Rookie Mistake - except I'm no rookie

StorckSpeed
StorckSpeed Posts: 291
edited October 2012 in Commuting general
This morning set off for work as normal at 6:15am on my 15 mile commute to work. At this time in the morning it's still dark, and 2 miles in I didn't see the pot hole. Went over it with a thud but everything seemed ok. 5 miles later my back tyre feels really soft so stops to have a look and sure enough it's soft.
I stopped and with the efficiency of a F1 pit crew had the back wheel off, tyre changed, new tyre blown up and ready to go.
OK - An F1 pit crew would have changed the entire engine by this time but I still felt very smug about how quickly I'd done the whole process.
This story isn't going in the direction you thought is it..... :D

Feeling very efficient I decided to change over the CO2 canister for a fresh one, since the old one was empty and it would be ready for use next time I needed it and this is where it all went wrong. I unscrewed the old canister and began to screw in the new canister, but the valve was open and the new canister dispensed. Of course a C02 canister freezes when activated and I hadn't changed the rubber cover from the old one. So there I was with a freezing canister stuck to my cupped hand and I couldn't prize it off. I can't tell you the searing agony that was coursing from my palm at this point. It felt like forever but about 30 seconds later I could finally open my hand and the canister fell to the ground. The last 8 miles to work were a little precarious cause although I could change gear ok, I couldn't brake, it was too painful when pressing on the brake arm.....
So here I am at work, with 3 big red marks on the palm of my right hand, that look like I've had the belt at school and 6 big blisters on my index and middle fingers. I'm not in too much pain now but it feels like I stuck my hand in a hot oven. You live and learn I guess, won't make that mistake again.
There's warp speed - then there's Storck Speed

Comments

  • Oldfield
    Oldfield Posts: 32
    Ouch. That is all. Hope you recover ok :)
  • CJ Bill
    CJ Bill Posts: 415
    Never had that problem with my pump...
  • StorckSpeed
    StorckSpeed Posts: 291
    CJ Bill wrote:
    Never had that problem with my pump...

    Nice observation :D
    Makes me think - time efficiency via painful frost burns........hmmmm
    There's warp speed - then there's Storck Speed
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,741
    I carry a pump as well - for a 23 or 25mm tyre they don't take that long to get to pump up and the pumping gets you warm at the roadside before you get back on the bike :)
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • littleprawn
    littleprawn Posts: 135
    StorckSpeed wrote:
    ....You live and learn I guess, won't make that mistake again.

    You get some great nuggets of information on this website which are invaluable! Hope your hand recover soon! This morning I made the mistake of leaving without a skull cap or full fingered gloves...I left half an hour later than you but believe me....it took at least 15 mins into cycling before I was changing gears as normal....
    Cannondale CAADX 5 105
    Trek T10
  • CJ Bill
    CJ Bill Posts: 415
    Mind you I repair my punctures rather than replace the inner tube so a puncture takes me a while to repair. Pumping up a tyre again isn't really adding much after waiting 5 minutes for the rubber to vulcanise.
  • gosport_commuter
    gosport_commuter Posts: 185
    I always repair my tubes, but still always carry a spare tube to swap at the roadside! Repairs are done at home, unless im unlucky enough to get more than 1 in the same trip.


    Condolances on the freezing canister - Glad even more than usual that I use a capable pump instead, really doesnt take long to fill the tyre! specially with a topeak road morph - mini track pump i tells yer!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    gosport_commuter wrote:
    I always repair my tubes, but still always carry a spare tube to swap at the roadside! Repairs are done at home, unless im unlucky enough to get more than 1 in the same trip.

    Indeed (though I carry two tubes) - 27000 odd road miles and I've only once had to repair a tube on the roadside - and that was due to the second spare having a dud valve!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    Rolf F wrote:
    gosport_commuter wrote:
    I always repair my tubes, but still always carry a spare tube to swap at the roadside! Repairs are done at home, unless im unlucky enough to get more than 1 in the same trip.

    Indeed (though I carry two tubes) - 27000 odd road miles and I've only once had to repair a tube on the roadside - and that was due to the second spare having a dud valve!
    I carry 2 tubes for commuting + a repair kit as part of my commute is a glass strewn cycle path and the alternative is a 3 lane roundabout where 1500 people from where i work hit it at the same time with the intent of taking any lane that looks faster.
    I get 4-6 flats a year all linked to cr@p on this section, i have tried C02 and come to the conclusion that a decent pump works for me better unless you want to carry a pump and an inflator .I carry a topeak road morph for commuting and it gets to full pressure in seconds.
    With regards to repair kits i learnt the hard way that glue did not vulcanise in sub zero temperaures...
    FCN 3/5/9

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