Originally Posted by
skiffrun
Been there, done that.
I planned a long ride with a bunch of guys from the C&V forum, a hundred miles from my house down into the Pine Barrens of NJ and back. I rode my oldest and funkiest bike. To make sure it was all adjusted etc I rode it to work (well, to the train station) the day before. Got a flat on the way home, which was odd, the puncture was on the rim side of the tube. Checked to see that the rim strip was in place, and it seemed okay, so I figured, good to go.
I got two flats on that century with the C&V guys. Both on the rim side of the tube. Hmmm. I should look at this, when I get home... right? Right.
But I forgot all about it. Another forum member invited me to do a populaire permanent the next weekend, starting from near his house, which was about 25 miles from my house. Got a flat on the way; a new hole on the rim side of the tube. Patched it. We started our ride. About halfway out, I got a flat; a new hole on the rim side of the tube. Patched it. Ten miles later, I got a flat; a new hole on the rim side of the tube. Patched it. By this time I had figured out that the plastic rim strip had a sharp edge that had gradually sawed its way through the tube over a large part of the circumference of the wheel. The guys I was riding with didn't have time for me to put in all these patches, and I assured them I could make it home... so they rode away. When I finally got to the convenience store where we'd started the permanent, I had used up all my patches and glue, used my spare inner tube, broken my pump, and my tire was flat again. I called the friend who had planned the ride; he brought me a new tube, a pump, a roll of electricians tape, some glueless patches, and a word of advice: "maintenance!" Doh. I taped over the rim strip, put in the new tube, and rode home with no further trouble, but I haven't ridden with him again. Can't say I blame him.