My education as a cyclist continues. This summer, I have discovered two ways to guarantee I won't get flats:

1. Carry two tubes and a patch kit on your bike, plus a tire boot, plus a pump.

The more s*** you carry on your bike to be prepared for a flat, the less likely you will be to have a flat. I have never flatted while carrying more than two pounds of spare tools. You can take that to the bank. (A corollary to this rule: you will never break a spoke if you are carrying spare spokes and a spoke wrench).

2. Buy new tires.

Notice -- I did *not* say change your tires. Just wait until you are having lots of flats, rule out every other possible explanation, and then buy new tires for your bike. Then put them on a shelf in your garage -- once you have spent the money on new tires, your flats will completely cease. You can continue running around on your old tires, w/no flats, once you have contributed a sufficient amount of funds to the Bicycling Economy.

I am pretty sure that this will work *until* you have waited so long to install the new tires that you have forgotten where you put them. Then, your flats will start up again....you can buy yet *another* set of tires...and then the first set of tires you purchased will magically reappear.

You can thank me later.