Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - A scary moment

So I'm 22 miles into my 42 mile ride yesterday in gorgeous conditions, when a gunshot goes off in my ear. Bike starts shaking and I look down to see a flatted rear tire. Get off and inspect the damage, and there is a nasty 2-3 inch gash along the top of the tire. Tried some emergency repairs but tire quickly flatted again so I had to call in for a ride home.

The scary part was not two minutes earlier I was coming down a very steep twisty descent with speeds in the 40-45mph range, not sure what would have happened if the tire had blown out then but I don't think it would have been pretty :(

Lesson learned, inspect tires before each ride. New set of GP4000s installed and I'm ready for what the road will bring tomorrow.

Glad you're okay!

My brother had a similar experience. We were riding in a charity event and had just come down a monster hill. There's a rest stop at the bottom. We dismount, take a break, go to get back on the road and POW. I was trying to figure out why someone was throwing M80s at us when a passerby says (in his best stoner voice) "Whoa, dude... was that your tire??"

Brother looks down at his new (less than 20mi) tires to see a big gash. A few minutes earlier and it would have been bad. He found a park bench while the rest of us road ahead and got the truck.

Yikes!:eek: Glad you're okay and it didn't blow out on the descent! I also inspect tires before riding and pull any debris out of the tread so it doesn't work its way down into the tube.