tigat

I left this morning for work during a break in the storms that have been roiling the area. The roads were wet but not slick, and only a slight drizzle was falling, more like a mist than real rain. My wife questioned my sanity and said she would wait by the phone.

Thirteen or so miles into a planned 23 mile route, poof, a rear flat, my first in more than a year. I've got this stubborn streak that compels me to attempt at least some semblance of self sufficiency, even though changing tubes out on the road with one hand at my disposal is at best a 50/50 proposition. After a particularly frustrating episode than ran for more than an hour, I now carry enough stuff to give it one good try before resorting to the call of shame.

In this case, it started well. The tire came easily off the rim, the tube came out, and the new tube seated quickly. I pulled out the inflator, still attached to what I thought was a partly used cartridge, closed down after it had been deployed to top off an earlier fill.

Nothing there.

I'm down to one cartridge, no more tubes. Even as careful as I was, the seating was not quite there, and I exhausted the last cartridge with no more than 20 psi making it into the tube.

Five minutes of option weighing resulted in me pulling the cell phone from my backpack and calling for a life line. Two rings in without an answer, I spot, down the street, a car repair shop. I terminate the call, grab the wheel and the Presta-Schrader adapter, and a few minutes later I'm at full inflation.

I am so pleased at my resourcefulness that I can't help but phone home with the good news that no help will be needed by this guy, unless of course he were to make the rookie mistake of failing to eradicate the cause of the first flat.

Unfortunately, I'm that guy. Two miles later, I'm flat again and eating humble pie.

OldTryGuy

"Call of shame?"......hardly IMO when a valiant effort is made. Now heading out without full CO2 cartridges or fresh tube or patch kit or pump....that's another story. DOH!!!!!

OldsCOOL

Frame pump, tube and patch kit. I've fixed roadside flats rather uneventfully. The pump can generate 100+psi and is dependable.

Bet you were glad to have the schrader adapter.

qcpmsame 

Man, with one arm you still manage more than most will even attempt. And you still managed to laugh about the second flat, too. Your outlook and resourcefulness are inspirational, just a little more attention to detail and you're golden.

Bill

tigat

Thanks, guys. I get what you're saying on the preparedness front. I think I'm still a bit scarred by being kicked out of Boy Scouts at a young age (smoking related offense).

BobbyG

Been there done that. Especially in the late afternoon with the sun setting and no more patches and the spare tube 'pre-punctured', not wanting to call the wife. I just bought a new suv that allows me to just throw the bike in the back without having to mount the bike carrier on the trunk. So I may give sooner, now.

RideMyWheel

I've been that guy, too. UGH!

OldsCOOL

This morning when I posted it was 6am and I was still underdosed in coffee. I completely missed a blessing by reading of your being with one hand. You are inspiring and I nearly missed that. I wish you many miles of trouble-free (you've had your flats for the year) riding!

tigat

OC: Your initial reply was about as far from causing offense as the east is from the west. Thanks for the kind words and good wishes.

Cougrrcj

...which is why I carry not only a spare tube, but a patch kit and a frame pump. The heck with those unreliable CO2 thingies!!!

My commute is only 12.3 miles each way, but I don't have a 'lifeline' backup since my wife works in the opposite direction. She'd let me walk and gloat about it... Damn Femaliens...