I carry wrenches, patches, misc other bits. And I just had to repair a flat on Dec 3rd at Franklin Ave SE and East River Parkway, MNBikeGuy should know where that is. Temp some where below 20 and the rear tire goes flat. The Seca tire, with FPS (grumble, grumble), was flat and, well, weird lookin. I'm assuming it didn't like being cold and flat since it looked like the air had been sucked out of it. I wrecked my plastic tire irons getting the tire loose, leaving it in the frame because I didn't want to handle the now very cold wrenches needed to take it out. Found the hole in the tube but nothing in the tire. One Park Super Patch later, a little air, and off to work I go.

Things I learned:

Chemical hand warmers, life savers they are!

Seca tires, crap they are. Threw out front Seca tire after 2 months, threw out last one last week. I put the Continental Gatorskins back on and Slimed them. One winter fix was enough. My fault for using them, I should have returned them after the two identical 27x1.25 tires had different bead circumferences.

I learned the value of carrying thin glove liners on the other side of that bridge. Raining and 25* @ 11:30 pm. Good times.

I fixed a flat tire during an evening blizzard rush hour last year.
No big thing. Just a matter of gaining experience.
Not near public trans, and all the cabs are booked up.
I felt that fixing it was the easiest way out.

Riding beats walking any tiime ;-)

Long stretches of my commute includes a bike trail where public transportation doesn't go. Save for two or three spots, cars can't go there, either. So if you have a flat or a mechanical problem you can't fix, you're in for a long walk back to one of these places if indeed you can call your Sweetie for a ride home.

I carry spare tubes, patch kit, frame pump, CO2 inflator, a couple of CO2 cartridges, a Park MTB-3 multi-tool... in fact, my rack trunk would probably make Yehuda Moon proud ;-)

But I can usually fix what's messed up, and limp on home, or help a fellow rider do so.

About 150 degrees F below 32 Toluene (the major solvent in the glue) freezes at -117 F (-82C). Freezing isn't a problem. Getting the toluene to evaporate would be but not freezing. I agree on carrying a spare tube, however.

I seldom get them either but I'd fix it. If I couldn't most of my commuting routes parallel bus routes so I'd use them.

I don't get the cell phone generation, however. Riding along in the cold and you get a flat. Your choices are to fix it, walk home (or to a bus stop) or call someone. If you fix it, you may get a little cold but usually your are active and can keep a bit of heat going. Walking keeps the heat flowing too. Waiting for someone to come a pick you up means standing around in wet clothes in less clothing than you should be wearing for standing around in. I think I'd pack the tires with grass before I waited for a ride

Who says you have to wait? I had a sidewall blowout a few months ago, and for some goofy reason I can't remember, I didn't have a spare tube in my bag that day. I was about 5 miles from home. I called for a pickup from my wife, then started walking (in fact I was already walking when on the phone). I covered a mile before she showed up. If she wasn't around, I would have gotten there about an hour later.

I've a feeling the adhesive characteristics of the glue itself, however, get pretty crappy well before that point.

My road morph frame pump was attached to my down tube.
I had to take it apart and shake and blow all of the slush and
road salt out for it to work.
For years I carried it on a trunk bag and never thought of
this kind of problem. I don't use a trunk bag now and
I stick the mini pump in my pack.
It was a good lesson.

Probably not. Storing it in cold doesn't really have much effect (I leave it on the bike all year long in an unconditioned garage). The glue itself doesn't need heat to vulcanize. It just needs the toluene to evaporate. The toluene would evaporate at the freezing point, it would just take a long time. It's just easier to carry a spare tube

Exactly. When at the side of the road at 0° F, I am not comforted by what the Chemistry Book says about the properties of Toluene, especially since that is not the only ingredient in the patch kit glue tube.

Take my word for it the glue won't come out of the tube. Of course another problem of fixing flats at bitter cold temperatures is pulling the backing off the patches with mittens on and applying glue that will set up just fine, if you chant a few paragraphs from your Chemistry Book.

I have been riding for years and never can seem to master fixing flats and other simple repairs. What is the best way to learn?
1. Get a job in a bike shop? (ain't happening)
2. DVD/ Video
3. Repair book (tried it, no go)
4. Anything else?

Get a patch kit and a tube that holds air (preferably an old or at least cheap one). Poke a hole in it with a safety pin and follow the directions on the patch kit. Make sure you spread the glue around in an area large enough so that all of the patch will be sitting on glue. Let the glue dry a bit before putting the patch on.

I think too many people wait until they get a flat on the road before trying to fix one. It's easier when your not under pressure and can take your time. Like anything else, you get better results with practice.

As far as other repairs go, see if your local bike shop or bike co-op has classes. Several in my neck of the woods do.

I had a basic bike repair DVD. I thought it was pretty good.
I gave it out to the neighborhood kids which was even better.
It took a lot of pressure off me as the go to guy for flat,
cable and chain repair.

At the risk of sounding he-man-ish, I generally fix problems if it's too far to walk no matter what. I'm too stubborn to call a friend/family member, most of whom usually try to chide me into getting a car

It's totally stubbornness on my part though -- certainly not toughness

Get the Schwabble marathon + tires. No need to change a flat all winter.

I just looked into this. looks awesome. Plus they have 25cc size.

You mean marathon winters? Plusses are practically slicks. I'd be on my can every day with plusses around here.

Marathon winters are rated highest puncture protection by Schwalbe. They're studded AND they have a kevlar belt.

If I got lectured by someone bailing me out, I'd be stubborn too.
I find most cagers "don't get" winter riding at all.

Bus tokens. Best tool in my bag. I've used them a few times. I actually saved some decent money because I bought 10 of them last spring before gas prices went to the moon and bus fair went up. I've done some minor repairs, but it's just easier to get on the bus and do the repairs at home in light and warmth.

You could, of course, warm the glue in your arm pit to make it more fluid and it would probably still work. Freezing it has no effect on the glue itself which is what I was pointing out in the first place.

So how is getting the backing off the patch any more difficult in mittens then getting the tire off the rim? I've never tried to take a wheel off with gloves on...much less mittens.

If you would read what I said, I did agree that a spare tube would be wise. However things happen and it would also be wise to carry a patch kit...and warm it (if you have to) with body heat.

I'll let your anti-intellectualism stand on its own.

I commute through seven miles of prairie. There aren't any subways, or bus lines, usually there aren't even any trees to lock my bike to.

I could call my wife, but in parts of my commute I'm a mile from the nearest intersection with the road system...

I think I'll just fix the flat or walk my bike to my start or destination.

Getting out of the wind is really helpful for cold weather repairs. Difficult if you have a rural commute, pretty easy for city dwellers. (bus shelter etc.) Have thin gloves that allow for dexterity but some warmth, use a spare tube (deal with patching the flat one indoors later!) Should be on your way before you cool down from being heated from riding.

Although I have not had any flats in really cold weather, maybe a 2-3C december day. (knock on wood now...) And that day I probably would have hopped the subway as my ride was paralleling it except I was headed to a party carrying beer in my pannier and the thought of negotiating the heavy bike + beer down the subway station stairs I opted to just fix and go.

Same here. Last winter I busted my seat bolt twice. The first time I rode home standing up. The second time, I had a replacement bolt and fixed it on the spot. I try to carry spare parts with me, bolts, screws, nuts, whatever. You never know. I go by past experiences of breakdowns. And stock up accordingly.

Not an option for some of us. There are no buses within miles of any part of my route. Heck, there are places where it's the better part of a mile to the nearest house.