Originally Posted by
cccorlew
Darn, how is that possible? Between the "goat heads," broken glass and wire from steel belts my wife and I are thrilled to go a week between flats. On a Saturday's 40-something miler we had 3.
Maybe it's Antioch. When we were in Washington on vacation we did well over 500 each with no flats.
Dumb luck (not getting a flat in 50 years). I used to think it was my riding skills.
With my 7 year-old son followwing me, I did blow a 3" tire on my cruiser this spring - about 10 people in the park hit the ground when it happened - sounded like a gun shot. The LBS said the bead wasn't set properly after the winter.
What's a goat head?
So if I'm a stem ripper, it's got to be my technique. My normal pump is a Silca floor pump - is it possible to do stem damage with that pump? If so, what's the proper technique (suddenly feeling stupid)? And during yesterday's emergency, I removed the wheel, propped it up against a log to secure it, and pumped away. Would it have bee better to have allowed for some movement?