Hedge cutting

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Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Looks like hedge cutting season is upon us again.

A large group of cyclists passed me as I was sitting in my car having a cup of coffee at the Holy Island turning off the A1.

Except four of them didn't pass because they all had punctures.

The group had just come along whatever NCN it is to cross the A1 to then go to Holy Island.

Several of them had jerseys from a road club in Berwick.

All roadies, except one guy on a Haibike eMTB.

I naturally warmed to him, he was running Marathon Plus MTB tyres tubeless but that didn't make much difference to the sharp thorn that went straight through the tread.

He removed the thorn, and a tiny amount of sealant appeared.

Exercising my licence to interfere, I suggested he spin the wheel.

He did so, and it appeared the gunk did its job.

Much less bother for him than his roadie mates, although they all appeared to get sorted.

They told me it was all because of a short stretch of hedge cutting further back on their route.

I suppose the guy cutting the hedge means no harm, but he couldn't have done a better job of impeding the cyclists had he scattered tacks.
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Aye that hedge cutting device on the back of a Tractor was the invention of Satan. :cursing:
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
We took 12 kids on the Way of the Roses a few summers back and somewhere just north of the Bowland fells we came across a farmer flailing the hawthorn hedge. In a half mile stretch the group suffered 7 punctures!
 
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Deleted member 1258

Guest
They started early here this time, they started before Xmas, normally they don't start till January, if I get a puncture its usually hedge clippings.
 
Uncut brambles ( I think you call them blackberries ) spreading across a path can also be a problem. I used to carry secateurs on one stretch of path and cut them back but not been back in that area for a while.
It's probably overgrown now, lost to time, because no one else bothers :whistle:
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
We took 12 kids on the Way of the Roses a few summers back and somewhere just north of the Bowland fells we came across a farmer flailing the hawthorn hedge. In a half mile stretch the group suffered 7 punctures!
I hope they are not doing it out there tomorrow when I will be doing a loop north of Longridge Fell. I have a horribly tight new rear tyre on the bike, which took me an hour to get on without puncturing the inner tube. (The first 3 or 4 attempts DID!)
 
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Pale Rider

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
@Pale Rider Where do I apply for my Licence to Interfere? Is it valid everywhere? ^_^

Freely available to busybodies in any part of the world.

Strange to relate, the interfered with person in this tale didn't take against it.

Further, he said: "Good plan," when I suggested spinning the wheel.
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
Its one of the reasons, I dont ride so much on British roads anymore.

Punctures, sh!it weather, potholes and bad driving.

I've had two carbon wheels ruined and a number of tyres damaged due to potholes.

I do advocate tubeless, best form of tyre inflation, but it doesn't fully protect against the utter poor quality of British roads
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I hope they are not doing it out there tomorrow when I will be doing a loop north of Longridge Fell. I have a horribly tight new rear tyre on the bike, which took me an hour to get on without puncturing the inner tube. (The first 3 or 4 attempts DID!)

There's plenty of grit on those roads around Chipping at the moment. Shame I'm at work or I'd have joined you.
 

Tiger10

Über Member
Location
Nr warwick
Aye that hedge cutting device on the back of a Tractor was the invention of Satan. :cursing:
Try doing it by hand for a few miles and you would soon change your mind!!

But of course they must be the last nail in the coffin for uk roads. I personally have never had a thorn on my road bike.... perhaps they recognize me.😉
 
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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
There's plenty of grit on those roads around Chipping at the moment. Shame I'm at work or I'd have joined you.
Ooh, that reminds me - I must put my cheapo front wheel on my bike. An expensive one is still on there and I nearly wore through the damn thing using it during a previous winter. (I bought a CX bike to use for winter riding but its fork is subject to a recall so I don't want to risk riding the bike until it has been replaced.)
 
Location
London
Its one of the reasons, I dont ride so much on British roads anymore.

Punctures, sh!it weather, potholes and bad driving.

I've had two carbon wheels ruined and a number of tyres damaged due to potholes.

I do advocate tubeless, best form of tyre inflation, but it doesn't fully protect against the utter poor quality of British roads
your location says Lincs - where do you manage to ride then?
I get very few punctures, weather I can cope with, yes some bad potholes but not specifically a Brit thing. Bad driving ditto.
 
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