Ern gets a puncture

For the first time in two decades ....

Took off from the lights in the 'urbs and some plick with an L plate and a Hyosung drifts in front of me.  Hmpph. Blast on the horn, but take it easy; only 2nd time out in six months.

Bike starts to weave a bit.  Curious. 

Further up the road: crikey, it feels like one of the two front discs is binding.

Still further it feels really peculiar so I pull into a side road, stop and take a look.  Double hmpph.  Flat rear. Dammit.

Not far from home.  Decide to leg it.  With top box, helmet, waterproof and fleeces.  Half an hour later, sweaty and sore, make it to Casa del Ern.  Get out the 12v compressor and drive back in the car.  Pump the tyre up to 31psi and in 3 minutes it's down to 22.  OK.  It's a slowish leak.  Get it up to 36 and ride home.

OK, what next?  I have a spare wheel and new tyre that could go on, but there's maybe a thousand k left on this one.  Sigh.  I've carried a puncture kit since starting with the club years ago so why not give it a try. Glue might be cactus but still worth learning how to do it.

So after reaming, threading, coating and poking there's two disgusting looking brown rat tails sticking out of the hole.

Pump the tyre up again, with foot pump this time (took for bleeding ever), leave it overnight and good heavens, it's still hard in the morning!