Okay. I haven't blogged in a very long time. Something significant needed to happen to make me want to get back to blogging. The death of my Wheels Built Under the Influence is that something.
History: I was challenged by a friend to build a set of wheels for my track bike using parts I had in the shop. I was not allowed to buy anything for these wheels. Not only had we been drinking a fair amount of beer, but one stipulation of this challenge was that I had to build the wheels while intoxicated. I then had to ride the wheels for a year. I was allowed to fix them, but not allowed to rebuild them or buy new parts for them. Any work done on the wheels beyond changing flats or gear ratios needed to be done in a similar state of inebriation.
Fast Forward 15 months.... The wheels had survived many thousands of miles, getting hit by cars 4 times and a lot of urban hammering. As of this week they were in pretty sad shape. I've been working so much that I haven't had time to abuse alcohol to the point where I'm allowed to replace broken spokes or retension the front wheel. Oddly enough, I had never got a flat tire. These wheels keep on rolling.
I got 2 flats on the way home Tuesday night, one on the way home last night. I found out the reason why. The rim is cracked and it is pinching the tubes. No tube would survive. I could have walked it and hitched a ride home.. but that isn't what these wheels are about. These wheels were conceived and built while under the influence. All major repairs on them have been done while intoxicated. Having them fade away into the sunset is NOT the way they want to go.
So.... With just over 9 miles to go before getting home, I got out of the saddle and hammered home as though I had air in both tires and a pack of riders ahead that I had to chase down. My time for the ride home was only 2.5 minutes slower than my usual riding time. I had to do that because it is almost impossible to corner on a tire with no air in it.
Let me tell you that riding a bike at 20+mph with a flat rear tire is a bit of an adventure. Luckily there was only one hill like that.
That isn't the end of the story... I forgot it was my wife's night to do volunteer work. I didn't have any food in the house and I didn't want pizza. So I got back on the bike and rode 3 miles to Meat in a Box for dinner, then home. Grand total... just over 15 miles hammering around town with no air in the tire. Makes me wonder why the hell I ever bothered to put air in the tires.
Thanks for reading. Might do this a bit more often. :D
Pete
So.... With just over 9 miles to go before getting home, I got out of the saddle and hammered home as though I had air in both tires and a pack of riders ahead that I had to chase down. My time for the ride home was only 2.5 minutes slower than my usual riding time. I had to do that because it is almost impossible to corner on a tire with no air in it.
Let me tell you that riding a bike at 20+mph with a flat rear tire is a bit of an adventure. Luckily there was only one hill like that.
That isn't the end of the story... I forgot it was my wife's night to do volunteer work. I didn't have any food in the house and I didn't want pizza. So I got back on the bike and rode 3 miles to Meat in a Box for dinner, then home. Grand total... just over 15 miles hammering around town with no air in the tire. Makes me wonder why the hell I ever bothered to put air in the tires.
Thanks for reading. Might do this a bit more often. :D
Pete
1 comment:
Best part? People's reactions when they got passed by a dude with a flat tire. One guy chased me down and asked if I knew I had a flat. "Air is for Pu..... uhhhm Pansies!" We rode together for half a mile or so and I explained. He got a laugh out of it.
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