LexieB Posted February 16, 2016 Author Posted February 16, 2016 Did my first post-flu ride this morning felt so awesome to be up early and back on the bike! Although my body has definitely not recovered 100% yet BUT I am becoming a pro at this one-handed cycling business - bidon removal and replacement: check. Grabbing my sunnies off the back of my head and putting them on: check. And I will add that I did that smoother than melted butter I'll bet good money that the kids in the car driving past at the time looked at their mother in awe and said "Mommy, one day when I grow up, I want to be as cool as that girl" (read this with heavy sarcasm!) The season is definitely changing though - I was glad for my little LED light and long sleeves at 5am! I was treated to another beautiful sunrise over the valley mid-ride though
Slowbee Posted February 16, 2016 Posted February 16, 2016 Lexie, do yourself a favour - go spend the R300 odd rand and get a decent back light, something that is bright and flashes like heck. You want to be visible at all times. Just do it!
nonky Posted February 16, 2016 Posted February 16, 2016 Lexie, do yourself a favour - go spend the R300 odd rand and get a decent back light, something that is bright and flashes like heck. You want to be visible at all times. Just do it! This ^^^^^^^ AND make sure the light is visible from the SIDE too...reflective clothing also helps a LOT, as SA drivers are blind, preoccupied, on the phone, drunk etc. A front light is also v. important - so the cars CAN SEE YOU.
Belgarath Posted February 16, 2016 Posted February 16, 2016 http://sport.takealot.com/sport-knog-blinder-1-standard-rear-blue/PLID40660958 This was on sale last week for R120... It's called "blinder" for a reason.
LexieB Posted February 16, 2016 Author Posted February 16, 2016 Lexie, do yourself a favour - go spend the R300 odd rand and get a decent back light, something that is bright and flashes like heck. You want to be visible at all times. Just do it! This ^^^^^^^ AND make sure the light is visible from the SIDE too...reflective clothing also helps a LOT, as SA drivers are blind, preoccupied, on the phone, drunk etc. A front light is also v. important - so the cars CAN SEE YOU. I have got front and rear lights, but did decide this morning to upgrade them to more powerful ones! Completely agree with both of you - I don't trust road users at all. My general approach to running and riding (and actually while I'm driving too) is to assume that all other road users are idiots and that they are about to do something wrong! EDIT: I also ride in neon clothing with reflective strips on legs, arms and sides I am extremely paranoid about safety! http://sport.takealot.com/sport-knog-blinder-1-standard-rear-blue/PLID40660958 This was on sale last week for R120... It's called "blinder" for a reason. Thanks for the link - I've actually got some Takealot credit so I'll look into buying some lights from there
Lurch the stalker Posted February 16, 2016 Posted February 16, 2016 Well it's about time you gave me something to read I have to live through others at the moment...
LexieB Posted March 10, 2016 Author Posted March 10, 2016 I'll bet Lurch is just dying for some more reading material, so here you go Picture the scene: 5am Tuesday morning. The air is crisp and the sun not up yet. Our resident owl is hooting merrily away, and I'm wheeling my bike up the driveway, stoked for my first ride for the week I hop on and pedal my way to a nice smooth momentum, and life is great. And then, a strange feeling in the bike comes up. Something at the back isn't right. And what is that sound? Hop off, check my tyres. And lo and behold, the back one is flatter than the pancakes I made on the weekend! Not to worry though, for I have my pump strapped to my bike And so I begin to pump up the tyre.... And some more... And then some.... But alas, the air is going in and straight back out again! seems I have a puncture.... Now I'm only a couple hundred meters from home, so rather than fiddle around in the dark, I wheel my way back. So I get home and give up, deciding that by the time I get this sorted out, I won't have time to ride and make it to work in time. A very grumpy Lexie then grumbles her way through the day, determined to sort out the problem that night. And of course, things don't go my way, and I am overwhelmingly busy that night, so the tyre remains untouched. *cue the light at the end of the tunnel* After finally finding some time, at 9pm last night, I learnt how to change a tube, and successfully installed a brand spanking new one in the rear tyre, after finding the nasty little puncture in the old tube, which was generally the worse for wear (which, to be fair, was probably a hundred years old in any case, so no harm there) Achievement Unlocked: Replace tyre tube So now I've added another technical ability to my range of bicycle skills, and had a fantastic ride on a flawless bike this morning! #happiness
Guest notmyname Posted March 10, 2016 Posted March 10, 2016 I'll bet Lurch is just dying for some more reading material, so here you go Picture the scene: 5am Tuesday morning. The air is crisp and the sun not up yet. Our resident owl is hooting merrily away, and I'm wheeling my bike up the driveway, stoked for my first ride for the week I hop on and pedal my way to a nice smooth momentum, and life is great. And then, a strange feeling in the bike comes up. Something at the back isn't right. And what is that sound? Hop off, check my tyres. And lo and behold, the back one is flatter than the pancakes I made on the weekend! Not to worry though, for I have my pump strapped to my bike And so I begin to pump up the tyre.... And some more... And then some.... But alas, the air is going in and straight back out again! seems I have a puncture.... Now I'm only a couple hundred meters from home, so rather than fiddle around in the dark, I wheel my way back. So I get home and give up, deciding that by the time I get this sorted out, I won't have time to ride and make it to work in time. A very grumpy Lexie then grumbles her way through the day, determined to sort out the problem that night. And of course, things don't go my way, and I am overwhelmingly busy that night, so the tyre remains untouched. *cue the light at the end of the tunnel* After finally finding some time, at 9pm last night, I learnt how to change a tube, and successfully installed a brand spanking new one in the rear tyre, after finding the nasty little puncture in the old tube, which was generally the worse for wear (which, to be fair, was probably a hundred years old in any case, so no harm there) Achievement Unlocked: Replace tyre tube So now I've added another technical ability to my range of bicycle skills, and had a fantastic ride on a flawless bike this morning! #happiness Sure hope you ran your fingers over the inside of the tyre to look for the reason the tube was pap.
LexieB Posted March 10, 2016 Author Posted March 10, 2016 Sure hope you ran your fingers over the inside of the tyre to look for the reason the tube was pap. I did, and didn't find anything. Best I can come up with is that my tyre was a bit soft on my last ride, and given that the tube was quite old, going over a stone or something pinched it? There was quite a lot of gravel on the roads when last I rode
Guest notmyname Posted March 10, 2016 Posted March 10, 2016 I did, and didn't find anything. Best I can come up with is that my tyre was a bit soft on my last ride, and given that the tube was quite old, going over a stone or something pinched it? There was quite a lot of gravel on the roads when last I rodeAaaah, the dreaded snakebite. Well good on you for sorting it. Many puncture free kilos for you.
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