Edgeware Road/Oxgate Gardens

by vitalisd

14 Jan 2011

I am a cyclist and was cycling home at around 17:45 on Thursday Jan 13th. It was raining and there was a lot of surface water. I suddenly felt a massive jolt on the front wheel and immediately knew i went into a pot hole. I didn't see it because of the amount of surface water; it was hidden from view. I struggled to stay on my bike but got it under control after about 12 metres. I inspected the damage to the bike and found that both front and rear tyres were flat. I tried to pump them up again to see if the punctures were fixable, but no air was staying in the tyres; the inner tubes must have been severly ripped by the impact. My right break lever had buckled slightly as i gripped it to stay on the bike and the right break lever was not working. I have yet to assess the full structural and mechanical damage the bike has incurred. As i walked home, i had only walked 20 metres when i saw another cyclist pumping up his tyres. He said the same thing had happened to him and he was just happy to be alive....Ditto!!