I alrady took the wheel off the bike... i'll take a look at it once I get the new tire back on the bike. I tend to lean the bike over pretty far in my turns... and some of the roads I have ridden on have a lot of pepples and other debris.. also - on my last ride I was on an unfamiliar road and there was some kind of a trough/groove in thep avement that my front wheel fell into - I almost crashed... but managed ot hold it together and get out of the groove.. very likely that could have messed it up....

I will look into the GP4000S II... sounds like everyone says good things about it.

do many of you carry a spare tire in a pouch on your bike? I have not yet put a little bag on the back of my seat - but now that I have experienced my first flat, I can see how it would really suck to be far from home, wearing bike shoes that you really can't walk in - and then have to figure out how to get home.. luckily my flat was .5 miles from home and my wife came to get me in the SUV.... I could have walked home barefoot..but she is just nice like that.

I am thinking one of those little bags with some basic tools, a CO2 pump thing - and a spare tube or tire? maybe I could also keep some snacks in there for my long rides.

thanks guys!! I appreciate the help. I'm really enjoying my new bike.. cant' wiat to get my tire back on and get some rides in over the holidays. Weather in So Cal will be perfect for it once this rain we have now blows over.