Scary story....heed the warning I guess

Now I know that a lot of you will religiously check your tyre pressures and tyres, but for some who may not. This is what happend to a chap at work.
Last weekend as most of us did we enjoyed the nice biking weather and for this chap was no different, however, his tyre blew on his bike flinging him off into a lamp post. He is now in hospital in a coma doctors managed to save his leg but are unsure about his arm. Police confirmed that he was not speeding and the road conditions were good. Weather the blowout was caused by low tyre pressures or something else I don't know but minimising the risk is always better.
Just thought I would share. One of those moments where you think f**k could have been me. The times I've nipped out without checking

Woah! That's mad! I sure hope he recovers and the doctors manage to save his arm. Good advice to keep checking the pressures although I'm not sure a tyre would blow out through low pressure? But I am no tyre expert, I just always made sure I had the right pressure so I know the bike would grip well.

Seems like such a big price to pay for such a small neglect, poor bloke.

Ano crazy to think really. I check mine regularly normally before I go out even if I checked them the week before and haven't used the bike since. But same as i say i've nipped out before without checking them.And I thought hat it was high pressure but from what I read its low pressure which causes the tire to flex and heat up destroying the bond between the steel chords and the rubber.or a tear/ damage or as it was put on the Internet a rapid depressurisation. Have a look on google there's a link which tells you why it happens and what your should do on a bike.

Another thing to consider with the wheels is the dust covers. When I bought my bike the previous owner had put on little metal dice dust caps. Some people might think these look 'cool' or whatever, I didn't really care until the tyre valve split on me at 120 and suddenly let all the air out of my rear tyre. The front felt quite spongy so I stopped to look at it expecting to see a flat, but it was the rear that was completely empty. The extra weight on the valve when spinning very fast puts a lot of extra stress on it which can clearly break it after a while. If any one does have any fancy metal trinckets on their valves, I would consider replacing them with the standard lightweight plastic job. Just a thought.

I wonder if he'd smacked any potholes before the accident? (There's enough of the buggers about. )
Lets hope he pulls through with all his bits intact.

I got lucky in my early days, don't know how many miles I had covered before I spotted it:

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I hope he recovers.

Iv got little metal aluminium dust caps, not shape of dice or out. Weigh same as plastic ones I rekon. Can imagine dice shaped ones do produce more air friction due to the shape. Good advice with the pressures thou, gonna check mine next time before I head out.

Aye will hopefully find out a bit more this week on how he's doing, just hope he pulls through ok. And I don't know really if he hit any potholes Wooster. There was a police report I'm the local paper about the accident but as I'm not local to cheadle I don't know the ins and outs only he had a blow out and he wasn't speeding. But same as you say there are hundreds about in places leathal to bikers. Doesn't help (and I've moaned about this before) the "resurfacing" they seem to be doing is shocking more high and low points that the Peak District. Will also bear that in mind about the metal dust caps, spose it would make sense though spinning round that fast would make a huge difference. Both my bikes have plastic so shouldn't have to worry. Plus its very rare I do 120 bet that was a scary moment for ya pipes?

And bloody hell John :S how that happen? You lock up the back wheel or something?

Littledel wrote:And bloody hell John :S how that happen? You lock up the back wheel or something?

Nope, that's not a Chris Eddie look a like it's a big old nail gone in at a shallow angle. Went to go for a ride and thought I would check how the tyre was doing and there it was, so I put the bike back away until I could get it changed. I had only done a couple of thousand on that tyre.

As said before, always worth checking before a ride.

Del, at the time I didn't think anything much of it, it just felt a little spongy up front going down a straight so I stopped and looked. I think when I saw it was completely empty I was a bit more scared about what could have happened. Incidently I did have a scarier moment at exactly the same spot doing the same speed. I had washed the bike and thought I would take it out to 'dry it'. Now I was even younger and stupider then so just had the jeans and t-shirt and trainers on that I was wearing to wash bike. I soon learnt about airflow reversal when my loose t-shirt rode up my back and forward over my head and helmet at 120!

Oh yea can see it now John. could have been nasty.Got me wondering now as well on about tyres letting go. I had the tyre plugged on the suzuki and one on the cat never had a problem, but could this help towards a blowout? And bloody hell pipes take it a lot of poo shot out there. That road seems fated for you but least u'r hear to tell the tale and learn from it. Think as ya say tho its when you stop and think about what could of happend its gets ya.