I met some nice cyclists on the way home !

LastGasp

Heading home this evening on Fonthill Road, didn't quite see a pothole in time, managed to avoid it with the front wheel, but slammed the back into it and had an immediate flat. No worries - changed the tube, inflated with gas, and went on my way. A couple of kms further, near the Naas rd end of Fonthill Road, got a sudden front wheel flat for no obvious reason. Had been out for a long spin with bigger saddlepack and hadn't put the second tube, or the puncture repair kit back in the smaller bag - bugger ! Walked as best I could in my Speedplay Cleats to Long Mile Rd, hoping that the shop at Bikeworld might still be open but no luck. Then a passing cyclist on the other side of Long Mile Road shouted accross to see if I was OK, and I asked if he could spare a tube, or patch kit. He gave me a tube without hesitation, and insisted on staying to help with the change. We got it sorted, I thanked my benefactor and headed off towards Walkinstown Avenue. Just as I reached the Walkinstown Roundabout the front went flat again ! I was getting resigned to walking home at this stage but I had only gone a couple of hundred metres when a van pulled over and asked how far I was going. I said Dundrum, thinking he was heading that direction and was offering a lift for me and the bike. Not so - "I have a tube" he said. His bike was stashed in the van, and he pulled out a tube and again helped me to get the change done. It took a while inspecting the new Gatorskin I only bought last week before I spotted the problem - a horizontal split along the sidewall of the tyre about a centimetre long. Unbelievably I had exactly the same problem with the tyre which this new one replaced. It's something I have never seen before, and neither tyre had taken a hard bang as far as I know. Luckily I had a Park Tyre Boot patch in the saddlebag which I finally managed to get into the right position, pumped the tyre up and all was well. I thanked my second saviour of the day and headed off on my way home again. I wasn't even able to give either of the guys a few quid for their tubes as I only had a 50.00 note.
So a huge THANKS to Brian on the Long Mile Road, and Les from Orwell Wheelers at Walkinstown Roundabout for rescuing me very generously !
Cheers Guys ! LG.

redzone

Nice to see some good will from strangers, ye got lucky with 2 in a row.

There are plenty of cyclists who will give you a dig out if you're stuck,

I suppose it a kind of 'belonging to a group' and they would like to expect the same done for them if in trouble.

Fair play lads,

C4Kid

Thats always great to see especially when You suffered a puncture a couple of times.

Reminds me of a cyclist I helped out one night in (Douglas, Cork) who had his wedding ring fall off which he heard and came to a stop and started searching for. If he does come across this I would love to know if he found it.

I was in an estate driving my car and I was able to position my car perfectly and use all my beams to illuminate the whole area. Within about two minutes another car came and they too from the opposite side lit up the grassy area We were searching.

I think he mentioned that We were not the first to stop but We had to give up and hope it could be found during the day.

Joxer_S

I was out for a spin on Sunday, got my first puncture out near Blessington, then my spare tore on the seam as I was replacing it. Took my friend's spare then and got all the way back to town before puncturing again in the Liberties. Everyone that passed on the first puncture slowed down to offer help, a good few given how nice out it was. Then as I was walking up Bolton St back to Drumcondra (delighted I use mtb shoes), a guy out walking with his wife and kid approached me, he was the owner of the new bike shop there and offered to open it up and sort me out, I declined as I was nearly home but still pretty decent of him.

easygoing39

Didnt know there was a new bike shop on Bolton St,must keep an eye out for it.

seanybiker

Fair play to the lads for helping you out. Nice to know there are still genuinely nice people around

BostonB

Wheres the bike shop on Bolton St.

LastGasp - maybe you've some damage to the rim or spoke thats causing it.

Hermy

When I made sh!t of myself on the BMX track in Saint Annes Park years ago some men doing road works offered a first aid kit as I limped by.

When I went over the handlebars and landed face first on the N32 a few years later an off-duty Garda drove me home and a lady driver travelling in the opposite direction took care of my bike.

When I had a really bad crash in Howth (:o) a man out walking his dog took me into his house despite the bloody mess I was, and his wife patched me up and then he drove me and my bike home.

Yep, there's good people out there.:)

Joxer_S

BostonB wrote: »

Wheres the bike shop on Bolton St.

On the left heading towards Dorset St. its a few doors down from the junction with Dominick St.

irishmotorist

LastGasp wrote: »

Then a passing cyclist on the other side of Long Mile Road shouted accross to see if I was OK

Twas me. I meant to PM you after, to see if it got you home OK but obviously your evening had another twist in it. That sucks about the tyre - a cursory inspection didn't reveal any probs. Any chance of a warranty replacement on it?

blorg

You probably know this, but make sure you replace the tyre ASAP. The Park Boot is only an emergency fix and you won't get very long out of it before it punctures again (I got under 24 hours on mine.)

LastGasp

BostonB wrote: »

maybe you've some damage to the rim or spoke thats causing it.

@ BostonB, Thanks for the suggestion, I was wondering about the rim, which is only a couple of weeks old. I don't think so though, as when it's inflated the cut is well up on the sidewall, maybe 8mm from the edge of the rim, and running parallel to it, so I can't see how the rim could cut through at that position. I'll keep an eye on the new one to see if anything similar happens.
@ Blorg, Had a spare at home, put it on straightaway. Happy Travelling.

LastGasp

irishmotorist wrote: »

Twas me. I meant to PM you after, to see if it got you home OK but obviously your evening had another twist in it. That sucks about the tyre - a cursory inspection didn't reveal any probs. Any chance of a warranty replacement on it?

Ah sorry - if you introduced yourself as a Boardsie I didn't pick up on it, and I know we've been waving at each other on Walkinstown Ave for a year or so but I still didn't recognise you ! I'll blame the beard - is that a new addition, or has it been there all the time ??
Anyway, thanks a million for the dig-out, and I have 2 tubes and a puncture kit packed now just in case !
I'll try to go back to Cycle Super Store with the tyre and see what they say. I might hang on a little while to make sure nothing happens the new one. Cheers, LG.

LastGasp

I should really get back to work, but a quick surf pulled up a surprising thread - out of date, and nothing definitive, but certainly a concern for me as I've taken to a lot of long distance events ....
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-364037.html

I know it's been asked before, but what other fairly bulletproof tyres (available in 700 x 25mm) would people recommend ? There are a few other versions of Gatorskins (e.g. Hardshell) too, I don't know if they're supposed to be better. Cheers, LG

Harrybelafonte

LastGasp wrote: »

I should really get back to work, but a quick surf pulled up a surprising thread - out of date, and nothing definitive, but certainly a concern for me as I've taken to a lot of long distance events ....
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-364037.html

I know it's been asked before, but what other fairly bulletproof tyres (available in 700 x 25mm) would people recommend ? There are a few other versions of Gatorskins (e.g. Hardshell) too, I don't know if they're supposed to be better. Cheers, LG

I've seen Michelin Krylion recommended. Have ordered some myself to see.

Moflojo

Hermy wrote: »

When I made sh!t of myself on the BMX track in Saint Annes Park years ago...

When I went over the handlebars and landed face first on the N32 a few years later...

When I had a really bad crash in Howth...

...you started to wonder if it was time to take the hint?

neris

years ago about 93/94 my bike had been sent in to a repair shop in dollymount to get a puncture fixed. i had previously tried to fix the puncture myself and had forgotten to put one of the nuts back on the wheel.Mum dropped into dollymount to collect the bike and off she went. Went in got the bike and just as I was about to cycle back out to sutton realised the nut wasnt there. Went back into the shop and asked if they could give me a nut and was told it would cost me but i had no money so started walking/running myself and my bike home. Bout third of the way home a man in a van pulled up and asked was I ok. Told him what happened and he took me to another bike shop in kilbarrack and got me the nut. Saved me a load of hassle as I had to pick my little sister up from school. thankfully that bike shop in dollymount went out of business

irishmotorist

LastGasp wrote: »

Ah sorry - if you introduced yourself as a Boardsie I didn't pick up on it, and I know we've been waving at each other on Walkinstown Ave for a year or so but I still didn't recognise you ! I'll blame the beard - is that a new addition, or has it been there all the time ??

I didn't mention the boards link last night - probably should have. The beard is a few months old but will probably be disappearing along with this current cold spell. It's handy in the cold and good for undercover boards.ie work

LastGasp wrote: »

I should really get back to work, but a quick surf pulled up a surprising thread - out of date, and nothing definitive, but certainly a concern for me as I've taken to a lot of long distance events ....
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-364037.html

I know it's been asked before, but what other fairly bulletproof tyres (available in 700 x 25mm) would people recommend ? There are a few other versions of Gatorskins (e.g. Hardshell) too, I don't know if they're supposed to be better. Cheers, LG

I've got Gatorskins too - same as yourself - and not had a problem with them. Sometimes when they're off and I'm putting them back on the rims I've noticed that the sidewalls seem a bit creasy, but they've been durable enough for me.