Murphy. It's HIS laws that would cause your tire to fail if you left your 'biker survival kit' at home.

Alright, I guess I'll buy a patch kit and one of those under-the-seat carrying deals to put it in. And if a spare tube will fit in that carrying case too, perhaps one of them as well.

I was VERY furtunate that a friend lived close by or I [and my wife who was with me] would have had to walk the 12 miles back to the car.

Along the same lines of tires, I'd also like to get a bike pressure gauge [a good one] so I know how much to put in. I'm just not comfortable with the "press down on the tire with your thumb" methode of adding the amount of air the tires need. Two bad things could happen [one far worse that the other]. I don't put in enough air and that adds to the tire drag. I put in more than max and I have a blowout.

So, when I get a pressure guage, how close to max pressure is safe before it turns into potential problems?

Thanks for the answers and advice!!