Acts of Cycling Stupidity.

I subscribe to ''Cycling Weekly magazine known in cycling circles affectionately as 'The Comic'.

At the back of the comic Michael Hutchinson writes under the name of Dr Hutch. 

Now the Doctor has a regular little piece that is titled -Acts of Cycling Stupidity- little tales that show how really stupid some of our fellow cyclists can be at times. All in all it's a good read.

Well I heard something today about one of my fellow Team 219 riders that brought a smile to my face. No I tell a lie - I laughed out loud ! It certainly falls under the above title.

Those of you who subject yourselves to the constant drip feed of pain by reading this blog on a regular basis- will be familiar with JD (John Donoghue). JD is the team clown and he always has a little story or joke that will have everyone in fits of laughter. 

When we rode Lands end to John o' Groats JD had a real problem with punctures this was resolved when he invested in a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus 'puncture resistant' tyres. That bike was eventually sold with the marathons still fitted. JD was now heavily into Schawlbe Marathons fitting the Kevlar (lighter) version on the new touring bike but he always said that he would get another set of the full Marathon Plus tyres because he rated them as the real business for his touring bike.A couple of months ago he bought a new set for his tourer. When he purchased his first pair on the LEJOG he wouldn't stop telling us about how the guy in the bike shop had stuck a drawing pin into the tyres to demonstrate how the rubber belt in the tyre will push a pin or thorn etc back out avoiding a puncture. Now don't get me wrong these tyres ARE good. A number of guys we go touring with use the tyres and indeed I have a pair of the 'kevlar' marathons on my Revolution Touring machine.

The other day JD was talking bikes with Rick one of the Managers at his place of work. Eager to demonstrate how puncture proof his tyres were JD plucked a pin out of the office notice board and thrust it straight into the centre of his front tyre. "There you are Rick" he said "that's what you call a puncture proof tyre- get a set of these and you will never get a puncture again- ever"!

Then JD pulled the pin out of the tyre and everyone in the office could hear a loud hissing sound. What he hadn't realised when he grabbed that pin out of the board on the wall was that it was a full inch in length.

Rick says "Yes JD we all know about your puncture proof tyres- thanks for the demonstration".

Hopefully JD will now stop going on about how puncture proof his tyres are..................