Deed for the day.

So I was walking back from the fruit 'n' veg shop with Fevrica
and we walked past a bloke who was just suiting up next to his
rather shiny Kwacker ZZR 1400. I crossed the road and looked
back at the bike and thought "something a bit funny about that
rear tyre". So we crossed the road back again and I had a closer
look. It looked funny cos in the middle of the tyre, there was a
centimetre wide strip where the rubber had completely worn away
and the steel was showing. So I drew this to the attention of
the would-be rider. "Oh my god" were his words, more or less.

So I went home and told Mrs. G that I'd possibly just saved a life.
So she immediately started quizzing me as to the consequences of
riding a bike with a tyre in that condition. And, err, I don't
really know. Possible blow-out? I *imagine* it could cause a
nasty accident...


urm added for bike expertise...

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38219192@N00/2797607680/in/set-72157594416740014/

 

Well done. Although it makes one despair for the nous of the rider.

 

I quickly visually check the chain every time i get on a bike, so the tyres
get a quick glance too.

Dont know why i do it, but it gives me a bit of piece of mind...

 

Wasn't it Chamberlain who said it first: "piece in our time" ?

 

Fucking computers.

 

Well, he's going to be lacking some grip down there. Dunno about a blow
out, but often one hears stories of getting off bikes and *then*
realising the rear tyre is flat[1] Happened to me on the M25 at about
80. Handling was a *bit* odd so I pulled off to check.

Good to have mentioned it.

[1] Warning: This does not apply to fronts



--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
#www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Intriguingly, the main reason for that wear was 20 years of indulging
in blowouts.

 

Ooh, you cheeky young scamp!

Don't think you're too big to go over my knee, young fellow me lad.

I'm more inclined to blame it on 14 thousand miles, bicbw.

 

<orders bigger keepnet>

 

On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:36:12 +0000, Catman wrote:

[of not noticing flat tyres]

Err, I once ended an MX session feeling very depressed at how slowly,
even by my standards, I was riding. Then I noticed, as I was pushing the
bike in the paddock, that it seemed to be heavier going than usual...

 

<Polite applause from the gallery>

 

You *are* too big to go over my knee.

 

I've enjoyed reading the follow-ups but I am none the wiser
as to the consequences of riding on steel not rubber.

 

Loss of grip; atrocious handling; imminent total failure.

 

....IMPENDING DOOM!

 

Kewell!!!!

Or not, as the case may be. What I'm really wondering is whether I
did actually save the guy's arse, or possibly that of some innocent
third party.

I got the vague impression that he'd been out for a run, had stopped
at the bar for a drink or a coffee, and was about to trundle back to
wherever he parks the thing, so maybe he would have been just fine,
and discovered the problem before he next got back on it.

 

More than likely.

I've never had a tyre get that fucked, because I either pick up a nail
or notice the handling go to shit well before it's worn past the
indicator blocks, let alone get down to the carcass.

 

Bit like riding my 1980s MZ 125 then? But possibly without
the lethal-in-the-wet drum brakes.

 

It's a pot*en*tial *death* trap. </watchdog>

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
#www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk