I took the dog out on a few miles of gravel road as a test of the gravel roadster setup. Getting this bike on the road has had some silly setbacks, including two broken rear spokes at the beginning of two separate rides. There are other silver spokes mixed in with the black, so I bought three spokes when the last one broke. That should ensure that no more break!
We had a great run, up some brief hills, and along orchards and blueberry farms, looking out over the valley to the West. The sun only cracked through the overcast a few times, but cold gray is weather I like. We rode out a couple miles, and I goofed around taking pictures of the bike. We turned around to head back, since I didn’t want to stay out too late, and you never know what might happen.
Such as the rear wheel making a weird noise and sliding around on a descent! When I stopped, I saw that the tire had unseated, and the tube, still inflated, had doubled in size, looped out like a giant intestine, and herniated itself. A loop was bound up in the stays, and two feet of it jabbed out in the air. The tire had rolled off the rim somehow, and wouldn’t go back on.
I can put it on, but it just falls off. No matter how I try to mount it, I can see an air gap between the rim and the tire. I think the wire bead may have broken. I shlepped the bike back about a mile; sometimes carrying it, sometimes rolling it, but it didn’t roll that well.
I had a good laugh at my own expense, and I was out having an adventure in the countryside, so it was fine.The dog was a little non-plussed, though.
I did find a half-mile stretch of unharvested rose hips. They’re already withered, but they might be a possible gleaning site next year.
