Get your minds out of the gutter, I don't mean THAT way!
I was about 8 miles into my ride tonight and I felt really good when I heard a clicking sound from the back wheel. Thinking the worst, broken spoke, I immediately pulled over. A quick examination of the back tire showed that it wasn't a spoke, I had managed to pick up a screw in the tire! :mad: After pulling the old tube and installing a new one, all the momentum I had was gone. Not only had my tire gone flat, but I felt flat. Making things even worse, when I turned into my neighborhood, my back wheel started sliding out from under me. I looked down and it was obvious the tire was losing air. By the time I got to the bottom of the steep hill that's about .5 miles from home the tire was so low I couldn't go any further. I stopped and tried to pump it up and discovered that the tube was actually leaking at the stem. I got to walk the last half mile, uphill, in my cycling shoes.
The only saving grace is that until events beyond my control slowed me down, I was having a good ride.
Stujoe
08-16-07, 06:04 PM
That is too bad. I have been lucky in no flats. Nice that you had the fixings as you would have had a longer push of them bike I imagine. What kind of tires do you have?
I just posted in another thread about my newer Specialized Armadillo tires. I crunched part of a beer bottle with them (both front and back went over it) yesterday and they were no worse for wear. I am sure no tire is flat proof but it gave me some nice confidence in them. I also have thorn resistant tubes in them but that is probably overkill since I am not sure much will ever get past the tire to the tubes.
Downside is weight and cost, of course.
Caincando1
08-16-07, 06:04 PM
"If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stonger!"
DieselDan
08-16-07, 06:34 PM
???????????
Ever tried carrying a spare tube, tire levers, and a pump/CO2?
piper_chuck
08-16-07, 06:44 PM
???????????
Ever tried carrying a spare tube, tire levers, and a pump/CO2?
Yes. When I got the first flat, at 8 miles, I removed the rear wheel, used the levers to remove the tire, pulled out the tube, put on the new tube (after inflating it a bit), reinstalling the tire, and then pumping it up with my frame pump. Lighting struck twice when a little less than 4 miles later the tire was flat a second time and I determined the tube was bad (definitely not a pinch from installing it). Since I was only a half mile from home, and at the bottom of a hill that I absolutely hate, I decided to hoof it instead of removing the tire a second time and resorting to the backup plan, the patch kit.
piper_chuck
08-16-07, 06:49 PM
That is too bad. I have been lucky in no flats. Nice that you had the fixings as you would have had a longer push of them bike I imagine. What kind of tires do you have?
Conti's. Not sure exactly which model. I'm not too bummed about getting a hole in one, it was close to time to replace it anyway. I may go ahead and replace both of them...
I just posted in another thread about my newer Specialized Armadillo tires. I crunched part of a beer bottle with them (both front and back went over it) yesterday and they were no worse for wear. I am sure no tire is flat proof but it gave me some nice confidence in them. I also have thorn resistant tubes in them but that is probably overkill since I am not sure much will ever get past the tire to the tubes.
Downside is weight and cost, of course.
I've looked at those, but I'm not sure anything would have helped. The screw went straight into the tire.
piper_chuck
08-16-07, 06:50 PM
"If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stonger!"
Ain't that the truth.
jaxgtr
08-16-07, 09:54 PM
NOTHING is worse than walking some distance in some cycling shoes. I had to walk about 2 miles once when I hit some debree near a construction site and had multiple holes in both tires and forgot to move my CO2 kit from my other bike and forgot my cell phone It was about 1 am when it happened. I eventually had to take the shoes off cause it was so darn painful on my feet. That next day, I bought another CO2 pump and cartridges so it would not happen again.
BCIpam
08-17-07, 07:10 AM
I used to be a weight weinie (which I always thought was funny - here's a gal that can lose at least 50 lbs worrying about a few oz.!) and carried only CO2. Had the problem of using my cartiridge and still needing air so I now always carry a pump. I love the Roadmorph which is the only small frame pump I know that can blow tires up pass 100 psi. I always carry at least 2 tubes as well. Better safe than sorry.
I also switched to Continental Gatorskins 700 X 25. I can't tell you that last time I had a flat (but I'm ready if it occurs!) using that combination. I usually make sure the tire is inflated to 100 -110 psi before each ride in order to avoid pinch flats. Lastly I also carry tweezers in my pack just in case a thorn or small piece of glass is caught in the tire. As much as I would like to race through a change, I go slow and make sure everything is out of the tire before putting in a new tube.
One last thing - I stopped buying Performance tubes. I found they are usually defective and split at the seams. I now only buy Bontrager or Specialized tubes and have had no problems.
shog
08-17-07, 08:47 AM
I'll second the recommendation on the road morph pump and I'll also second staying away from performance tubes. I bought 6 of them at the beginning of the season and I just tossed 3 unused ones into the trash. The other three failed at the stem when I was inflating the tubes and removing the pump. And before someone posts, no burrs on the hole, the hole isn't too large, and my pump head doesn't fit so tight that I am ripping the stems off. Zero problems since I switched back to specialized tubes.
Shog
piper_chuck
08-17-07, 09:35 AM
The tube that failed, and gave me the chance to take a 1/2 mile walk in cycling shoes, was from Performance. Sorta confirms what you're saying. ;) Guess I'm going to return the other 2 Performance tubes I just bought. :mad:
JeeperTim
08-17-07, 09:53 AM
Hmmmmm - maybe I should look at my new tubes. I can't remember the brand. I recently had to walk 4 miles after exhausting all my repair options when my son and I both had flats. Not fun.
I just bought another pump last night. The old one was taking too much out of me and would not stay on the stem. I used to have an old pump that had a hidden hose in the handle - you would take the hose out and screw it on the pump and the valve stem. That was a great pump. I can't find anything like it now - everything has a lever on it now.
With 6 bikes, 3 son's, and 4 different size tires - a weekend without a flat problem is getting pretty rare for me.
BCIpam
08-17-07, 10:18 AM
Jeeper - look at the Road or Mountain Morph pump (this is not a floor pump but one you carry along. For a floor pump I highly recommend the pumps made by Specialized). The pumps will conform to either presta or schrader. If the tire sizes tend to be greater - like mountain bikes - get the MTB pump - I have been able to easily inflate MTB tires to 60 psi with this pump no problem. It also converts to a mini floor pump and has a tire gauge. It ain't cheap but it works.
Also make sure the tires are properly inflated before every ride. Most flats are caused by soft tires and pinches than anything else. Not that I am a fan, but have you considered Slime tubes? They are messy, and heavy but they do work. If you get a flat. No problem. Rotate the tire to distribute the Slime, and pump with air. You are good to go!
JeeperTim
08-17-07, 10:25 AM
I've started doing the slime tubes - I don't know yet if I like. I only am concerned with the carry pump - I have a shop air compressor I use at home before rides. It has a 60 gallon tank so plenty of air. ;) I'll look for the one you suggest.
Sitting on the side of the road pumping like mad on a crappy little pump really takes a lot out of me that I would rather use to pedal with. :)
piper_chuck
08-17-07, 11:58 AM
The pump on my road bike is a Zefal hp x 4 that's at least 15 years old. Still works great, it will pump a tire to 120 with no problems.
BCIpam
08-17-07, 12:36 PM
Jeeper really check out the Road or MTB Morph. It doesn't work like those other crappy little road pumps. It can be set up to act like a floor pump - the handle extends and there is a foot lever. Probably not the lightest, smallest pump out there but not bad and trust me it works. Hey I'm a girl and using a road pump is tough for us gals. I wouldn't ride with anything else!!!
Also I used Slime tubes for awhile. They make the wheel heavy and frankly I hate the spew that came out everytime I pumped up my tires which mucked up everything, but they do work. I stopped using then when I switch to Gatorskins and Spec. tubes.
JeeperTim
08-17-07, 01:55 PM
That looks pretty interesting. I just bought a Blackburn airstick at Dick's SG last night. We'll see how it works - if I don't like it I'll definately order a Morph. Thanks for the info.
To the OP - one of my patch kits has a plug in it for fixing a hole in a tire. That might be a good option when something big pokes a hole. I carry 2 patch kits and a spare tube..... I don't like walking. ;)
BCIpam
08-17-07, 02:33 PM
Funny story (sort of):
My buddy is a real bike techno geek. everything new that comes out he has to have. His favorite shop talked him into buying TUFO tires - a tubeless tire that costs $75/piece. Of course for a weight weinie these were heaven!
We go for a ride. 2 miles from from home, my buddy is behind me, I hear this "BANG!" I looked behind and he is stopped. Checking back with him found out he rode over some glass and tore a hole in the front tire. It was completely flat. he says "F- - -! What am I suppose to do?" I figure he had no tube so I offered him mine. He looks at me "Pam, what am I suppose to do with that?" "Fix your tire of cuourse" "OK... how do I put in a new tube when the tire is sealed?"
OK it took awhile for me to realize what he was saying (I am no engineer - I don't have the "knack"). Tire ripped - there's no fixing it. Thankfully we were close to home and I rode like Lassie and picked up my car and went back and got him.
That was a sad $150 lesson for sure! :(
Tom Stormcrowe
08-17-07, 02:35 PM
Quick cheap emergency fix.....for a torn CLINCHER tire:
A dollar bill, folded and inserted, will boot patch a torm tire well enough to generally get home on. Alternalive materials, a piece of Duct tape, or a small square of Tyvek sheet, anything to keep the tube from bubbling out the tear or hole. ;)
piper_chuck
08-17-07, 03:45 PM
To the OP - one of my patch kits has a plug in it for fixing a hole in a tire. That might be a good option when something big pokes a hole. I carry 2 patch kits and a spare tube..... I don't like walking. ;)
I agree, a patch kit of two is a must have. I had a patch kit but since I was in my neighborhood, only a half mile from home, at the bottom of the steepest hill on the ride, and had already pulled the wheel off once during the ride, I decided walking was a better choice than dealing with yet another flat. :)