Specialized Armadillo Elites - not cheap, but they rarely flat, and they're reasonably light, given the amount of protection they offer.

Survival skill for remote area winter riding. Getting back in business before body temp drops and hands freeze. Record is probably in the 5 min. range on a day well below 0F.

i just got my cog put on today and was riding around town taking in my first fixed gear moments loving the speed, control and freedom i had. then i went to go up a curb and got and flat and bent the rim. now i want to cry.

does anyone know how much a typical lbs will charge to true a rim? thanks in advance.

depends how bad the rim is. It might be toast. Pics

just dropped it off at the lbs, they said they could make it work. 15 dollars for rim repair, 6 for the tube. good, bad, average cost?

Yep.

These hands have changed and mounted up so many tyres that I have been able to do a tube change in three and a half minutes and know a guy here who can do it even faster than me.

We have had little competitions in the shop to see who is the fastest tyre changer (it isn't me) and a lot of this has to do with the wheel and tyre combination... the folding tyres on my mtb can be off and back on in no time at all but they are a pita to get them seated properly.

Tire-dou. A way of the tires. I think I am still a white belt with 15 mins is probably the best I can, right now. ... But it would take an hour with LBS's, because there is always a line. I wanna be on my way, so there isn't a contest for me.

Lately, I am also hitting truing into my set of skills. It takes me 1-3 hours for a small wheel fix. LBS told me there is a looong chain for truing it will take about a month. Screw that, I can start a two-movie-session and I will be done by the end of it. I don't do a great job, but it isn't worth a penny to wait a month, I tell ye.

T

I just bought a spoke wrench the other day and learned how to true my wheels. Watched a video on youtube (plus what I have seen at my LBS when they have trued my wheel) and just messed w/ it for 20 minutes. I didn't get it completely perfect, but I got it a lot better than it was, and I got out all of the major off-spots. It's fun!

Also a survival skill for a busy bike shop. :)