Sculptor7

Was all set for a nice late Fall ride and got about 7 miles from home when I noticed the unmistakable feel of a flat in the rear tire. Not surprised because I have been neglecting replacing the tires so late in the season. The bad thing (or things) is that I had just washed my gloves and the rest of my riding clothes last night and when I looked in my saddle tool kit I noticed my vinyl gloves (which I use when dealing with removing the rear wheel and messing with the chain), were missing. On top of that I have also been remiss in cleaning my chain so it was a black greasy mess. Took my jacket off before starting and managed to get away with black hands which I cleaned as best I could on the grass and sand. I had picked up a heavy duty staple in almost the exact location where I had the flat last year. Hardest part was putting the wheel back on and getting it hooked into the derailleur correctly. Even though I have restored a number of bikes and handled a lot of rear wheels I still get confused when re-installing the rear wheel. For some reason bending over the rear wheel, trying to support the frame, push the derailleur sprocket pulley forward and installing the wheel seems to call for one more hand than I have available. Always amazed how the mechanics do it in the Tour de France. Zip! and the rider is away and pedalling hard to catch the peloton.
I am always thinking, "Wait! are you sure it's on right?"

corrado33

Screw the rules. Flip the bike over in the grass and have an easier time replacing the wheel.

trailangel

uh, never turn a bike upside down please....and nobody uses gloves to remove a rear wheel.........

ltxi

Occasions like this is fer why I to be carryin' a cell phone...

nobodyhere

I flip (protecting the computer first). Always move the chain to the outside chain ring and cog prior to removing. No reason to get your hands smudged - a small piece of paper or some leaves to help with grasping does that.

Mucho flat changing here as we have a plethora of goat heads - yes, even with Armadillos, Kevlar or whatever. But, I have been lucky this year - except for my mystery flats.

If you don't have flats, you are missing on the feeling of accomplishment when the job is done, the tire inflated, and you are on your way!!

Dave Cutter

I don't carry gloves! But I do carry 1 or 2 of the handy wipe towel-ettes that I get with Chinese (and chicken) take out.

+1

Remove the handy wipe and use it's package to hold/handle the chain. Then use the wipe to clean yourself up. I keep the replacement tube in a sandwich bag with a pinch of corn starch. Then I put the bagged tube and the handy wipe in a gallon sized storage zip bag... before storing it in my saddle bag.

The gallon sized zip bag will hold your flat tube (for later repair) and the handy wipe trash. It will easily fit in a jersey back pocket with no mess.

I've heard other cyclist mention gloves. Maybe not a bad idea.

woodway

Go ahead and flip that bike over it's makes the process easier for us non-pros. And it won't hurt your bike a bit.

I use my tire lever to lift the chain off the cassette when the wheel goes on or off. In the summer I can change the tube out and still have pretty clean hands. Much tougher in the winter so I carry some wet wipes with me.

Tony Marley

And the flat is nearly always on the rear....

Wanderer

I do too use vinyl gloves for this task!

Wanderer

I used to average 2.5 flats a week, or one about every 100 miles.

Then, I bought Schwalbe Marathon Supremes....................

Now, my biggest worry is the little tube of vulcanizing fluid going dry!

qcpmsame 

I keep a pair of latex gloves in my under seat saddle pack, much better than having greasy hands for the remainder of a ride. They weigh next to nothing, can be made into a very, very small item, so carrying them in the seat bag is not hard, by any stretch of the imagination.

And, its pretty common for someone to turn a bike upside down to do a flat repair, if they so wish. Modern brake/shifter assemblies eliminate the cables for the brakes getting in the dirt and such when its done. Several manuals show doing this for repairs when its necessary, just follow #Nobodyhere 's advice about a cyclocomputer, if you have one mounted. I prefer to lay the bike on the non-drive side, but its all personal preferences. Look at your circumstances, take a few seconds to think through what you want to do, and proceed at a nice, even pace doing the repair. Getting bent out of shape only makes things go worse, and raises the BP a couple of points you don't need.

Bill

corrado33

Care to explain why I shouldn't flip my bike upside down? The only reason I can think of is if you have old style drop bar brakes with the cable coming out of the top of them. Otherwise flipping your bike upside down will cause absolutely no harm to it whatsoever. Even flat bar bikes won't be affected if you do it gently. (Especially in grass) It reminds me about the old adage of laying your wood plane on it's side. Many wood workers don't follow this because they know how to take care of their tools and put them down gently. The wood will never harm the steel iron of the wood plane. That adage came about because of young boys who didn't appreciate the tools and would toss them around and hurt the irons. Point is, if you flip any bike over gently, you'll cause no damage to it whatsoever. You guys are far too anal about your bikes. It's a tool, go use it. And don't you dare say I don't appreciate my bikes. My commuter is 3 years old and looks brand new. "Appreciating" and "babying" are two different things.

leob1

I have a hard time working with those latex\plastic gloves, so I get dirty hands. That is why cycling shorts are black! Turning the bike over, just be careful you don't scratch the bars or shifters or rip the tape. No need to do it for a front flat, your choice for a rear flat. I usually don't, it confuses me when it's time to replace the tire.
The little hand cleaner packets is a good idea, I'll have to start stockpiling them.
The biggest pain in flat fixing is when you have to do it after dark. Or below freezing.

trailangel

It ruins the saddle. You might not mind your plastic getting scratch up..... I don't like scratched up leather, doesn't matter if it's on grass...
Plus, it is easier to remove and replace the rear wheel with bike upright.

nobodyhere

Never had a scratch, but, then, I am careful whereof I flip it. Our grass doesn't scratch. I never get it inserted "just right" if I don't flip it.

trailangel

^^^ I don't let people borrow for this reason.

Sculptor7

I have restored over a dozen old road bikes so I am not a newbie to bicycle mechanics. I do use thin vynl gloves in a situation like this and they work fine. Of course when I am completely disassembling a bike I find that getting my hands dirty is part of the job. Use Goop to clean them. Turning the bike upside down is an option but it would only aggravate the only real problem I have, which is getting my head around where the chain hooks into the jockey wheel on the derailleurl. That and moving the jockey wheel forward which tilting the wheel and supporting the bike. Maybe after I have changed a hundred flats or restored a hundred bikes. Have to watch that scene in "Amereican Flyers"
where Kevin Costner''s girlfriend changes the rear wheel in about 3 seconds.

Pamestique 

I like to mountain bike in an area called Chino Hills... no lie, I have to ride with at least 3 tubes and patches because the russian thistle is so thick you get numerous flats. Ride Chino Hills = at least a flat if not 2 or more...

So have gotten really good at changing flats. Not like the mechanics at Tour de France who only have to replace a whole wheel, I'm taking the wheel off and replacing the tube (and then having to pump it back up)... got it now down to about 10 minutes... trying to find all those little stickers slow me down!!!

And yes, I always turn the bike upside down... different stokes for different folks... just works better for me! My drivetrain is usually clean but if my fingers get dirty, that's what black cycling shorts are for

DiabloScott

I keep my spare tubes inside an old sock inside my saddle bag - the old sock works for a chain handler instead of gloves.

And the upside down tire change looks ****** to me... no offense to ****ers.

OldsCOOL

You, too?? I thought it was just me.

Hey, I have a sig line for this thread.

Garfield Cat

Here's a good You Tube demonstration of how you can put the rear wheel back in without flipping the bike upside down and without dirty hands:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnJBhA8Lx7Q

nobodyhere

OK

That is one of the most flexible tires - well, at least compared to the ones I have. He really did not need to use the tire tool. Wonderfully clean chain!!

Overall an interesting demo.

Garfield Cat

Its not about the tire. Its about how to install the rear wheel after the inner tube has been replaced and the tire put back onto the rim. The demo shows how you really don't have to touch the chain during the install.

And how you don't have to turn the bike upside down. But in real "outside world" conditions, I end up having to lean the bike against a wall or some kind of post so that it stays up vertically. Other thing is the bike is resting on the chain stays and the chain is touching the ground. That's why I always carry a thin towel to use as a barrier between the chain and the ground.

digibud

Take a serious look at going tubeless. I got back from a road ride in Albuquerque with 4 thorns stuck in my tire and didn't even know it because my tubeless road tires worked perfectly. I also caught a staple in my tire going downhill at 45mph and pulled it out at the bottom after seeing my white goop seeping from my tube. I don't want to think what would have happened if it had been a bad blow out at that speed. I do love tubeless and recommend anyone in thorn country to give it a try.

InTheRain

I've had great luck with my schwalbe marathon plus tires on my commuter. 1500 commuting miles this year... no flats. I've converted the frame to take disc brakes. I haven't even researched how to change a flat on a bike with disc brakes. I might be using the cell phone option on the day that I get a flat. It's an e-bike with an electric motor hub on the back and a dynamo hub on the front - I'll have some wiring to deal with also.