Hot Potato

3 miles from work, WHOOOSHPsssssst. A shingle nail through the rear tire. Big hole, no problem, I have a tire boot. Tube trashed, no problem, I have a spare tube. While filling up the repair with a CO2 cartridge I manage to snap off the presta valve head... Arrrghhhh!

But at least I had cleat covers for the three mile walk.

Nails on the roadway SUCK!
Flat tires SUCK!
Presta Valves SUCK!
And I suck, for screwing up a basic repair.

It was a bit chilly for a ride into work, but it was a damn fine morning for a walk.

AndrewP

You need a Road Morph or Lezyne pump with a hose for rapid inflation without irritations. Tough luck.

DX Rider

I hear ya. I had to walk a few miles about a month ago. Hit some ninja road trash, I didn't see it until I was right on top of it, and I had forgotten my spare when I repacked my bag.

My sister happened to pass by me in her car and gave me a lift, otherwise it would have been a 12 mile walk with a bike.

Tobias Greenich

Got a flat last week. I was prepared but walked anyways. I didn't feel like tearing apart my tire at the side of the road on that particular day. I just walked the last mile and fixed it in my garage.

Besides, walking is good for you too.

dwr1961

+1...

I ripped out multiple valves over the years before buying a Road Morph. I recently upgraded to a Lezyne, which IMO is an even slicker design. Get either one and it won't happen again.

Like you, I've walked more than once even after leaving home "prepared." Sometimes these things just happen.

corkscrew

I got a flat on a late night ride home two nights ago. Walked into a lit parking lot to change the tube. Did it in a hurry due to shady characters driving by and yelling things. Don't have a gauge on my cheap mini-pump so I just filled it up till it felt firm. (probably only 60psi ish).

Sure enough, the next day, getting ready for a ride. Decide I'll top the new tube off to the proper pressure. Turns out I had snake bitten and weakened the tube during the install. A section swelled up and blew out. Blew the tire off the rim.

I love my new road bike. I hate road bike tires.

Vinci

I had a similar situation a couple weeks ago on a ride. My spare tube didn't get damaged by the inflater, but the threads on the stem had worn a couple small holes in the tube while it was wound up in my seat bag. That was a long walk home in road shoes/cleats.

I now unwrap all new tubes and cover the stems before putting them in my seat bag (or trunk bag for commutes) and carry a second spare as well.

DataJunkie

No matter how prepared you think you are eventually fate will have her way.

Hot Potato

I have one. Three of them, actually. Just not on this bike. I was on my minimalist road bike. So minimalist that only one tube will fit in the under seat bag. Great for long road rides, event rides, going fast, steep hills, but only so-so for commuting. Ah well.

rumrunn6

nice to have a place to vent, huh?

Thursday I saw 2 bikers walking bikes that weren't flat.

uke

I've had one riding flat in about 1200 miles since August. I don't carry tubes or pumps. :O)

Bat22

Did you ride your bike all the way to work?
No, I put it on my shoulder and ran in.

Hot Potato

Final bill for todays ride: $140. I truly got "nailed"

The rear tire puncture was too large to salvage the tire. So, two new tubes, two specialized armadillo tires (an upgrade I hope is worth it), a new co2 cartridge, a few bike shop odds and ends, and I am on my way. On the positive side, I wasn't going fast when this happened. I have been on some curvey descents where a rapid deflation like I experienced today would have been painful, this one just cost me some time and money.

Yan 

Saying the flat cost you $140 is kind of a stretch.

DataJunkie

Reading comprehension is your friend.

Grim

Presta's are so easy to hose up. I snapped one with a Road Morph. Thankfully it was my Sunday rider and I was just topping off the tires at home for a weekend ride.

crhilton

I've broken presta valves with a floor pump. Seriously, it's a terrible design. The things are crap.

Anyway, that's definitely a bummer. Never thought to carry a tire boot. I guess I'd probably stuff something in there and cross my fingers.

On my commuter I usually carry a couple of spare tubes. Not that I think I'll use them, but where else am I going to store them?

lambo_vt

Wait, what? How??

Hot Potato

I have read about, but never tried, a dollar bill folded up for an emergency tire boot.

I store tubes all over the place. My garage, my car, at work, vacation condo, and on the bike of course. Yesterday I realized that I did not replace the one from work, and had to arrange a ride home after flubbing the repair on the road. Come to think of it, I do the same with pumps too. A new model catches my eye every now and then, the old one goes someplace I think I might need it. The really old ones get left out for public use at work, or the neighborhood kids.

I think I might be running out of ways to botch a flat repair.

DataJunkie

Prestas are fine. It is more the pumps and methods used to inflate the tire that cause them to break.

Bat22

I pulled a presta valve off with my tight little floor pump.
Promised to never do it again.
A man has got to know his limits.

MaroSteve

Dont you have to pull the back tire off to repace it because of the frame of the bike? if so. doesnt that become a little issue with the derailleur & chain and such? I can put a chain back on w/o thinking about it, but the whole derailleur thing.. I wish I knew how they worked because my front one seems a little loose..

BA Commuter

I'm always tempted to yell: "you're supposed to ride the bike, not walk it"