What was your first fix?
02-22-26 | 01:56 PM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,281
Likes: 1,028
From: Chicago area
Bikes: Airborne "Carpe Diem", Motobecane "Mirage", Trek 6000, Strida 2, Dahon "Helios XL", Dahon "Mu XL", Tern "Verge S11i"
Though I'm sure I fixed flats before this, the first one I remember is after I bought my Motobecane Mirage in 1975. In the first couple weeks I had about 5 or 6 flats. This caused me to learn to look for the source of the flat, which turned out to be from rough edges on the drain holes in the steel rims. I went back to the shop and asked for warranty relief, and was told that the wheels weren't covered. I never darkened the door of that shop again. My next repair was chamfering all the little holes to prevent more flats. I still have this bike, and the rear wheel is still original.
02-22-26 | 11:03 PM
#28
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2026
Posts: 39
Likes: 8
Though I'm sure I fixed flats before this, the first one I remember is after I bought my Motobecane Mirage in 1975. In the first couple weeks I had about 5 or 6 flats. This caused me to learn to look for the source of the flat, which turned out to be from rough edges on the drain holes in the steel rims. I went back to the shop and asked for warranty relief, and was told that the wheels weren't covered. I never darkened the door of that shop again. My next repair was chamfering all the little holes to prevent more flats. I still have this bike, and the rear wheel is still original.
02-23-26 | 07:23 AM
#30
SE Wis
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,546
Likes: 4,323
From: Milwaukee, WI
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/arts/...intellectuals/
02-23-26 | 12:07 PM
#31
Early-onset OldFartitis
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 743
From: USA
Bikes: 1996 Trek 970 ZX Single Track 2x11
Mother Nature crafted just the right sort of shape and angle to wreak havoc on the soles of our feet and tubes in our tires.
03-11-26 | 09:20 PM
#32
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2026
Posts: 39
Likes: 8
03-12-26 | 01:00 PM
#34
Senior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2,419
Likes: 2,270
From: Hacienda Hgts
Bikes: 2026 Motobecane Mulekick 520 Steel 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er
More of an "Aha" moment, rather than a fix, when I recently watched a detailed vid on how Shimano STI trim functions work on the FD. Imagine that? The fix was a simple click of the small or large shifter. Problem of chain rub solved. Only took about 10 years but better late than never.
03-13-26 | 11:37 AM
#35
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2026
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
From: Nova Scotia
Bikes: 1980 Colnago Super, 1985ish Biemezzetta, 1960's Schauff 2 speed duomatic tandem, 1991 Koga Miyata Road Winner, KHS tandem, Burley MTB tandem, a couple of unicycles, ORBEA Orca, Renovo, Tamarack, 1974 Peugeot
first fix
I got an 5 speed with stick shift shifter on top tube, banana seat, high rise bars when I was 8 or 9. Decided to take it apart. Getting it back together was a challenge, my father was of no help so my older brother and I kept at it until we had no leftover parts and it was working again.This would have been 1968 or so, no real bike shops close by and no extra money even if there was.
