Alarming things to hear whilst fixing a flat

[Rhythm Thief]

He did, but they dismisseth folk pretty easily, or so I've heard.

 

[Riding in Circles]

I would have lost the plot and murdered them on the spot but then I have anger management issues.

 

[hackbike 6]

You seem like nice peoples.

 

[goo_mason]

You need to get some decent tyres Goo...

Schwalbe Stelvios - been really good so far. That's the first 'event', and tbh it was a pretty seriously long and slender bit of glass, so no shame on them. Picked some big chunks out at the weekend which hadn't got through - there seemed to be a lot of smashed bottles around on the roads at the end of last week for some reason (school hols I guess )

 

[HLaB]

Sounds likes that could of been nasty, I don't blame you for getting out of there fast. That's Coltbridge crossed of my list of places to visit (not that I planned to ).

Stopped on the Coltbridge on the way home to deal with a flat rear. Just getting the holed bit of tube out to patch without removing the wheel, when two ned junkies come wandering up and stop on the other side of the bridge. They proceed to argue a bit and phone someone for what sounds like a rendezvous to score some gear.

After about 5 minutes, they cross over and are standing about two feet from me. Up to this point they've been quite loud, but then one starts whispering to the other.

"Ah cannae hear whit yer saying, like", says the other.

"Ah want that bike - will we hit him wi' the pipe ?" says ned #1 in an attempt to whisper louder

"Nah," says his mate, "we'll jist f**kin' jump 'im..."

At that point, I was attempting to re-inflate the tyre - so I quickly 'finished', hopped on the bike and pedalled off whilst I had the cover of a few cyclists passing by before they could carry out their plan. Stopped a minute further along to finish getting the tyre back up to full pressure.

Anyone else overheard anything alarming (or amusing) when trying to fix a flat ?

 

[goo_mason]

Sounds likes that could of been nasty, I don't blame you for getting out of there fast. That's Coltbridge crossed of my list of places to visit (not that I planned to ).

First time I've ever had anything happen there, and I've been crossing it twice daily for almost two years. I was just unlucky, so I wouldn't cross it off if I was you - it's on the busy Craigleith - Roseburn path, and gets me to and from Telford Road without a long detour.

 

[Joe24]

Thats bad. In the rough areas around here i dont stop much. I saw a gang on kids(younger then me slightly) walking around with a set of them big secateers and branch cutters.
If i got a puncture i would be tempted to keep going aswell, how much harm would it do?
Good job you got out there though, never know what these folk are going to do. A wack to the leader with the pump will soon have them running though, most of them are right weedy little buggers.

 

[4F]

Part of my commute takes me through 2 miles of chav central and I think if I ever got a flat there like joe24 above mentioned I would keep riding.

 

[HJ]

Schwalbe Stelvios - been really good so far. That's the first 'event', and tbh it was a pretty seriously long and slender bit of glass, so no shame on them. Picked some big chunks out at the weekend which hadn't got through - there seemed to be a lot of smashed bottles around on the roads at the end of last week for some reason (school hols I guess )

Well it depends on which Stelvios, they are racing tyres made for speed rather than 'event' protection, that said the Stelvio Plus should offer good 'event' protection. Failing that, try a kick boxing class...

 

[goo_mason]

Well it depends on which Stelvios, they are racing tyres made for speed rather than 'event' protection, that said the Stelvio Plus should offer good 'event' protection. Failing that, try a kick boxing class...

They're Stelvio Plus. A definite inprovement on the Kenda Kontenders that came with the bike. They were made of soft cheese and went flat at the merest sight of glass.

 

[Mr Pig]

That is quite a scary story. I have no doubt they would've taken the bike, junkies would sell their own grandmothers for the next fix. Glad you escaped ok dude.

 

[Keith Oates]

Not a nice thing to happen, Goo, but if they did try I'm sure the pump would have come in handy as a weapon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[magnatom]

Well done goo for handling it the right way. There is nothing 'big jessieish' about getting away from a situation like that!

 

[magnatom]

I use the towpaths a lot in Birmingham. There are some pretty isolated parts, and dark places in the industrialised bits. I've heard stories of gangs pushing cycilsts into the canal, but never experienced any trouble in all my time.

In the city centre you can find the occasional gaggle of addicts huddled under bridges, but they generally keep themselves to themselves.

The Clyde tunnel, that I cycle through is certainly pretty isolated and once your in there your escape routes are very limited. Having said that I've never really had any bother in there except for on one occasion. I came across a group of (yes I'm going to say it) young neds welding chibs (sticks). When they saw me coming they all started running away (I think they thought I as a bike cop!). Once they realised that I was just a normal cyclist I passed them with no problems just some nervous laughter (from them). Of course I might have called the police when I got out the other end...

 

[Absinthe Minded]

Bugger that, goo - sounds nasty. Still, glad to hear you escaped unharmed.

I was in Stepney Green one night, fixing a flat when a group of hoodies started taking an interest in me. I braced myself for the worst, until one of them came over and asked if I'd ever tried "that slime stuff you put in your tyres to stop punctures", he reckoned his mate used it and it was really good.

I nearly hugged him.