glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
About 1.5 miles into my commute this morning I got that awful feeling of running on a flat rear tyre. I can't remember the last time I ever had a puncture as I've been using Marathon + tyres for many years. I often joked that the only reason I carried a pump and repair kit was for other people.
Well I needed them today. As I use an Alfine 8 hub, I wasn't looking forward to taking the rear wheel off in the -2C temperature and I wasn't even sure I had a 15mm spanner in my pannier. Feck.
The puncture was a lot easier to find than I'd expected; a 2-inch steel spike has gone from one sidewall through to the other, cleverly bypassing Shwalbe's puncture protection strip. How on earth did that happen? I can't picture in my head what position that must have been in on my route for it to have entered the tyre like that.
Anyway, pulled it out, marked the tyre, pulled the tube from that section (no need to take wheel off, phew) and set about roughing the tube to take the glue and patches. It took ages to get to the tacky stage. Eventually got the patches affixed, reinserted the tube and slipped the tyre back on. Don't believe all the stories about M+ tyres being hard to seat, they're no big deal.
Now to get some air in with my emergency mini-pump with its handy T-shaped head grip for easy action.
I'd got about 10psi in when the handy T-shaped head just farking sheared off its shaft. "Arse, feck, buggery bollocks!"
With numb hands, trying to grip a narrow metal shaft with enough purchase to get a decent amount of air in, it was proving impossible to inflate it properly. I think I got about 30psi before I gave up. From there it was a very slow (and bouncy) ride into work where I got my track pump and inflated it properly. I'll check again in a few hours to make sure it's still up.
Lesson is: don't be a smug git because you use Marathon + tyres and don't rely on a cheap no-name mini pump from Lidl.
Now looking for recommendations for a small pump that will stay in one piece when I need it most.
Well I needed them today. As I use an Alfine 8 hub, I wasn't looking forward to taking the rear wheel off in the -2C temperature and I wasn't even sure I had a 15mm spanner in my pannier. Feck.
The puncture was a lot easier to find than I'd expected; a 2-inch steel spike has gone from one sidewall through to the other, cleverly bypassing Shwalbe's puncture protection strip. How on earth did that happen? I can't picture in my head what position that must have been in on my route for it to have entered the tyre like that.
Anyway, pulled it out, marked the tyre, pulled the tube from that section (no need to take wheel off, phew) and set about roughing the tube to take the glue and patches. It took ages to get to the tacky stage. Eventually got the patches affixed, reinserted the tube and slipped the tyre back on. Don't believe all the stories about M+ tyres being hard to seat, they're no big deal.
Now to get some air in with my emergency mini-pump with its handy T-shaped head grip for easy action.
I'd got about 10psi in when the handy T-shaped head just farking sheared off its shaft. "Arse, feck, buggery bollocks!"
With numb hands, trying to grip a narrow metal shaft with enough purchase to get a decent amount of air in, it was proving impossible to inflate it properly. I think I got about 30psi before I gave up. From there it was a very slow (and bouncy) ride into work where I got my track pump and inflated it properly. I'll check again in a few hours to make sure it's still up.
Lesson is: don't be a smug git because you use Marathon + tyres and don't rely on a cheap no-name mini pump from Lidl.
Now looking for recommendations for a small pump that will stay in one piece when I need it most.
What have a said??????????
