GrannyGear

I recall Mad Magazine quipping in 1964, "What will Barry Goldwater Do When the 20th Century Gets Here?"
(Barry was not much inclined towards progressive change as we 50+'ers probably remember.)

Which brings me to bike inflators. For years I've carried frame pumps-- good for flat fixing, back scratching, fantasies of dog smacking (8oz. pump vs. 90lb Rottweiller), and that memorable scene in "Breaking Away". Blame my arthritic elbow on them. Torn many a valve stem by too vigorously pumping them. (Ever have a badly seated tube blow up next to your ear while you were bent over pumping heedlessly?).

For my b'day a progressive friend gave me a nifty CO2 inflator that even modulates the gas flow. I have leaped into the 20th Century!! A purist riding friend thinks its shameful...he's the one who volunteered to urinate on my tube when I couldn't find the puncture and we were out of water. Obviously a paleocon treehugger.

Anyway, I'm reborn. But won't give up my friction shifting.


QUESTION: What are BF riders using for inflation? Best patch kit? (Rema here) Most frequent cause of flats? (staples & goatheads here).

p8rider

It's great when you can count on friends to help you through difficult things.

Digital Gee

Wait! Are you saying the 20th Century is here already????

stapfam

Track pump for when I am at home and is the only way to get a tyre inflated easily. I believe in track pumps so much that I even use a small one on the tandem. On patch kits--- anything that is left on the bike after the repairs after a ride- normally a couple of rubber patches and a tube of glue that has Sqidged out in the top bag covering the tyre levers with slippery stuff that means you cannot grip them. I buy my repair kits by the 6 now and any make my LBS has in stock, as they keep going missing with 3 other riders in the house and a bunch of riding mates that Know I always have a good supply of patches. On a ride I always NOW take 3 tubes. The flints on our hills cut tyres to ribbons and Yes I do carry a spare folding tyre aswell. Try not to repair on the trail as 3 punctures and I'm going home.
I am lucky in that I can go for months without a puncture but 5 on a 30 mile ride has been experienced. But Tyres-- about 3 pairs in the winter- about 2 months riding before they get too cut up, and in the summer, where higher speeds are involved it is a new pair every month. I just cut the treads off them on the flints.

GrannyGear

From my younger, mountain biking days I recall hitting patches of shale (for us, "flint" that is loose) that was hard on tires but even more on your body as it was very easy on which to take a slipsliding spill and get sliced or scraped . LIkewise, I have a trackpump for home use, prefer Rema patches but others will do, religiously "feel up" the inside of a tire before reinstalling the tube, always carry a "boot", and every once in while pull out a tube in which the glue has dried and makes me feel the fool.

cyclintom

Just a note about General Goldwater. Barry was one of the most progressive thinkers of his time. He was well ahead of the curve but was caught up in the John F. Kennedy mentale of the time.

Remember that General Goldwater was, I believe, the first man to integrate the National Guard in his state. He was a staunch supporter of civil rights but because he didn't like the way that the Civil Rights Act was worded and voted against it was made out as a segregationist.

I hate to see the memory of such a fine man muddied by people who didn't know him or about him except what they heard from the Democratic Party.

Barry Goldwater's policies were mostly those of Ronald Reagan and any reasonable replacement for either man would probably win election in a landslide these days when even the Republican Party has turned tax-and-spend.

webist

I can remember when the term "Budget Dust" refered to millions of dollars. Now, clearly, it applies to Billions!

DnvrFox

This is why we have a Politics & Religion forum.

These discussions only lead to stuff not related to bicycling, hard feeling and arguing.

Digital Gee

Amen.

GrannyGear

Dnvr, you'd make a great playground duty supervisor!
You're right.

DnvrFox

Problem is - there are many folks who agree or disagree with the statement. I would like to reply myself, but this just isn't the place.

And, yes, I have served many years while teaching upper elementary and middle school (11 years) including playground duty for some pretty tough kids. I have broken up my share of fights, and find that prevention and early intervention are the best tools!

FarHorizon

What do I use for flats? A cell phone. If I flat, I call my wife to come get me & throw my bike in the back of our Scion xB.

I thought of carrying a spare tube and either CO2 cartridge or a frame pump, but the cell phone is not only easier to carry but also less trouble to use. I actually went so far as to buy the tube, pump, and cartridge inflator, but I don't actually carry them, to be honest.

So far, only one "rescue" call has been needed (good luck? clean living? broken-bottle-kryptonite tire liners?). On 30 mile plus rides, I carry both the tube, inflator, and cell phone, but I've never flatted on a longer ride - go figure...

DnvrFox

On a lot of our local bicycle trails, you may be up to 4 miles from the nearest road or vehicle access.

Long walk for a flat.

GrannyGear

A charmed (and charming) life & wife to be sure.

Dchiefransom

I carry a Topeak Road Morph pump on my bikes. Nostly glass, small metal pieces, and now and then a goathead for flats.

taylor8

In order: goatheads, staples, borken glass, nails, tire wire (wire used to make steel belts), bolts, screws, catcus thorns, pinching the tube when installing after patching.

I don't know if there is a best patch kit, as long as the glue and sand paper is good the kit is good to go. I like the kind that comes in little green box, the patches last a long time I bought a box of 100 over 10 years ago and they are still good.

When I was a kid the patches that you clamped on then lit on fire worked best but I have not used one of theose in years and years. But then it might have been the lite on fire part because we used to even light the glue on patches on fire too. Things just seemed to work better when fire was envolved.

I carry both co2 and hand pump because I am cheap and if I am not in a hurry I hand pump.

I also carry two tubes and two patch kits.

Joe

jppe

I carry 2 Co2 cartridges and one spare tube. I also carry patches but just don't trust them-but will use in an emergency if I have 2 flats on one ride. I also carry a cell phone. The best patches in my opinion are the ones we used as a kid-but can't seem to find any of those anymore.

My flats are usually not on the road but from tears at the valve stem and tube and I usually find those getting the bike out of the van. It could be the tubes are heating up when I leave them in the van. I've replaced the tape so maybe that will slow that down a bit as well.

Trsnrtr

Being the anal-retentive person that I am, i carry three CO2 carts. and a pump along with two tubes. More than once, I've needed all three (orig. + 2 spares) tubes while riding the cinder strewn winter roads to get back home.

-Dennis

EXCALIBUR

I carry an Innovations Inflator, two CO2 cartridges, a spare tube, Rema patch kit, and cell phone. I've got two chances to inflate the spare tube. I keep the patch kit in reserve if I get a second flat. However, I never really count on the patch kit. The tube of glue goes dry before it ever gets used. The cell phone is the last resort for a rescue call.

DnvrFox

1 frame pump
2 tubes
1 glued patch kit
a few glueless parches
Specialized Armadillo Tires, which save a lot of flats, but are not perfect.

Goatheads, glass, little pieces of very thin wire

I carry a cell phone, but it would have to be a most unusual situation to use it for a flat.

Also, it can be extremely difficult to dig an embedded goathead out of the tire. They tend to do their damage when the tube is inflated inside the tire and your weight is on the bike. When you take the tube out, the goathead can disappear back into the tire. Even when you find it, you need something like a small pick to dig it out. I carry my keys on which I have a little combo knife/finger nail cleaner which works well.

I like to be able to offer a tube to other riders with flats.