Friday 13th...P fairy's birthday?

[Cubist]

Had to happen didn't it? Didn't spot a huge square edged crevasse between a manhole and a gully drain, and within seconds had the all too familiar rumble of an airless back tyre.

Managed to cross to the footpath on the other side of the road and had just got the tyre off when a fellow cyclist stopped to check everything was OK. So, thanks Roger from Cummins Turbos, it was great to be able to chat while I fixed things up... loved your Carbon Ebay bargain.

It's worth pointing out that Ultremo ZX are a breeze to change. Bare-handed replacement and seating, and the cheapo Bikehut plastic minipump that I had in my pack 'cos I couldn't find my Peakini last week surpassed its pricetag in performance terms.

 

[G-Zero]

....It's worth pointing out that Ultremo ZX are a breeze to change. Bare-handed replacement and seating....

My old MTB tyres were always easy to get on and off, but I never managed them without the levers. I replaced them last summer with a set of Maxxis and picked up a puncture on an icy morning going to work a couple of weeks before Christmas. What an absolute pain it was to remove and refit, especially with frozen fingers.

One of my fears is that the crosser tyres will be harder to remove than the MTB tyres were, but I can't bring myself round to taking one off for a practice run.

 

[Cubist]

Cubester has Maxxis DHF on his Ragley, and I have to use the metal levers, loads of elbow grease and some industrial grade swearwords to swap those fckers