Back to the normal Saturday brick session off Takapuna Beach, 60min swim doing circuits between bouy 2,3 and running along the beach between two sand castles. Not so easy to sight from the water, despite the small twig sticking out the top. Jason meet up with Yvonne and I for the ride, was to be 90min but in the end we knocked off around 2 hours. Then Yvonne and I did a 30min run off the bike up and down Takapuna Beach.
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| NZ Cyclists meeting at the top of Albany Hill |
Sunday was mean't to be a 5 hour ride and a small run off the bike. Rode from home to meet up with the support committee then on to join NZ Cyclists. Kicking off with a burst up Albany hill, however heading down the other side was a bit more adventurous. Let me set the scene ... downhill at a steady 60k, in a bunch of 20 + then
'POP!'. Can you believe it! a blow out on the front wheel. By some miracle I managed a safe and controlled stop without falling off my bike and without taking out any other riders. Went and brought a lotto ticket later in the day!
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| See the rip in the tyre!, one of two. |
After 3x tubes and 2x CO2 cannisters, we noticed the rip in the tyre. And that was the end of my riding for today. Thanks a million to all those who stopped and helped. Luckily for me, my wife loves me :) so when I put in the call for the SAG wagon to come collect me, she happily got out of bed whilst I kicked back on the side of the road.
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| Enjoying a beach walk! |
After spending a small fortune at the bike shop, when replacing the tyre (yes I did it myself!) I noticed two holes !!! Speaking with the boys at the shop, they reckon the cause was a bang on the tyre like going thru a pot hole. I don't remember any, but as CM suggested, perhaps it has worn overtime. Makes sense since I had picked up some extra vibration in the last week which is why I had started to slow down on the downhills. Reading more info on my tyre brand I notice the recommended PSI is 110 to 120. I normally pump to 100, so I wonder if it was too soft and hence when going over pumps it was weakening the side walls ???? Anyways have ordered more tyres online and plan to replace the back one and have another spare. And if I can I will pump them to 110psi. Keep in mind for a pansy like me I have to swing on the pump just to get it up to 100.
Not a complete waste of a day, since Liza so happily came to collect me we went out for breaky (yes I was in my stinky cycle outfit since we had riden for 1 hour including Albany hill!) and we enjoyed a casual walk along the beach. Don't worry we also went for a run later in the day, when the temperature got to a humid 30+.
crikey - it was a bit alarming getting an early morning call, I was wondering which hospital to pick you up from, so was most relieved to hear you were merely stranded on the side of the road. More importantly - no major harm done to anyone or the bike. And we still managed a run in the stifling hot conditions on Sundary srvo - so all is not lost!!
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