# Fixing the fairy ...



## Arch (28 Sep 2010)

No riding to report from last week. Instead I was revelling in the company of my sister and her boys (one big boy of my age, or 'fiancee', and two littles of 3 years and 7 months - aka 'Arch's nephews'). The week was mainly spent playing, walking to and from nursery, eating and persuading the elder boy to at least eat _some_ vegetables... 

However, I did get the chance to sort out a puncture - on the pushchair! We topped the tyres up and one developed a bulge (I might have given it a little more than the 22psi it was rated for). We let it down a bit, and it seemed ok, but the next morning it was flat. Topping up got us into town, and I said I'd fix it later. Sis spoke to bro-in-law on the phone and he said he'd sort but, it was flat again by the time we got home, so I made the decision to just do it. Once we'd found a pucture repair kit (one patch left!) I whipped the wheel off - oh so easy with just a pushbutton in the hub, no chain or dropouts or lawyer lips - and got the tube out. We had to resort to a bowl of water to find the minute hole, in the seam of the tube, and I patched it and the tyre went back on with bare thumbs - I normally have to resort to levers for that. All remained well for the rest of the week, and we replaced the repair kit, and bought a spare tube that afternoon. 

I did suggest that sis get a small cheap pump (the old fashioned sort with a flexible tube perhaps) to keep in the bottom of the buggy, after another Mum at playgroup recounted a tale of having to get a taxi home when she got a puncture. "Even if you don't use it", I pointed out, "imagine the kudos of coming to the aid of another Mum...."

And another thing - all buggies should have brakes. Not just a parking brake, a proper brake for arresting progress on hills. Winchester has some very hilly bits and with two smalls on board, not to mention shopping, I was terrified of getting run away with. God knows how she managed in the ice last year.

One day, I really will launch my idea of lights for buggies. Mothers! Do you risk your child in an unlit buggy on dark winter evenings! Risk no longer! Fit Babylites ™ today!

Anyway, with much regret I waved the family off to Devon for a holiday on Saturday, and caught the train home myself. I had a little deflation of my own to deal with - on the way to the lock up on Sunday after my epic ride last weekend, I punctured the nearside front trike wheel. Fortunately I was almost there, so walked it the rest of the way and left it with one axle propped up on a flowerpot to prevent a flat spot. I thought it might be a pain to fix - high pressure Schwalbe Kojaks on a small wheel seemed to suggest a struggle. Anyway, I popped down there after work today, took a deep breath, and cracked on.

Easy peasy, lemon meringue pie. Tyre popped off with the third lever insertion, hole was located without water, patch on, tyre checked (nothing in it), tube back in, tyre back on - with only thumbs again! Pumped up hard, and seemed ok. And of course, being a trike front wheel, no need to remoe the wheel, it's all side access. The proof of course will be next time I go there and it's still up...

Puncture fixing might seem like a rather dull subject for a blog, but it's not actually something I do a lot of (there now, I've gone and said it...) so I'm always pleased, and a little surprised when it goes well!

I leave you with a gratuitous study in baby and spinach goo, titled "Max, weaning":


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