Rober was there looking when I pull up and park.
"Man, that back tire is bald as an eagle" He whistled and shook his head.
My eyebrows shot up. "That's the one I changed last summer--it was fine just a few months ago"
"How many kilometers ago?" he asks.
I do some quick calculation. Oh, dear. "About 10,000 or so".
Late that night, we said farewell and everyone rode off, me last. Of course. About 300 meters away I notice the bike wanted to turn without me turning it. Like a Ouija board on drugs. Stop. Look.
Sure enough, it was flat as a pancake.
I was able to push it uphill back to Emilio's shop and locked it up out front. Tomorrow would be another day.
When I got there the next morning, the old farts laughed and said someone had stolen my rear tire. Knowing it was a joke, I was pleased Emilio had already removed the wheel. Pedro Gómez smartly decided to pay close attention to the process, since we might be needing that skill when in Morocco next spring.
Guillermo "GatoLoco" was there to get some more oil and tighten a bolt on his old carburetor Classic. He bemoaned that his bike burned through oil fast. Speaking of which, time to check mine. The guys came over and looked at the gauge as I tilted the bike. Nothing. Maybe half a liter max.
Result: a new rear tire: Pirelli MT Route Cruiser 110/90 - 19 M/C 62H TL front tire (I use it on the rear). The reviews from users are good and it's supposed to grip well in water, which fits my needs. I'd rather have to buy tires more often and have good grip all the time than save money and risk it in the rain.
He also added more oil--a total of 2 liters, which means it was dangerously dry down there. That was not so good.
But now the Balita Roja is oiled, waxed and polished and has a nice new wheel, getting ready for the ride to Seville on the 14th-16 of December.
Dear John,
ReplyDeleteIts a tubeless [TL]tire, how did you fit it on a spoked wheel.[or have you changed it to an alloy]
Did you use a tube on Pirelli MT66 Route Cruiser Front Tire - 110/90H-19/--?
It turns out it's a tubed tire, so it can't be the Pirelli. That was the sticker stuck to the side of the tire when I picked it up from the mechanics, but...I'll have to read the side (put my reading glasses on, darn!) and see what it is.
DeleteI didn't even know tubeless tires are incompatible with spoked wheels!