CR 23/10

[Lucyap]

Ride out with the 17's this week, as I knew it was going to be a long day for me. Did 8 of us leave CSS? Not sure, but we lost 2 riders to a puncher just before the motorway. I'm terrible with names, but it was good to see the usual CR suspects again It was a nice sunny morning, despite the lashing of rain early on, felt quite warm too with only a couple of road ponds to navigate through.

We decided to turn off early towards the cafe, one of our number was keen for some more hills so that left 5, I think?? Then not much further from the turning I punched. John stayed back with me to help.

[quote]Lucy, what happened???

[Lucyap]

LOL oh dear, okay, I'm still recovering

[Amy]

Saturday felt hard riding and my group was slowly (or is that quickly) whittled down as punctures (Lucy, note spelling) and illness and the odd pitstop claimed members.

I use these [url]http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/cgi-bin/quikstore.pl?product=TYS42[/url]- useful in getting the tyre off as well as back on - though why were you taking the tyre off? You only need to lift one side off to pull the tube out???

[Wanderer]

Well it was a real b*gger to get just the one tyre bead off the rim. We tried the other side instead and it seemed a slightly more malleable. No skin lost in the process, no pinch holes from using the lever to put it back on, job done, just twenty long minutes of useful experience!!

John

[Amy]

Hmmm, sounds a right b*gger - it's one thing that I have to consider when I get new tyres/wheels - can I get them on and off relatively easily on my own or will I be looking pathetic at the side of the road

[Andrew G]

Good bit of kit the VAR tyre lever, only had to use it to get a tyre on once which was a new one on a stiff wheel but good sized levrs for getting a tyre off quickly.

A lot of newer factory wheels have a semi aero profile (say 25mm) which makes them a lot harder to get tyres on than a box section rim.