My horrible ride this afternoon
10-02-08, 06:20 PM
#1
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My horrible ride this afternoon
So, I decided that I was going to go try on a nice 35 mile ride today that I have been meaning to try this past week, but mechanical difficulties prevent me from doing so. Today was no exception.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
10-02-08, 08:33 PM
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OMG!... i'm so sorry to hear that.
seriously, that'd have been the worst day of my life, if that was me.
i've had flats, but never so many in one day, let alone in the span of just few hours apart.
Wow...
seriously, that'd have been the worst day of my life, if that was me.
i've had flats, but never so many in one day, let alone in the span of just few hours apart.
Wow...
10-02-08, 08:45 PM
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Sorry to hear about your luck (or lack of)! Don't give up on the ride. 35 miles is a decent ride. Maybe try a different brand of tube? Try again next when you have time.
Ernest
Ernest
10-02-08, 09:04 PM
#4
Velocommuter Commando
So, I decided that I was going to go try on a nice 35 mile ride today that I have been meaning to try this past week, but mechanical difficulties prevent me from doing so. Today was no exception.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
I wouldn't give up on the route. Learn from your first attempt. Bring more water, plenty of tubes, and a friend or two to ride with.
10-03-08, 09:28 AM
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Could have been just bad luck that you got so many flats, or maybe not. Could there have been something in common between all these flats? Bad road surfaces where you live, or debris on the road? (If so, then maybe you need tougher tires or tubes.) Wrong size tire for your rim? Wrong size tires for your weight? Bad tubes (were all the tubes the same brand? from the same shop?)
Just thinking. If you can't point to any of these thngs as the problem (and I suppose there are other things I might not have thought of), then just write it off to bad luck--at least until the next time you get 12 flats on one ride.
Just thinking. If you can't point to any of these thngs as the problem (and I suppose there are other things I might not have thought of), then just write it off to bad luck--at least until the next time you get 12 flats on one ride.
10-03-08, 09:53 AM
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There are only so many flat tires in life and you got 3 out of the way in one day. Bound to be frustrating but yet progress was made in getting them out of the way.
10-03-08, 10:20 AM
#7
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"Flap flap flap flap boom!" suggests a poorly fitting or poorly seated tire bead and not a faulty tube.
10-03-08, 11:24 AM
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To avoid the ripped stem on tube, take a rat-tail file and bevel the edges of the valve hole in your rims.
To help the second flat... ?was this a normal ran over glass flat? carry patches and learn to love patching; no need to buy another tube.
The blistering feet can easily fixed by trading your clipless pedals for some PowerGrips; these are awesome, gives you grip, but you wear normal shoes, and they don't trap your feet when you come to a quick stop.
The 'boom' with the huge bulge, Agree, was probably not seated properly. When installing tubes make sure to pause at 5-10psi to feel the tire by hand and find those bulges and trapped tubes before proceeding.
To help the second flat... ?was this a normal ran over glass flat? carry patches and learn to love patching; no need to buy another tube.
The blistering feet can easily fixed by trading your clipless pedals for some PowerGrips; these are awesome, gives you grip, but you wear normal shoes, and they don't trap your feet when you come to a quick stop.
The 'boom' with the huge bulge, Agree, was probably not seated properly. When installing tubes make sure to pause at 5-10psi to feel the tire by hand and find those bulges and trapped tubes before proceeding.
10-03-08, 11:47 AM
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They're out to get you! Keep looking over your shoulder and never let your guard down.
10-03-08, 11:53 AM
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I can sympathize with your evident frustration. I think that the route you intended to ride does not harbor malevolent thoughts towards you or any thoughts at all for that matter. So, in order to break the curse, you might go out and do it sometime. Just take about 4 tubes and a patch kit..... one can never be toooooooooo careful.
10-03-08, 01:54 PM
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10-03-08, 04:38 PM
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Sometimes bad is good.
It's the imperfections that make the ride. A year or two from now, you'll be telling wonderful stories about your horrible day. The only bad thing is that it wasn't raining.
It's the imperfections that make the ride. A year or two from now, you'll be telling wonderful stories about your horrible day. The only bad thing is that it wasn't raining.
10-03-08, 04:47 PM
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man i think i've flatted whilst riding maybe 3 times... over the course of 7000km. of those 7000km, 1000km are on the mountain biking trails!
10-04-08, 07:03 AM
#16
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A suggestion for avoiding the problem of walking in non-walkable shoes... If they are available for the cleat style you are using Kool Kovers work great for relatively short distances or even longer ones in a pinch. I can walk fine in my Look cleats with Kool Kovers and the covers easily slip into a jersey pocket.
10-04-08, 07:27 AM
#17
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It really sounds like all three were the result of poor maintenance or repair actions on your part. I am not saying this to be critical of you, but only to suggest that all three can be avoided in the future with some practice and some care. I decided not to say this when I first read the post, but after thinking about it I decided to risk being insensitive since I think you problems were all avoidable and hopefully you can avoid similar ones in the future.
Damage to the stem almost always happens when mounting the tire and is seldom the result of any flaw other than maybe a sharp edge or burr at the hole in the rim. Deburr the hole and use care with the tube when mounting the tire.
A few possibilities here. Most likely is that you pinched the tube when mounting the tire or it was trapped between the bead and the rim. The next most likely is that some sharp foreign object was not removed from the tire after the previous flat. Since you think the stem was at fault this is probably not the problem unless the leak in the tube was at the valve hole. The third possibility is a defective tube. This one is far less likely than the first two.
As I said before this is almost certainly the tire bead was not properly seated or less likely was just ill fitting.
Practice your repair skills and maintain the bike. Don't blame the route or luck. Some flats are inevitable, but these were probably all avoidable.
I have made all the same errors at some time in the past and have found it better to learn to avoid these problems, rather than blame the tubes or the route.
As I said before this is almost certainly the tire bead was not properly seated or less likely was just ill fitting.
Practice your repair skills and maintain the bike. Don't blame the route or luck. Some flats are inevitable, but these were probably all avoidable.
I have made all the same errors at some time in the past and have found it better to learn to avoid these problems, rather than blame the tubes or the route.
10-04-08, 05:57 PM
#18
Every day a winding road
So, I decided that I was going to go try on a nice 35 mile ride today that I have been meaning to try this past week, but mechanical difficulties prevent me from doing so. Today was no exception.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
The ride began well. I was nice and warmed up after about five miles, then, hisssssssss. I pull over to find that the stem on my rear tube partially ripped. I put on a new tube, get riding again. About fifty feet later, hisssss pop. Of course, I only had one extra tube, and of course, I wasn't wearing my walkable shoes, so I had to walk barefoot to the nearest bike shop. Luckily there was a Performance about a mile and a half away. Eight blisters later I get to the shop. I end up buying two new tires while I am there, as well as TWO extra tubes, on top of the one I put on my bike. I ride away with the two tires in a figure eight around my shoulders. Not to be discouraged, I pick up on my ride again.
About five miles back into the ride, I decide that it isn't safe for me to keep going. Too hot, too tired, too little water. 100 yards after I turn around I hear a flap flap flap flap boom! Of course, the tube I put in was faulty, and got a huge bulge and popped itself out of the tire. Again, I exchange the tube. I get back on my bike a little worried that I only have one more spare, and head back to Performance. They give me a new tube without hassle, and, defeated, I head back to my house.
I am never going to try to do that ride ever again.
