Another reason to clean your bike...

[008]

...so you don't get covered in shi*te in the event that you have to repair a puncture at the side of the road!

Happened to me yesterday on my commute into work (half way across the Staples Corner flyover for anyone who knows it) A 2 inch screw went straight through the top of my rear tyre and then out again next to the rim... even put a scratch/little dink in the rim And how the hell did the screw end up in the rear tyre rather than the front one if I'm riding in a straight line??

Anyway, after walking the bike to the end of the flyover, I then had to unscrew the offending object out of my tyre as I couldn't physically pull it out! Managed to change the tube but my hands and clothes were just covered in black gunk afterwards Luckily, I had a few wet wipes which got most of the sh*te off my hands before setting off again.

Guess I'll be cleaning the bike this wekend!!

Oh... and thanks to the guy with the Giant SCR (I think) who stopped to ask if I was OK. Thinking about it now, I should've said no and let him get his hands dirty

 

[spandex]

...so you don't get covered in shi*te in the event that you have to repair a puncture at the side of the road!

Happened to me yesterday on my commute into work (half way across the Staples Corner flyover for anyone who knows it) A 2 inch screw went straight through the top of my rear tyre and then out again next to the rim... even put a scratch/little dink in the rim And how the hell did the screw end up in the rear tyre rather than the front one if I'm riding in a straight line??

Anyway, after walking the bike to the end of the flyover, I then had to unscrew the offending object out of my tyre as I couldn't physically pull it out! Managed to change the tube but my hands and clothes were just covered in black gunk afterwards Luckily, I had a few wet wipes which got most of the sh*te off my hands before setting off again.

Guess I'll be cleaning the bike this wekend!!

Oh... and thanks to the guy with the Giant SCR (I think) who stopped to ask if I was OK. Thinking about it now, I should've said no and let him get his hands dirty

1st that is one of the things we hate in LBS

2nd Riding in a straight line? We do not ride in a straight line as such it is more like loads of controlled wobbles.

 

[mickle]

The front wheel flipped it up for the rear wheel to catch. My uncle had the same thing happen on his motorbike on the motorway once but he caught a spanner! The shop I work in part time recently had a bike in for repair after a similar incident but the screw went straight through the tyre and the rim.

 

[mickle]

Agree with Spanners, it's nasty working on bikes which are covered in crud.

 

[Keith Oates]

I went to one LBS in Cornwall that had a notice pinned on the door of the repair/workshop section that said quite clearly 'if your bike is dirty don't bring it in here'. Those were not the exact owrds but that's the message they conveyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BentMikey]

Hey Mickle, did you have to put the Christmas hat on already?

 

[A Nutter]

Always carry a pair of latex gloves!

 

[flycatcher]

008 - Carry a pair of plastic surgeon type gloves, weigh nothing and keeps hands and then the inside of riding gloves clean.

 

[008]

Don't get me wrong, I thought the bike was pretty clean as I'm forever giving it a quick wipe here and there, although tbh mainly the chain, gears and frame. I tend to neglect the wheels a bit, apart from the braking surface, as they're black with black spokes so the dirt doesn't really show up... but that's where most of the black gunk came from.

Cheers guys... I do have latex gloves at home but didn't think to carry a pair with me... think I'll chuck a pair in the ruck sack from now on.

 

[spandex]

Always carry a pair of latex gloves!

Just keep your bike clean

I can not put much more in my bag.

 

[marooncat]

After being visited by the P***** Fairy one morning going into work I nabbed some latex gloves from work and have them in my panniers.. just wish I had remembered about them the next time I was visited by her rather than remembering after my hands were manky .

 

[dudi]

i was going to give my bike a good clean today... but it's too bloody cold and the ground if full of slushy snow...
maybe next weekend...