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-   -   anatomy of a failed commute (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/221888-anatomy-failed-commute.html)

Caspar_s 08-23-06 02:45 PM

I did that two weeks ago - and had decided to take the long way home, so was 10 miles away, along the lake front, where there are no stores anywhere close.

The call to the wife didn't work though - she had a headache, was annoyed that I hadn't called and couldn't find my change kit anyway. I walked for an hour before getting to a payphone to call her, and another hour to get home.

She did ride down and walk/ride with me though.
(and of course, as soon as we got in the apartment, we saw the kit on the bathroom floor)

o-dog 08-23-06 03:42 PM


Originally Posted by moxfyre
Holla! I'm in College Park too, and I ride 28 mm tires as well. They're strong enough for our glass-strewn shoulders :)

glass-strewn is right! I'm thinking about getting out there with a construction vest one weekend and sweeping em myself.

maybe I'll repave a couple of the roads I ride on in Hyattsville while I'm at it... they've been largely responsible for the aforementioned wheel detruings

squeakywheel 08-23-06 07:48 PM

I changed the tube tonight. Yep. Snake bite marks the width of my rim. It was a pinch flat. I also packed my velcro straps in the repair kit. They're for hanging the pump on the top tube. In retrospect, I probably could have done that with rubber bands from the office supply cabinet. Oh well.

I gotta say this pumping the tires every time I ride is sort of a nuisance. My MTB tires seem to do fine for weeks.

moxfyre 08-23-06 08:43 PM


Originally Posted by o-dog
glass-strewn is right! I'm thinking about getting out there with a construction vest one weekend and sweeping em myself.

maybe I'll repave a couple of the roads I ride on in Hyattsville while I'm at it... they've been largely responsible for the aforementioned wheel detruings

I've called the PG County and State road people a couple of times and asked them to sweep the streets. They did do it, but it took a couple weeks for them to get around to it. I'd give it a shot.

N_C 08-24-06 12:28 AM

First of all isn't it ironic when you need the tools to fix a flat most & don't have them you get a flat? Second never ride with out them. Third, don't feel bad about having to call your wife to come rescue you. There have been times I had everything I needed to deal with most mechanical problems, multi-tool, pump, spare tubes, patch kit, etc. I have still had to call my wife because something happened I could not fix. Finally always carry an adapter that allows you to pump the tire up as if it were a schrader. Put one in the patch kit box.

My patch kits consists of glue, patches, small piece of sandpaper, valve stem tool, presta to schrader adapter, extra valve caps & emergency chain links, I had to find a larger plastic box. I also carry the Topeak Mountain Morph pump, 2 extra tubes & a multi tool.

recursive 08-24-06 07:02 AM


Originally Posted by squeakywheel
I gotta say this pumping the tires every time I ride is sort of a nuisance. My MTB tires seem to do fine for weeks.

Mountain bike tires are lower pressure so this makes sense that they don't lose as much. To me, the tradeoff for decreased rolling resistance is well worth the <1 minute of pumping.

truman 08-24-06 09:53 AM


Originally Posted by recursive
Mountain bike tires are lower pressure so this makes sense that they don't lose as much. To me, the tradeoff for decreased rolling resistance is well worth the <1 minute of pumping.

If you haven't invested in a good floor pump, now's the time. Topping off tires daily (I have to do it semi-daily, myself) with a frame pump or minipump is for people who just don't like themselves much.

NoRacer 08-24-06 10:01 AM

I commute on 21mm wide tires and never get a pinch flat even if I run them at 60 psi. Of course, I would never run them that low intentionally, unless I have a puncture in the tread. Then I squirt in some Tufo sealant followed by whatever pressure the tires will hold until I can do something more permanent.


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