benb
07-14-2008, 12:43 PM
I just got back from staying in Vermont for the last week. (I'm originally from Vermont, I spend a lot of time there.)
- Had a complete front tire blowout (clincher) for the first time ever. Blew the tire right off the rim. Amazingly, it happened about 10 minutes after I finished my ride. Specialized tube, which had probably been on 3 tires as I've had an unbelivable string of luck in terms of no flats. I figure minimum 5000 miles on that tube, possibly as high as 8000 or so, it failed along the seam on the side that contacts the rim. I ended up replacing the rim tape & tubes on both wheels out of paranoia. Think I will be replacing tubes once a year now if I go a whole year without a flat.
- Hit a squirrel for the first time. Little bugger flashed out and nailed my rear wheel when I was doing about 30mph.. Pretty sure he just slammed the side of the rim, bounced off, and went on his way. The bike didn't really react at all.
- One day I left from Stowe, went over Smuggler's Notch, and then took a ride through the towns north of there.. one of the first times I started freaking out that I was in the middle of nowhere and could run out of food or something. Pretty deserted, but it was all in my head.
- Windy every day.. I went out on the Islands on Lake Champlain 2 days.. it gets so windy out there.
- If the Singolo doesn't represent fixies about to jump the shark the fact that I was seeing them way out in VT says something.. I even saw a bunch with the bandanas tied around the head tube and a BMX pad on the top tube.
- I've never seen so many dump trucks ever as I saw riding on Rt. 100 one day. Seemed like 30% of the vehicles on the road were dump trucks doing 75 in a 50. Pretty unnerving in a strong crosswind.
- Had a complete front tire blowout (clincher) for the first time ever. Blew the tire right off the rim. Amazingly, it happened about 10 minutes after I finished my ride. Specialized tube, which had probably been on 3 tires as I've had an unbelivable string of luck in terms of no flats. I figure minimum 5000 miles on that tube, possibly as high as 8000 or so, it failed along the seam on the side that contacts the rim. I ended up replacing the rim tape & tubes on both wheels out of paranoia. Think I will be replacing tubes once a year now if I go a whole year without a flat.
- Hit a squirrel for the first time. Little bugger flashed out and nailed my rear wheel when I was doing about 30mph.. Pretty sure he just slammed the side of the rim, bounced off, and went on his way. The bike didn't really react at all.
- One day I left from Stowe, went over Smuggler's Notch, and then took a ride through the towns north of there.. one of the first times I started freaking out that I was in the middle of nowhere and could run out of food or something. Pretty deserted, but it was all in my head.
- Windy every day.. I went out on the Islands on Lake Champlain 2 days.. it gets so windy out there.
- If the Singolo doesn't represent fixies about to jump the shark the fact that I was seeing them way out in VT says something.. I even saw a bunch with the bandanas tied around the head tube and a BMX pad on the top tube.
- I've never seen so many dump trucks ever as I saw riding on Rt. 100 one day. Seemed like 30% of the vehicles on the road were dump trucks doing 75 in a 50. Pretty unnerving in a strong crosswind.