Well, got my first flat today. Had never fixed one before (replaced the tube in this case). I really can't complain, I walked in to my garage to go for a ride and lo and behold there was said flat. So I got to leisurely complete my first ever repair in the comfort of my garage
Took me about 10 times longer than most of you guys I'm sure!

Sad to say but I got pretty good at fixing flats with all of the practice I've had.

No way, it doesn't count unless the flat comes while you're on the road. Sorry, your's just counts as a practice flat....practice in the garage is a good thing.

I was just happy first repair wasn't at dusk down at the other end of the L.A. River bike path (which I was just riding yesterday).

I know! I feel almost guilty.

First and only tire swap I've had to do so far wasn't even due to a flat, but it was worse--of all the tires in the world I chose to try my hand first time at tire install, I chose a Continental indoor trainer tire, which is like, extra- extra-hard, and I basically failed, blew my tube and ended up going to my LBS for Tire Mounting 101.

The mechanic at the LBS then proceeds to make it look easier than microwaving some popcorn. "Gets pretty easy after you've done a couple thousand tire mountings," so he says.

-Ed

Practice and I'm sure his hands could crush an apple which makes it easier to wedge that tire onto the rim

Traditionally, a first flat occurs at least 20 miles from home when you're not carrying a spare tube or any means of inflating a tire.

I know--I lucked out. I have had all the stuff in my saddle bag to fix one but was nervous about that first time. The closest I got to fixing one before was watching a Youtube video

BTW, dunno if this is common but I couldn't find any signs of a puncture on the tire OR the tube. I inflated the flat tube and it's still sitting there inflated. No indication of escaping air, etc. Must be a really slooooow leak, but I check my tires before every ride and very rarely have they needed air.

Been there, done that!

So the question is, did you identify the cause of the flat?

Or is the "I got my second flat today" thread about to appear.

I never could find the source--I examined the tire thoroughly inside and out, and I re-inflated the old tube which stayed inflated for several hours--when it was inflated I went over and over it and couldn't find the leak.
Rode about 4 miles on the new one after the repair and as of this morning it's still at full inflation, so I guess I can assume it wasn't something in the tire (fingers crossed....)

Sounds like the air just leaked out of the tube, but it wasn't a bad tube.

Put the old tube, while inflated, into some water and look for bubbles. You'll quickly find the puncture, if indeed there is one.

You really want to find the source. If you don't you may well have not fixed the problem. And when it happens at home you have the luxury of the sink as mentioned above.

It's possible something small put a small puncture in your tube, and is now gone from the tire, which would mean no problem. It's also possible that something small (very small glass shard, tiny piece of wire from a steel belted car tire, etc.) is in the tread, and is so small it only pokes out under weighting, in which case flat number 2 is on the horizon.

If you still have the tube, find the hole, then colesly inspect the tire on the correlating spot. (which is why you always want to mount the tires in a consistent spot on the wheel.)

Indeed, I didn't do the water test. I ended up just tossing it, since it did deflate again after several hours. But I am curious--I might go yank it outta the trash and stick it in some water to see

I hear ya--gonna check it out! I thought I was outta the woods since I rode on the new one and it seemed OK, but I'm new to all this---thanks for the tips!

you have popped your tire cherry, It gets easier the more you do it.

always remember to bring spare tube/s and a means of inflation. Like you said, you got lucky. Wait till its night or your in some less then welcoming situation and you will see what separates the men from the boys.

Good luck to you.

Well, I put the old tube in the tub and found the leak--a tiny pin hole on the INSIDE of the tube. I isolated that general area of the tire and rim and examined everything inside and out and still can't find anything. Do tubes sometimes simply just spring a leak?

Not often, and it's usually at a seam.

Inspect the rim strip carefully. Unless you know which direction the tube was in the tire, you need to inspect both places the part with the hole could have been.

Doing the inspection will give you some more practice mounting tires. :-)

When you mount a tire, before you inflate it, check that the tube is not pinched between the tire bead and the rim. Start at the valve, push the tire to one side and look between the tire and rim. Do the other side. Rotate the rim 4 inches and check again, etc. With practice it takes about 20 seconds to check a wheel.

Well, sure enough, I DIDN'T know which direction the tube was before I found a tiny piece of glass just where it should be, once I flipped the old tube around (and I thought I inspected the tire thoroughly yesterday!)
Just to play it safe I took the new tube out and tested it in the bathtub to make sure my brief ride yesterday didn't puncture the new one too.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I feel empowered now. Total noob still, but...slightly more empowered

Its worth the effort to ocassionally inspect the tires for tiny glass shards and other fragments that are embedded in the tire and will eventually find their way into the tube. I don't do it before every ride, but have found a few bits that would have led to problems down the road. If found, its very easy to deflate the tire and remove the object.

Remember to check the inside of your tire with your fingertips for anything still stuck in the tire.
Visually inspect the tire as well.

And do not use the levers to put the tire back on if you can help it.

Tube should be a tiny bit inflated -just enough to hold a flabby shape (just like me !)

good luck with your next one.

And remember to check your tire pressure before each ride!

Thanks, yeah I discovered that the levers don't really help much in getting it back on--I gave up on that after the first couple seconds of trying to sort it out. I actually didn't find it all that difficult anyway, and since in this whole learning process I took it off 3 separate times, I got a little better at it each time

Ah the first flat. Your first flat while out on a ride will be much less disconcerting now that you know you can change a tube.

Is there a product out there that is shaped specifically for testing inner tubes for all kinds of bike tube sizes in water? A tub of water is way too much water just for testing. But a shallow basin that's round might do the trick and it will test it all at once.