rag box. I’ll stick a pair in the Rapha backpack tonight.