On your Bike

[mickthemaverick]

Do you think I should carry spare O rings in Bertie's saddle bag?

Bertie's saddle bag and track pump

[CitroJim]

No, O rings rarely fail in track pumps Mick, just be very careful if Bertie runs tubeless tyres with Presta valves not to get any sealant in the pump head... Always park her with her valves pointing upwards to avoid sealant running out out of the valve when you open it to top the tyre up with air... Inflate with the valves pointing upwards too.

It not such a problem if your bike has Schrader valves...

I trust you carry something sugary in the saddle bag to ward off the worst effects of a bonk should you suffer one during a long and energetic ride

[myglaren]

I trust you carry something sugary in the saddle bag to ward off the worst effects of a bonk should you suffer one during a long and energetic ride

[CitroJim]

I trust you carry something sugary in the saddle bag to ward off the worst effects of a bonk should you suffer one during a long and energetic ride

I've bonked a couple of times whilst running Steve...

[myglaren]

[CitroJim]

'The bonk' is what happens when you run out of fuel (glucose) during a long bike ride or long run. Hypoglycaemia to be precise...

Thus, one always carries something sweet and very sugary just in case... Bonking is not pleasant as it can cause delirium and confusion as well as disconnecting your legs from the rest of your body. A dose of something sugary brings about a rapid and miraculous recovery.

Very similar to a diabetic 'hypo'.

I'd much prefer the other sort of bonk during a run or ride any day

[mickthemaverick]

I've always found something sweet helps a lot when bonking but I prefer natural sweetness!

[myglaren]

I've bonked a couple of times whilst running Steve...

I think that is what is termed 'dogging' in these parts.

[Skull]

[NewcastleFalcon]

I could dismantle the head Neil and carefully clean it out... Mine's a fairly high-end one and made to be overhaul-friendly...

I'm sure yours will come all apart with a bit of care... Man made it so man can fix it

Dismantled all the tube work and took off the guage...leaving only the bottom rubber pipe in place where it exits the moulded plastic outlet at the bottom of the plunger tube. Poured neat fairy liquid down the plunger tube and the plunger pushed that through the bottom rubber pipe outlet. Filled the plunger tube up with boiling water and the plunger pushed with a decent force the boiling water 10 feet into the air.

Leads me to believe there is no blockage in any "valves", so the focus is back on the "O" ring, or rings needed to make the plunger effective moving just air as opposed to water. Not sure if it needs an "O"-ring at the top of the shaft as well as a thicker, better fitting one in the groove on the plunger.

Neil

[myglaren]

Not sure if it is still there but there used to be a brilliant shop at the bottom of Chillingham Road, near the junction with the coast road, that stocked every imaginable O-ring.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Not sure if it is still there but there used to be a brilliant shop at the bottom of Chillingham Road, near the junction with the coast road, that stocked every imaginable O-ring.

Thanks Steve I'll look that up. As do the local agricultural engineers I bother with my trivialities from time to time ending up spending coppers usually so not exactly a lucrative customer for them. The lad I normally bother was on holiday so I was bothering the boss yesterday, who is also very helpful but don't want to outstay my welcome because he was a bit busy yesterday and spent a fair time sifting through boxes of O-rings for me.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

A first for the thread. The best photo of the bottom of a track pump tube ever posted.

In other pumps that bottom end has associated O-rings and certainly looks like there should be one there, but I fear the moulded plastic bottom section is glued rather than screwed into the aluminium tube so access for investigation or replacement looks to be denied

Neil

[CitroJim]

Ahh yes, that'll be one of your non-return valves Neil... Without it working, whatever you pump into the tyre just leaks out again past that faulty valve.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Cycling words of the day

Keirin and Derny

Step forward cycling buffs and enlighten the FCF

Neil



Triumph TR65 Thunderbird Derny at Herne Hill Velodrome London by meriden.triumph, on Flickr