Another Day, Another Puncture!

After my disastrous ride last week when I got a puncture 20 miles in I decided to go for another ride this morning.

With a new inner tube and new slime I was feeling fairly confident that everything would go smoothly and obviously didn't learn anything from last week's experience as I still didn't take a spare tube or pump with me!

It was another sunny bank holiday (that's 2 in a year, must be a miracle!) and I planned on doing a 20 miler.

Apart from one slightly unnerving horse incident I really enjoyed the ride! 

Cycling merrily down a narrow country lane I could see a group of 3 horses side by side up ahead so I slowed down to allow them to get in single file.  They did and waved me past. Just as I approached, the middle horse got the jitters and mounted the front horse who took off like a bullet which caused the back horse to prance about!  I stopped immediately until they were under control again and luckily everyone was OK.  The riders thanked me and apologised but it did scare me a little.

I was surprised how quiet the roads were on a sunny bank holiday! I thought I would pass lots of cyclists or runners if not cars but I think everyone must have been relaxing in the garden!

It was relatively warm but very, very windy and at times it felt like I was in a tumble dryer with hot air circulating around me! Better than a freezing cold wind mind you!

About half a mile from home my back wheel started to make a funny noise but i couldn't pinpoint what it was.  With being so close to home I just tried to ignore it and continued on my way!

I couldn't believe it when I got home and felt my back tyre and it was flat - AGAIN!  I had cycled 21.6 miles, luckily I hadn't planned on another long ride or I would have been stranded again!

I know that the roads around here are very very potholed and are in a dreadful condition but I do try to avoid as many rough patches as possible so why was I getting these punctures and why wasn't the slime working?

Anyhow, dragging my husband out the garden to "sort it"  we discovered that the inner tube had a large slash in it which is probably why the slime didn't clog it and the actual tyre was cut too!  I must have gone over something exceptionally sharp!

Anyhow, we made a quick trip to Evans cycles and decided to buy 2 new tyres as the front one was also fairly worn, as well as 2 new slime filled inner tubes!

After much debating I got 2 "Continental Gatorskin Duraskin Wired Tyres" which apparently have a protective shield over the entire casing to prevent cuts, punctures and abrasions. 

So together with slime innertubes I should be fully protected!

I am beginning to stress that my triathlon efforts on Sunday are going to be sabotaged by a malfunction in equipment!

Fingers crossed it is now sorted!