Spoke Too Soon

I got my things together to go off for my cycle ride this afternoon but I didn't get very far. Flat tyre. I span it round and there was a shiny brass drawing pin sticking out of it. I ask you, who's even using drawing pins these days let alone scattering them around like Dennis the Menace in the Beano?

Anyway, I got the kit out and took the wheel off and took the tyre levers to the rim. I didn't know what was going on there but I couldn't get a lever between the tyre bead and the rim. I phoned the bike shop to find out if there was anything I ought to know but no, it's just a tight bead. Bring it to the shop if you'd like. I tried again, I used tools to pinch it nothing would move it.

I got in the van, took it to the bike shop and waited a few minutes, a mechanic appeared and I explained what I needed. He took the wheel and just using his thumbs had it free in a couple of seconds. He did apologise for how easy it was and said he did it all the time. he gave me a new tube as well, gratis.

Back home again, I was able to complete the job fairly quickly. Just a bit of faff because I didn't think I had a pump for this kind of valve but I found a connector in an old bag of bike bits.

As I didn't have a blip I thought I'd take a pic of the wheel and a tub of lovely azaleas.