STUCK RUBBER

This photo was taken during preparation of my Yamaha Serow for my Class O entry in the MCC’s Exeter Trial. This is what you have to do when an old tyre has become corroded onto a rim. I carefully dissected the cover to remove the inner tube first without damaging it. A bit like the thoracic surgery you see on telly, you have to be sure you don’t go too deep with your knife. You suck the air out of the inner tube to reduce it internally. You then stuff old rags in the way to stop your Stanley knife touching it.

The tricky bit is then breaking the wires one by one to get the remainder off the rim. This model of Serow was designed for tubeless tyres and has a security lip as well which makes life hard. No amount of squeezing it in a big vice, with clamps, etc, would shift it.

I also reduced the drive sprocket by one tooth and stitched in an extra chain link. The new tyre (Pirelli MT45) is actually slightly too big for the fork but it works. Oil was changed too. Job done, and I then prayed for fine weather for the trial which in the end was cold but dry. I fell off on the last-but-one section so only got a ‘copper’ medal! Roger Bibbings, member 4526

Congrats on the award, Roger: just finishing an MCC trial in the middle of winter is an outstanding achievement in itself. I am full of admiration. And, of course, being a total slacker, I also admire your dedication in tackling a tubed tyre on that rim. That would be a job for a bike shop in this household… RowenaH