Thursday 5 July 2012

Just because you can.......

 The current down time for the DBMD website has made me revisit the technogeekery that is intrinsic to this virtual world and finally I have got round to adding a few friends blogs what I read in my tea break. So have a look in the margin for new ones, and as soon as I can work out how I will put on the awards the website have been er...awarded by Jessie J USA. 
Andy's life with a bike has had an impact on the goings on here, he manages almost everything transport wise on a bike, this is an example to follow for lots of reasons and Vic has been semi retired while I do as many miles as I can on one of two and  a half bikes. Andy recently asked how the cycling was going, this is how.
 For reasons far to complex to explain yesterday I was in the right place at the right time with the right amount of loose change and motivation to buy a replacement inner tube for the R200 (above) who had suffered the only puncture so far in many miles but was pressed back into service by the use of the wheel from the R100. (I know the small gods of punctures will now be out to get me)
 Hence 2.5 bikes.
 As soon as I was home, the inner tube would be replaced, R200 would have the right wheels, R100 would be whole again and I would have 3 bikes ready to roll. (Bring it on puncture gods)
 Now yours truly being me did not know what to buy when faced with racks of bike inner tubes at the bike emporium but a yoof in the company polo shirt managed to stop playing with his PSP3 and told me that tube XYZ was probably it.
Was he sure I enquired, my wheels on my steed are the narrow ones, racing speed slick types, 100psi, was he sure tube XYZ was right?
Sure he was sure, as sure as he could be dealing with a moron who did not know his bike tyre size, and anyway these are tested to 120psi.
Really?
120psi yes so they will cope with your bike wheels.
 Sold.
120psi, this almost resembled a challenge!
 Back at the ranch I changed the inner tube in double quick time. So easy with the new tyre levers, memories of the trouble I got into as a child for bending all mum's best cutlery prompted the purchase of the levers.
Pump applied and inflation begins.
Quick check 100psi is well within the capability of the pump, the guage on it goes up to 130.
117. Press.
118.Press.
119. Press.
12BANG!
Dogs dived for cover, horses bolted, goats feinted, I tried to staunch the blood flow from my ruptured ear drums while my beautiful and oh so patient wife came to the door to make sure I wasn't carrying out my threat to shoot the cats.
The devastated inner tube above would suggest that 120psi was a tad too much, the tyre wall (checked in retrospect) clearly says 101psi max. Lesson of the day. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should!

1 comment:

Andy in Germany said...

Just converted that Tony: that's eight bar, more than twice what I use.

When you put the new tubes in, make sure they are sitting properly in the outer, otherwise they will do the same and explode.

And good boy for not using the cutlery: it does horrible things to alloy wheels.