I'm into about my 5th week of bike commuting today. I've upgraded to panniers, got the reflecto-vest, and am "taking the lane", even adventuring into the left turn lane at slower intersections to make the left with the cars. Riding faster, and getting stronger.

I had my first flat today. Major bummer. I didn't have an extra inner tube, but I had a patch kit which I had never used before (and which I have NO experience with.)

I pulled over to the curb on busy Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, flipped my bike over (it's the rear wheel by rule that pops, right?), and pried off the tire in about two seconds. Ok, maybe 20, but it was fast. So fast, that I got the attention of two elderly gentleman parked nearby who came by to watch my work.

Mind you, I consider myself a ROOKIE at bike commuting and a total DON'T KNOW #!#!#? when it comes to bike repair. However, I have changed my tires from flats to knobbies, so I put my newfound knowledge to work.

I remembered to check my tire for thorns/punctures, but couldn't find any; must have been a pinch flat (I hope). I had no idea how to use the CO2 canister, but somehow managed to get it to shoot some air so I could find the miniscule hole in the tube. I was all excited now, and so were my spectators, so I busted out the patch glue, and lo and behold - the damn thing is sealed shut! Overpackaging, to say the least! You need like a sharp tipped needle to puncture than damn metal cover!! WTF!

Somehow, my Kryptonite key was just small enough to ding a hole in it, so I got it flowing. I put the patch on, and heh-heh - the stuff actually dries pretty fast! To my utter amazement, my tire seemed to be good to go.

I warned my spectators here that I could run into trouble, but I managed to pop the 26" mountain bike tire & inner tube on in about 1-2 minutes without tire levers. I screwed on the CO2 tank again, and had no idea how to get it to start, but suddenly it started to work, and I nearly froze my hand off holding on to the container (they get COLLDD!)

The worst part by far (and still is for me) was getting the damn back tire onto the bike. I never know which way to swing the chain, and I kind of stick my tire rod in between them - seems to work, but I always seem to get stuck halfway, and it took me like 7 minutes to get the dang thing back on again (seemed to help to pull the chain back to clear the derailleur?) If someone knows the proper way to do this, let me know!

By now, my hands were all black with chain grease, but I was happy. My bike was good to go, and I'd broken in my patch kit! Took about 20 minutes - would have been nearly 10 if I knew how to get that back tire back on again, and probably even faster if I'd had a spare tube on hand. Some younger guys also stopped by near the end and also said they were impressed that I didn't even need the tire iron at all.

My elderly audience clapped and said they'd never seen anyone change a tire so fast. (They're obviously not experienced bikers, heh heh. The LBS guys do it in less than 5!) I rode the rest of the way, picked up 3 sets of slimy type inner tubes at Helen's Cycles, and here at home, my tire still works.

Even for a total commuter rookie, changing tires with an audience made me feel hardcore. It's a good feeling.

Peace
Agarose2000

Good work Sounds like you're doing great with the commute. Two tips:
* baby wipes. Very tiny, very handy.
* to puncture the glue, use the BACK SIDE of the cap. Take a look, you'll see that it has a pointy thing just for this purpose

Never has so much been written about so little.

Congrats on changing your first flat though.

Ahhhh- I never would have thought to look on the back of the cap! Thanks

congrats! I still dunno how to properly patch and/or change a tire...I mean...I do...I've just never done it

Very good for you. By this time next year you'll have it down to 5 min. also.

I like to carry a spare tube and (if needed) patch the punctured tube at home. Makes those roadside flat fixes go faster.