Friday, April 10, riding home from the station on the Fothergill (which is not my usual commuter; but I used it for the commute a couple days this week to shake out any adjustment issues etc before Saturday's "NJ Heroic Century" or whatever you want to call it) I stopped at the HoJo motel to see if I recognized anyone; and had soon found both Phil and Neal. We agreed to ride up to my house... but before we could get out of the parking lot, my rear tire had gone flat. Rrrr. Puncture of uncertain cause, along the edge of the rim strip. No irregularity on the rim, no nipples sticking through the rim strip. Wtf? I patched it.

We rode on.

Friday, April 10, about 3/4 mile up the road from the HoJo motel, my rear tire went flat. Rrrr. Puncture of uncertain cause, along the edge of the rim strip. No irregularity on the rim, no nipples sticking through the rim strip. This was not the patch I had just applied; a new, but very similar puncture in a different location. Wtf? I patched it.

Saturday, April 11, somewhere near mile 45 of our "NJ Heroic Century" or whatever you want to call it, Phil got a pinch flat. I assume it was the flat tire mojo that surrounds me. He patched it and we went on.

Saturday, April 11, somewhere near mile 55 of our "NJ Heroic Century" or whatever you want to call it, Doc's rear tire went flat. It was a staple. Again, no doubt my flat tire mojo. He changed the tube and we went on.

Saturday, April 11, somewhere near mile 60 of our "NJ Heroic Century" or whatever you want to call it, Phil got a pinch flat. I assume it was the flat tire mojo that surrounds me. He patched it and we went on.

Saturday, April 11, somewhere near mile 75 of our "NJ Heroic Century" or whatever you want to call it, my rear tire went flat. Rrrr. Puncture of uncertain cause, along the edge of the rim strip. No irregularity on the rim, no nipples sticking through the rim strip. This was neither of the patches I applied the day before, but a new, but very similar puncture in a different location. Do I detect a pattern? I think the Nashbar plastic rim strip has a rough edge that is abrading the tube somehow. But it could be my flat tire mojo again. I patched it. I'm going to change the rim strip today.