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Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned!
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 2005-05-25 4:08 PM |
Veteran  157   Colorado Springs |  Subject: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned!I'm not sure if anyone is new to cycling in general but I figured I would share some of my lessons learned from a training ride this morning. I could have prevented a large portion of my problems this morning had I been a little more prepared! I was all excited to head out on a new route, I had planned a two and a half hour ride this morning before going to work. It was raining and cold but I didn't feel like staying inside on my indoor trainer. About 8 miles into the ride I hear this thumping coming from my back tire. I had run over some glass and my tube was completely flat. I thought (key word: thought) I knew how to change the tube but after about 15 minutes of trying to get the tire off of the rim with my tire irons I realized that I should have practiced beforehand in the comfort and warmth of my house. Thankfully another fellow cyclist pulled over and helped me get the tire off and put the new tube in. Unfortunately in the midst of putting the new tube we tore the tube with the tire irons. I didn't have a patch kit so he brought me to a local bike shop (putting me an even further distance away from my house but I didn't complain). I get to the shop, it's closed. I wait in the cold rain. My cell phone is dead and I have no money so I knew there was going to have to be additional goodwill involved on the part of the bike shop employees. I am feeling completely helpless at this point. Luckily the guy opening was nice enough to give me a new tube (which I subsequently tore again getting the tire on). I then had to ask for a patch kit to fix the new tube. I patched the tube and asked him to show me how to get the tire on without puncturing the tube (I wasn't about to do it 3 times in a row). Finally I got it fixed and as I'm trying to get the tire back on the bike another customer offered to drive me home (which was about a 30 minute drive)! I was lucky to be saved by so many generous and kind people! Lessons learned: Learn how to change a tube by doing it multiple times and using the CO2 cartridges or pump that you carry with you on the bike Carry a cell phone that is fully (or at least partially) charged Carry money Carry multiple tubes Carry a patch kit Carry multiple CO2 cartridges or a hand pump or both |
| 2005-05-25 4:09 PM in reply to: #163420 |
Champion 5495 Whizzzzzlandia Silver member | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! |
| 2005-05-25 5:13 PM in reply to: #163420 |
Extreme Veteran 461 Northeast Ohio | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! What a start to your day! Isn't it amazing how kind strangers can be? I would also reccomend carrying some form of ID. On my bike rides I keep finding myself thinking, "if some car takes me out- how long will it be before my husband starts worrying- will the police be able to figure out who I am?" I know lots of people carry their driver's license when they ride, but I'm way too absent-minded to remember to put it back in my purse. I now have a dorky little piece of paper that I printed my name, address and phone number on. I hope I never have to use it, but it does up some mental space to allow me to think of other things on the ride. By the way, I'm thinking I should change my username to tri_dork. |
| 2005-05-25 5:23 PM in reply to: #163420 |
New user 723 | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! Wow what a wacked out day. I don't know whether to say you have good luck or bad. I hope others take head to your advice. Happy riding  |
| 2005-05-25 8:56 PM in reply to: #163420 |
Expert 948 Mount Vernon, Iowa | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! I had a flat the middle of last week. I was doing a swim-bike brick and when I got out of the pool my rear tire was flat. It was the first change I'd done on this bike out of the comfort of my little home bike world where I have everything I want, but it went okay. Sounds like you were an incredible trooper! My fear of crazy situations on the road is why I always carry my cell phone, my business card, full tire-changing apparatus, my organ donor card (ok, kidding, but now that I think of it...). Happy trails! |
| 2005-05-26 7:26 AM in reply to: #163420 |
Veteran 157 Colorado Springs | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! I am finally going to order road id today, yesterday's incident pushed that purchase up on the priority list. imnotjoking: I know what you mean about tri dork, I am thinking about coming up with a checklist with everything I need to carry with me when I ride. I think that would put me in the tri dork category! Oh well! |
| 2005-05-26 8:53 AM in reply to: #163420 |
Member 55 Lake Jackson, Texas | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! Sounds like my experience. I go to work with out anything, just the bike. Get there ok then on my way home after work get a flat about 2.5 mile from work. Nothing around so i have to walk back. I don't have socks so i walk barefoot on the asphault. After the blisters and pain from rocks, debris, etc I will NEVER leave home with out my flat kit. Oh yeah and this was my first day commuting. So I get new tubes and go thru about 3 of them praticing how to changed them. My next weekend long ride 3 miles form home and pfff.pfff.pfff... I stop get my tools and change the tube and finish my ride. Now I feel much better after that. What I found that helped me was to put a little air in the tube before you put it in the tire. And i never need any tire-irons to put the tire back on, have you tried it with out? Takes a little work but is do-able. |
| 2005-05-26 9:24 AM in reply to: #163420 |
Expert 773 | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! The roads I ride on are poorly maintained by the city, and beaten up by the hot desert sun. Needless to say I always have flat tires. Practice makes perfect. Two most important things I learned is that a oatch kit alone is not always enough. I have punctured and split my tubes beyond what a patch kit can do, so I always carry an extra tube. The other thing is that you can take the old tube out and put the new one in without having to take the entire tire off of the rim. One side is enough, and I can do this without any tools, thereby eliminating the possibility of ripping the new tube. |
| 2005-05-26 9:46 AM in reply to: #163456 |
Extreme Veteran 494 Horse Country | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! |
| 2005-05-26 9:50 AM in reply to: #163420 |
Extreme Veteran 494 Horse Country | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! Wow. That's even funnier than my article (how not to change a tire...)! Glad you made it through okay, and it was a good idea to get the LBS guy to show you how to put the tire on. After a spate of about 3 flats in as many commuting days, my wife shelled out nearly $100 for Armadillo tires AND Slime tubes for my commuter bike. When I got my roadie, she didn't even flinch when I had them upgrade the tires to Armadillos right "off the truck". I hate the Slime tubes (don't use them anymore), but the Armadillos are great. |
| 2005-05-26 9:55 AM in reply to: #163420 |
| Member 215 Houston, Texas | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! This trick is probably known to most experienced bikers, but was new to me adn hopefully a few others will benifit from my lesson. I had a flat around mile 80 of a 95 mile ride(shiner bash), so being few miles from any check point I patched my tube, no biggie. The tire was torn pretty badly though so once the tube was back on the wheel and tire on, I inflated it and could see the bubbling of the tube poking through the hole in the tire. Another rider stopped and I showed him the problem and he agreed that would pop again in no time. So he suggested using a dollar bill folded over and placed in between the tube and the tire to prevent this. I did this and was able to finish out my ride. Once the ride was over I replaced my tire, but I thought it was a nifty trick to allow me to get a few more miles outa a bad tire. my $0.02 Edited by swimzor 2005-05-26 9:56 AM |
| 2005-05-26 9:55 AM in reply to: #163420 |
Member 44 Bastrop, Texas | Subject: RE: Changing a Flat - Lessons Learned! I do two things for identification as lame as that sounds. I have a little dog tag (with my name and number engraved on it) tied on to my shoe laces for running. I just got my RoadID and wear that for biking. I need to learn how to correctly change a tire after reading about your trials. I wish one of the bike shops offered a "At home bike maintenance" class. I would sign up. |
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