Bill Wheeler <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:52:32 -0000, "Shaun Rimmer" <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >(*******! Report.)
> >
> >Well, that's the idea, isn't it, for them to be virtually trouble free?
> >
> >Left work at 5 yesterday, dark, cold, and windy. Got 20 metres down the
road
> >and realised I had a flat rear (....).
> >
> >Moved along further down the road, and stopped outside of a shop for the light to fix it by. I
> >got it done, but it seemed to take ages and I was frozen.
> >
> >Got home, took the wheel right off (through axle) to replace the tube - I wanted a solid repair.
> >Sorted, put it all back together - no probs.
> >
> >Got ready to leave for work this morning, and the front was flat -
*******!
> >Upended the bike, took the wheel off, removed the tube, replaced it, struggled to get the stiff
> >tyre back on, went to pump it up.....nothing!
In
> >my hurry and struggle, I'd pinched the ******* tube. Feck. Pulled it back out, made a patch out
> >of old tube (ran out, and couldn't find my 'spare extra emergency stash', having recently moved
> >and still in chaos) didn't
I.
> >Patched up, tyre on, inflated - no probs.
> >
> >Out the door, pedalled twice, chain comes off - won't stay on. Feck
again.
> >Seems the rear axle isn't quite straight, and the old mech I am using as
a
> >tensioner needed tweaking. Did that with some struggle, as it was nearly
at
> >the limits of it's adjustment. Anyhow, I managed, and made it 2/3 of the
way
> >to work without incident.
> >
> >(Next prob no related directly to the bike).
> >
> >I stopped at the ATM, got some cash, picked up a few things from the
shop,
> >and was about to get back on the bike, when I smelt the smoke of melting plastic.....?.....****!
> >Off comes the back pack, thrown onto the deck, ripped out the melting wiring coming out of it,
> >ripped out the 12 volt
6.6
> >Ah lead acid pack, removed the rest of the molten blobs of wiring, swore like a foul mouth
> >*******, and sighed <cough!>.
> >
> >The wiring from batts to lamp had shorted, right up near the lamp end,
and
> >somehow, the overload protection hadn't worked. Good job I smelt it - a
few
> >minutes and it would have turned _nasty_.
> >
> >So, pretty uneventful all round - only 3 punctures, a mechanical, and an electrical fire to
> >report.
> >
> >(Thank **** I got this **** outa the way before tomorrow (13'th)).
> >
> >I put longer limit screws in the mech now, so it's fully and more easily adjustable. Managed to
> >rebuild the batt pack and wiring, this time there
is
> >a lot more protection - each of the 2 batteries has a 3 amp constant 5
amp
> >'blow' automatically resetting special current breaker directly attached
to
> >the positive terminal, then the main lead from there has a 10 amp in-line standard automotive
> >blade fuse, and the wiring/connectors are tougher.
> >
> >I will get new tubes and more patches at the w/e.
> >
> >Just thought I'd try to brighten all your days up with my minor
misfortunes
> >',;~}
> >
> >Shaun aRe - HTH.
> >
> Too good to snip. Cheers, heheheheh...
> You're due for some good Karma.
I think I'd been advanced it, and yesterday was the first repayment......
Shaun aRe
