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Horrible commute ride.
As I left work yesterday (Friday), late already, my front tire flatter before I was 200m from the bike rack. Pushed back a bit to have a bench to work at, patched the tube.
4km later, front flat again. Change to my spare tube, hop on. Seems to be low, so I stop to top up a little, slip while pumping, and bend the valve core. It breaks when I turn the nut after trying to straighten it, but seems to be holding air. I put my zefal hpx back on the bike, and coast down to the lock to cross the canal. As I'm carrying my bike across the lock, my pump falls in the drink. Forgot to put velcro strap on. I got home fine, but took a while and really frustrating. Still better than driving in traffic. |
I hate when that happens. ;)
-Kedosto |
+1 Tomorrow is another day to ride. Hang in there.
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Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re thr bug. But mostly you’re the windshield. Commute more! |
Almost the same thing happened to me once but with the addition that I had the flat during a downpour. Took me five minutes to find an area out of the rain. Replaced the tube and bent/broke the valve stem though in my case, I did not have sufficient pressure in the tire to hold the tub closed and the inner part fell into tube. I was so fed up that I called the wife for a ride - only the second time in decades of commuting. The other time was when my handlebar broke.
Yes, these challenges are character-building and anything is better than driving in traffic. Your thread title should have been "horrible, but could have been worse" |
The struggle is real.
Bloodied, bruised, late, wet, cold, dirty, sweaty, lost, threatened, close calls, broken, crooked, flat...
Originally Posted by Viich
(Post 20527253)
Still better than driving in traffic.
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Crap happens but dropping the lock was the expensive part. Sorry to hear your predicament. I once dropped a two way radio into the Rideau Canal and it was an expensive lesson.
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How far is this commute?
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Originally Posted by Viich
(Post 20527253)
As I left work yesterday (Friday),
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Originally Posted by Viich
(Post 20527253)
As I left work yesterday (Friday), late already, my front tire flatter before I was 200m from the bike rack. Pushed back a bit to have a bench to work at, patched the tube.
4km later, front flat again. Change to my spare tube, hop on. Seems to be low, so I stop to top up a little, slip while pumping, and bend the valve core. It breaks when I turn the nut after trying to straighten it, but seems to be holding air. I put my zefal hpx back on the bike, and coast down to the lock to cross the canal. As I'm carrying my bike across the lock, my pump falls in the drink. Forgot to put velcro strap on. I got home fine, but took a while and really frustrating. I hope Monday is better for you. Cheers Still better than driving in traffic. |
Days like these make me glad buses have bike racks.
The same racks that anti-cyclists complain are a waste of money because they never see them being used. |
Originally Posted by blakcloud
(Post 20528318)
Crap happens but dropping the lock was the expensive part. Sorry to hear your predicament. I once dropped a two way radio into the Rideau Canal and it was an expensive lesson.
Originally Posted by StarBiker
(Post 20528344)
How far is this commute?
Originally Posted by vol
(Post 20528452)
At least your were not heading to work.
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The original flat was a small tear on the inside of the tube, and some of the spokes seemed a little loose, so I pulled out the truing stand and tried to get everything to an even tension, true and round. I got it done, and then thought about how long it's been that I've had that wheel and have never greased the bearings, so I did that as well. It's an AlexRims R500 with a Shimano H-2200 hub, everything looked good with no sign of contamination.
Now if I could only figure out what I'm doing wrong patching tubes...... I've never had enough flats to practice much, but I think I need to get it figured out. I almost never have them last very long on road tires. |
Originally Posted by phughes
(Post 20528644)
We all have those days once in a while. Those days makes up truly appreciate the other ones. You may want to consider a pump like the Topek Road Morph, it has a hose, which makes damaging the valve stem less likely than with the Zefal. I wanted to put a Zefal on my LHT when I got it, since I had one for many years on a differen bike, and it worked well, and of course the LHT has a pin for a frame pump. The old bike has Schrader valves though, and are harder to damage with a pump. I went with the Road Morph instead and really like it.
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Originally Posted by Viich
(Post 20528831)
Thanks, I'm looking at the road morph or something similar. I really like the volume of the full size frame pump, but none of them have a hose.
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Originally Posted by Viich
(Post 20528826)
The original flat was a small tear on the inside of the tube, ......
Now if I could only figure out what I'm doing wrong patching tubes...... I've never had enough flats to practice much, but I think I need to get it figured out. I almost never have them last very long on road tires. |
I know people log these kind of miles in and more on their commutes but 25 miles round trip a day is a haul.
I doubt you are hanging 2X12 Greenboard all day. |
Good example of what helps make bike commuters badasses |
Those dayz suck.
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Originally Posted by phughes
(Post 20529332)
I was the same way, but I have to say, I am very happy with the Road Morph. I think the fact you pump it like a foot pump helps make up for the lack of volume.
The hose eliminates the risk of damaging the tube stem as well. Highly recommended. |
Originally Posted by StarBiker
(Post 20529925)
I know people log these kind of miles in and more on their commutes but 25 miles round trip a day is a haul.
I doubt you are hanging 2X12 Greenboard all day. No, I'm not doing labour, I'm an engineer now. I do know how to work though, 10 years enlisted before I decided the knees had had enough. |
Originally Posted by winston63
(Post 20530660)
I'll second that - I swear by this pump and find it's easier to fill a tire than larger volume frame pumps because you use it like a small stand pump.
The hose eliminates the risk of damaging the tube stem as well. Highly recommended. |
I've learned the hard way to take my time after repairing a flat. In my haste to get going, I've left behind tire levers, inflators, patch kits, etc.
Like you did, it helps to push the bike to more comfortable work conditions where the repair is less stressful, and hopefully you'll remember to put all your stuff back the right way. |
i can vouch for the road morph. plus the customer service is top notch. once i called them saying i needed to order a new hose assembly, as i broke the thumb lever that fastens the tire valve to the pump. the customer rep said "no problem i'll send out a new one right away and there's no charge". i told him the pump was 9 years old!.good people to deal with.
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I ordered the road morph. Used it today after some wheel repair as a test, I am quite pleased. Thanks for the recommendations.
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