Thulsadoom

65 miles into a century. I've got the hills and headwinds behind me and am looking forward to almost 35 miles of relatively flat riding with a tailwind to burn on home. It's been raining for most of the ride, but it's warm so I don't care.

POW....SSSSSssssssssss. Rear blowout. It's raining so I'm not going to mess with a patch. I can't find anything in the tire, so I put in my spare tube and pump it up. I put the wheel on the bike and POW.....SSSSSSssssssssss. There goes my spare tube.

Oh, look! The side wall on my brand new Panaracer T-serv 700x25 tire has a hole in it. That's bad.

I try to patch the original tube, no friggin way, the hole is too big. Plus it's raining and I can't get a patch to stick anyways. Well golly, I'm stuck. Didn't bring my cell, doesn't matter since I'm new to area and hardly know anyone. The other half is working a 12 hour shift at an understaffed hospital, no way I'm calling her. Hmmm.

So I try to stuff my tire full of leaves and grass just so maybe it'll roll slow. No friggin way, I don't know where I read that, but don't try it, it doesn't work. Maybe for mile or so, but dam sure not for no 35 miles.

Finally a guy stops with a pickup. We drive down the road to his house, try to patch the tire several more times in his garage, no go.

Happy ending, the guy actually drove me home for a twenty since he didn't have much going on today. First time in 20 years and many thousands of miles I've actually had to accept a ride.

So here I sit, having showered and eaten and just ordered a new Gatorskin.

And of course, the rain has now stopped.

rpenmanparker 

Just checkin', OP, you do know what "friggin" is a euphemism for, don't you? You are not avoiding the meaning by using the stand in.

surgeonstone

It could have been worse, you could have woken up paralyzed from the waist down having fallen out of a standard height bed but with the middle drawer open catching the sleeping 50 year old mans head while his body continued down breaking his neck. This happened to a patient of mine. Or you might have woken up hungry in the country of Burundi realizing that although you are hungry it is your siblings day for the single meal of gruel allowed that day, or you might have found yourself in the Koranga valley of Afganistan and although it is your last day in country you have been assigned to a foot patrol that has bad outcome written all over it or you might have woken to a new day bright with anticipation of a day with your kids until you emerge from the morning daze and remember that you have no job and a family to feed.
But I hear ya, flats suck especially when so close. I applaud your creative effort at stuffing leaves in your tire space. A lot of us carry a patch of strong material or a dollar bill to block the hole.

bt

1 tube on a 100 miler?

10 Wheels

Had the same problem on a brand New T-Serve.

I carry 3-5 tubes and a spare tire.

Lazyass

Well, it could have been worse. And ignore the forum police.

surgeonstone

Good point - I would have carried two and also a tire patch kit. OP you did carefully check the tire and rims before putting in the new tube I hope. I once went through three successive flats in so many days, carefully checking each time to no avail. After the third time I completely removed the tire and flipped it inside out. The torque on the tire revealed the smallest opening with just a sliver of embedded glass that could not be seen or felt when the tire was right side in.

bt

what's your point?

surgeonstone

Shirley you jest.

RUOkie

No, and don't call me Shirley

Nachoman

Obviously in retrospect you would have inspected the tyre a little better and caught the hole in the side wall before inserting your only spare tube. Live and learn.

surgeonstone

Can't get anything by you can I.

Willbird

Do you speak baofeng ?

Bill

timmbo

Could have been worse, still stinks though. Next ride you will have tailwinds both ways and it will be perfectly sunny!

hairnet

Carry some cut up denim strips or some ready made tire boots to keep in your flat repair kit. A dollar works as well, a twenty works even better.

bikepro

+1 I routinely carry at least 2 tubes. On a century I also carry a spare tire -- just in case . . .

patrickgm60

I always carry 2 tubes and a couple of strips of Tyvek (the stuff Fed Ex envelopes are made of) for tire splits.

aubiecat

He may not have known he was in Europe.

StanSeven

If you ride on decent roads, a spare tube and patches is all you need.

The important things to do is check the flat tube and match the hole with same spot on the tire. That way you are sure whatever caused the flat isn't still in the tire. The other is be certain the tube is fully inside the beads of the tire before inflating.

FIVE ONE SIX

and a folded piece of duct tape works best...

coasting 

i carry one tube and several patches but only 2 co2 cartridges.

i have accepted a lift from a stranger in his white van when i broke down (chain broke), but under non-cycling situations, I would never hitch hike. How comes when I put on my super-hero cycling lycra I suddenly become immune to serial killers?

DXchulo

I do plenty of 100+ milers with just one tube and patches. It doesn't rain here often, though.

Bob Dopolina 

Incorrect.

A thorough inspection after a flat until the cause is determined and a proper tire boot works best.

mlander

Wow, 3 cheers for the guy who picked you up, tried to help patch the tube, and took you home. Happy to know people like that are out there.

hairnet

And if you don't have tape then I hope you have a dollar.