Alas, Another Blow-Out (Paging James Thomson)

[Artemisia]

Mercury is now so retrograde that even my private mail to James is being
returned as undeliverable, on both my private and work server. So I'm
posting here in public, in the hope that he stops by today.

****
James,

Thanks so much for your generous intervention of Saturday. I'm
heartbroken to report that it has not solved Flyzipper's shenanigans!
This morning, after an unexpectedly restful night (grazie gli Azzurri),
I was up at dawn all ready to roll. Went down to the garage and lo,
found the back wheel completely flat.

Since you swapped the tyres and tubes round, this tube was the one that
had been in the front, and benefitting already from our
"stroke-of-genius" blue foam solution. Perhaps the stiff blue plastic
tape should have staid in.

Saturday after you left I went down again to try and install the Polar
sensors. Neither of them worked, of course. On the plus side, I was able
to reconnect the severed ends of the old Sigma computer and get it
working again. I road the bike a few strokes around the garage, and
everything was fine. So this is another of our completely stationary,
unstressed blow-outs. I have to say though that, once upright and on the
ground a little, Fly still seemed to be dragging the brake on the back
wheel. Only this time the sticking was on the opposite side to what it
had been, and not nearly so severe.

You showed me how to remove the back wheel but so dazzled me with
science that I'm not sure I remember everything you did. I'd like to
have a try at changing it myself this evening, and re-implore your aid
only if I futz things up, which is likely. Could you talk me through the
procedure? All I remember is to press the little button under the square
SRAM box and then pop it off by folding upwards. What happens then? Do
you remove all the chain rings or is it not necessary? Do you have to
unhitch the brake?

Thanks again for your patience. And by the way, I forgot to hand over
your Marmite. It's still in the kitchen.

Cheers,

Elisa

 

[James Thomson]

"Artemisia" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> Thanks so much for your generous intervention of Saturday. I'm heartbroken
> to report that it has not solved Flyzipper's shenanigans! This morning,
> after an unexpectedly restful night (grazie gli Azzurri), I was up at dawn
> all ready to roll. Went down to the garage and lo, found the back wheel
> completely flat.

That's extremely disappointing, to say the least.

> You showed me how to remove the back wheel but so dazzled
> me with science that I'm not sure I remember everything you did.
> I'd like to have a try at changing it myself this evening, and re-implore
> your aid only if I futz things up, which is likely. Could you talk me
> through the procedure? All I remember is to press the little button
> under the square SRAM box and then pop it off by folding upwards.
> What happens then? Do you remove all the chain rings or is it not
> necessary? Do you have to unhitch the brake?

To get the rear wheel out:

Put the Dualdrive trigger control into bottom gear (i.e. with its cable
slackest), and select the smallest sprocket with the derailleur.

Press the button on the clickbox, and pull it off the axle.

Slacken the axle nuts as you would for the front wheel.

Lift the wheel out of the frame. It may help to rotate the derailleur
backwards as you do so.

You don't need to unhitch the brake to remove the wheel, but if you inflate
the tyre before reinstalling the wheel, you'll need to release the brake
noodle from its cradle to get the inflated tyre between the brake pads.

However:

I should be able to get out to Massy this evening, and (trying to find
advantage in adversity) this might be a good chance for me to see the
immediate aftermath of one of these unprovoked blowouts. So if you have any
faith left in my mechanicking after my inability to resolve your problems so
far, it might be best if you touch nothing until I get there. If you'd
prefer, or if something comes up to keep me at my desk this evening, of
course you can call me and I'll talk you through anything that seems tricky.

James Thomson

 

[Artemisia]

James Thomson a écrit :

> However:
>
> I should be able to get out to Massy this evening, and (trying to find
> advantage in adversity) this might be a good chance for me to see the
> immediate aftermath of one of these unprovoked blowouts. So if you have any
> faith left in my mechanicking after my inability to resolve your problems so
> far, it might be best if you touch nothing until I get there. If you'd
> prefer, or if something comes up to keep me at my desk this evening, of
> course you can call me and I'll talk you through anything that seems tricky.

Would you prefer that? I'm embarrassed to ask so much aid again so
quickly. I'd be happy to touch nothing, but I would like to try removing
the back wheel under your direct tutorship, if that would spoil nothing
in the freshness of the kill for you, as it's important that I learn how
to do it.

I'll be in around 17:45. Let me know what is best for you. If you get
hungry there is a Chinese just below...

Thanks again,

Elisa

 

[James Thomson]

"Artemisia" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> I'm embarrassed to ask so much aid again so quickly.

Not at all. I really thought we'd cracked it this time, and I'm sorry that
my confidence was misplaced, but we'll keep at it until the problem's fixed.

> I'd be happy to touch nothing, but I would like to try removing the back
> wheel under your direct tutorship, if that would spoil
> nothing in the freshness of the kill for you, as it's important
> that I learn how to do it.

Agreed.

I'll aim to be at yours between 18:30 and 19:00. Drop me a line or call me
if there's any change of plan or if there's anything I can pick up en route.

James Thomson

 

[Peter Headland]

Lucky for you that it's a rest day on Le Tour today.

--
Peter Headland