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I was travelling north of Nakusp BC last weekend. 78 GS1000C with spoked wheels. Ahead of me a car struck-more like nicked- a head size boulder lying in the road. Not unusual for rocks to be on the road on BC mountain highways. What was unusual was that the rock was set to spinning like a top at high rpm and began to erratically skitter across the road and back again. I braked hard, and began a hard counter steer to the right, but the boulder caught my front wheel on the left side. I hate the sound that makes. The bike took it in stride, and stayed controllable.
The rim was bent up about half an inch, and out one inch, with a big scuff mark on the sidewall of the tire. The bead and a small part of the tube was exposed.
It was rideable, and had barely noticeable vibration. The tire was oscillating of track by about three eights of an inch. Had I been running tubeless tires I would have had an instant highway speed flat.
I was able to ride thirty miles to Revelstoke, where there is a tire shop which does bike tires, close to a machine shop who were able to fix the rim to a safe standard to get me home. You want a German machinist like that guy, who apologized for only getting the wheel straight within 10000 of an inch. Only took a four hour stop to get the tire off, the rim straightened, and the lot reassembled. 200 bucks, but cheap at any price.
I was lucky. I have never seen a rock behave like that in thirty years of riding. Had I hit it straight on I wouldn't be writing this. Watch out for spinning boulders!
Additional information one week later: On detailed inspection, I discovered the left center stand foot to be bent, and a small nick in the left side of the rear wheel rim. I will be changing both wheels to be safe.
The rim was bent up about half an inch, and out one inch, with a big scuff mark on the sidewall of the tire. The bead and a small part of the tube was exposed.
It was rideable, and had barely noticeable vibration. The tire was oscillating of track by about three eights of an inch. Had I been running tubeless tires I would have had an instant highway speed flat.
I was able to ride thirty miles to Revelstoke, where there is a tire shop which does bike tires, close to a machine shop who were able to fix the rim to a safe standard to get me home. You want a German machinist like that guy, who apologized for only getting the wheel straight within 10000 of an inch. Only took a four hour stop to get the tire off, the rim straightened, and the lot reassembled. 200 bucks, but cheap at any price.
I was lucky. I have never seen a rock behave like that in thirty years of riding. Had I hit it straight on I wouldn't be writing this. Watch out for spinning boulders!
Additional information one week later: On detailed inspection, I discovered the left center stand foot to be bent, and a small nick in the left side of the rear wheel rim. I will be changing both wheels to be safe.
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