Boundary Trail, Inkom Idaho
Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:46 pm
This area is the most narrow, rugged and off camber double track I've ever ridden. About half-way through, I hit something and put well over 40+ plugs in my left/front tire. Several of us hit something along the trail, but I suffered at least a 2" gash in my sidewall.
I heard the pop and saw an explosion of green as the "slime" sprayed out of the tire.
Initially, I didn't think plugs would work, so I cut up a foam air filter, wrapped it in plastic wrap (from my sandwich) and crammed that into the gash. The foam filter was too flexible, so didn't hold and just fell out.
I then put the 40+ plugs in and it held for about 10 minutes and two air refills, but after that, they all just fell out and the tire was 100% flat.
We were only half-way through the track (about 27 miles into it). It was a tough ride with 4 good tires, but I was out a front/left tire.. oddly, the one tire that was probably the most required due to the trail leaning that direction.
Suffice it to say that you CAN run a Bighorn flat for 12+ miles over some very hostile terrain. I show an after photo where you can see the sidewall is just trashed after we made it off the mountain.
A few photos and videos:
My attempt (was initially successful - You can see there's air in the tire) to plug up the gash.
Obviously the plugs came out, and I just made the decision to ride it out. Look at the sidewall. That's what happens when the tire is catching all the rocks because there's no air.
Here, Dennis (m74me) is demonstrating in his best Vanna White.
http://www.vimeo.com/14902120
http://www.vimeo.com/14904974
Full story plus Garmin tracks available at:
http://utahbruteforce.com/bruteforce/20 ... idaho.html
I heard the pop and saw an explosion of green as the "slime" sprayed out of the tire.
Initially, I didn't think plugs would work, so I cut up a foam air filter, wrapped it in plastic wrap (from my sandwich) and crammed that into the gash. The foam filter was too flexible, so didn't hold and just fell out.
I then put the 40+ plugs in and it held for about 10 minutes and two air refills, but after that, they all just fell out and the tire was 100% flat.
We were only half-way through the track (about 27 miles into it). It was a tough ride with 4 good tires, but I was out a front/left tire.. oddly, the one tire that was probably the most required due to the trail leaning that direction.
Suffice it to say that you CAN run a Bighorn flat for 12+ miles over some very hostile terrain. I show an after photo where you can see the sidewall is just trashed after we made it off the mountain.
A few photos and videos:
My attempt (was initially successful - You can see there's air in the tire) to plug up the gash.
Obviously the plugs came out, and I just made the decision to ride it out. Look at the sidewall. That's what happens when the tire is catching all the rocks because there's no air.
Here, Dennis (m74me) is demonstrating in his best Vanna White.
http://www.vimeo.com/14902120
http://www.vimeo.com/14904974
Full story plus Garmin tracks available at:
http://utahbruteforce.com/bruteforce/20 ... idaho.html