Wednesday 26 December 2012

Returning from the LBC Ride: Boxing Day Beano

While returning from the LBC Ride today I had an eventful journey homewards.
I was cycling down from Marble Arch along Oxford Street as the buses where pretty crowded due to the Bank Holiday sales going on so I'd figure I'd going further out along the route of the bus I wanted to take and get on where it wouldn't be so busy and crowded. I was just going past Oxford Circus when I spotted a familiar face, The Traffic Droid 360 himself, of course having a word with a black cab driver. Had a quick hello but he was on his way somewhere and I wanted to get out of Central London as it was getting just a little but too crazy for my taste. I cycled all the way to Angel, Essex Road before the rain came down heavy.

I got on the bus at Angel and got of near Tottenham Hale. The heavy rain had stopped at this time so I figured I would ride the rest of the way home as it was just one road straight. So coming around Tottenham Hale one way system I was cycling along at a good pace when this 7 seater people carrier cut me up BADLY turning into the petrol station. Now I looked at the driver and noticed he was on the phone. I'm sorry folks but THAT burns me even more.
He stopped in the petrol station and before he got out of his vehicle I came up beside his driver side window and said to him that he could have killed me cause he cut me up and was on the phone at the time. He was STILL holding the phone in the middle of a call and I told him to get off the bloody phone and watch the bloody road. I had my HiVis (Nuclear)Jacket on and ALL my lights on flashing so there was no way he could say he DIDN'T see me.

Anyways after that I was cool and carried on, I heard one of the other people in the petrol commenting saying the guy shouldn't have a licence if his doing that kind of thing and I shouted "Damn skippy!"

That wasn't the end of my adventure though about 2 streets away from my house I felt the rear wheel going odd and the now familiar sound of a puncture. Pretty good going as I wasn't no more than 5 minutes away from home and the rain stayed off til I round the last corner home.

Big Puncture nearly bald rear tire
I was actually talking to a Andy Longfellow about replacing tires etc and he gave me the great tip of warming the tire in hot water to make the rubber softer to get it off. I did think to replace the tire with my London Marathon plus ones but I thought I'd wait till the LBC Maintenance Session in Feb '13 and do a full overhaul then.
Warm clean tire for easy removal
 No way I could to the above if I was married LOL
The Green glass embedded in The Legend's poor rear tire
I just replaced the inner tube with a old one and put the same tire back on (remembering to check the tire for more)

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~ B ~

1 comment:

  1. Your comment "No way I could to the above if I was married LOL" did make me chuckle. It reminded me of a few weeks ago when my Brompton was laid on its side on my dining room table when I was painting over the scratch on the chainstay. Ladies at work when I told them, said "No, you wouldn't be allowed to do that if you were married". I was married, for 14 years, never again! And blimey, your tyres ARE nearly bald but just think of all those happy miles you have done to wear them down into a state like that.

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