GuessWhoCycling

I rarely ever start a ride where I think of calling it quits. Here was the issue last night. Out of curiosity, wondering what you would do?

Evening ride, 3/4 of a mile into the ride I hit an object in the road. About 6:30, not dark but the shade of the trees hid the object. I'm guessing a rock that was the same color as the pavement. I had my eyes open but just didn't see the thing, didn't look away etc.

So one mile into the ride my rear tire is soft! I stop and check it and yes it is going flat. This really ruined the mood for a nice relaxing 15 mile ride. So I'm on the side of the road thinking I don't want to walk home, I can't call cause she's not home, and it's not real bright outside so working on a flat sucks ha ha!

I carry 2 spare tubes so I know I have to replace it either way even if it is to just get home and cancel the ride.

I do have lights figuring if it gets dark on me, at least I am not riding in the dark like a ninja.

So I take off the tire, find the puncture in the tube but can't find it on the tire. So I feel all around and everywhere on the tire looking for something that may have contributed but find nothing.

I inflate the tire then think about continuing the ride but a few seconds later, I find myself just wanting to head home. I guess I worry that something might go wrong later in the ride because I couldn't not find the actual source of the flat. I know I hit the object, but really wasn't sure if it caused the flat not finding any evidence to prove it.

So I am one mile into a ride, already facing issues and worried my tire may go flat again.

I did continue the ride figuring might as well find out what is going to happen along the way. If nothing happens, it can only build confidence in my equipment (knowing the tire/tubes are not as delicate as I suspect).

But I wonder how many others would turn back and just call it quits as I really considered? If the flat happened 20 miles into a 40, 50+ ride, I would have no problem. But the fact that it was 1 mile into the ride really made me think of just heading home for dinner!

This was actually the first time in 20 years I felt like turning back at the start of a ride. Dang flats!

Which of you would just call it quits seeing it was supposed to be a nice relaxing ride? And how many of you would just continue?

Just curious out for fun sake!

prathmann

Once the flat was repaired I would have continued the ride.

But if the flat happened only 0.75 miles from the start and the planned ride was only 15 miles I may well have decided to just ride the flat back and fix it at home.

Flip Flop Rider

quit

jefnvk

I only carry one tube and some sticky patches, so I likely would have turned back. Depending on when it gets dark by you, I probably would have just said screw it too, dicking about on the side of the road in the dark trying to fix tires or tubes on subsequent punctures is not my idea of fun even if I have lights.

I've destroyed a tube 1.5 miles into a 12 or so mile ride. I turned around. Also destroyed one halfway through a 30+ mile ride, but as I was already near the furthest point from the car, I didn't really see the point in not continuing, it was only a mile or two shorter to turn back.

GuessWhoCycling

I thought about that but once I fixed it, it was done. If I had gone home, I would have broke out the BBQ!

I do plan to take it apart tonight and do a better inspection of the tire to make sure I don't have any further issues this weekend "that could have been avoided".

Reynolds 

If I still had 1 spare tube I would have completed the ride, no problem. For long night rides I usually carry 2 spare tubes, patch kit and a small flashlight (Fenix E01 or E12). I wouldn't be worried about not finding what caused the flat, it happens many times.

GuessWhoCycling

I think that was my biggest issue. 98% of the time I can find the thorn, hole, glass, debris....this eve I couldn't even find a pin hole in the tire which still has the wear indicators 3/4 unworn. GP4000 II.

But it was good so that builds some confidence for next time I can't find evidence.

I do carry 2 tubes and a small patch kit. Just didn't want to ruin the ride any further since it was supposed to be a nice relaxing spin up the legs ride.

jp911

Depends on how excited I am about the ride, how nice the weather is, and how much I'd recently ridden. Warm evening and excited for the time on the road would have me repairing and continuing. Cold or wet and already thinking about the end of the ride...I would head home after repairing the flat.

FlMTNdude

Guess would decide if I had time constraints and my general mood. On my commutes I have just enough time for one tube change and a longer than usual light. If I was too close to home I might grab the truck. I do have the convenience of two bike shops I can hit on the way home to pick up a tube or tire. Other rides I would fix it and go on.

SouthFLpix

I once installed a new set of tires and punctured 1.4 miles into my first ride with them. I fixed the flat and kept going and I think it went over a year without puncturing again. Sometimes you just have bad luck. I would continue the ride, but I do always carry 2 spare tubes because I believe in being prepared.

Milton Keynes

desmodue

What is this "quit" thing you speak of?

GuessWhoCycling

Milton Keynes

I'm wondering if it was a partial pinch flat from hitting whatever it was you ran over. I was riding gravel one evening, racing home as fast as I could because I was losing daylight. Hit something hard that I didn't see as I was going down a hill, but I could hear the air hissing out of the tube. Since it was getting dark and I didn't want to ride 10 miles of gravel at night even with a headlight, I called my wife to pick me up.

Later at home when I repaired the tube, I found I had not one but four punctures from running over whatever it was, a pair of pinch holes. That happened with 700x25 tires, now I run 28's. But if I ride gravel, now I've got a dedicated gravel bike with big 26x2.00" tires.

Doctor Morbius

I would have walked the bike back home. Depending on my mood I would have 1) quit, or 2) grabbed another bike and gone back out.

Either way I would have fixed the flat another time.

Maelochs

I have quit in the first mile of a ride just because i wasn't feeling it. it has only happened once, but you know what people say, once you get off the couch and onto the bike you will be glad you did.

This time, I wasn't. i turned around and went home and was much happier.

GuessWhoCycling

I inspected at home this afternoon. Small pinhole on the outer but side edge. Inspected tire with light and magnifying glass. Can't find a thorn so all I can guess is that whatever the object was (rock?) caused some kind of pinch flat. It was also along the seam, small pinhole so who knows, could even be defect. But I have had the same tube in there for quite some time. Maybe it just decided to fail?

Just glad the tire is OK.

BlazingPedals

If you hit a rock and the tire went flat 'shortly' afterward, it was a pinch flat. Fix the hole and do your ride. Like MK, I once got 2 pinch flats - 4 holes - at the same time. I can usually span a pair of 'snakebite' holes with a single patch.

Once, the rock I hit landed right on the rim's seam and split one sidewall. I patched the holes, carefully reinflated, and tension held the wheel together as I nursed it the rest of the way to the end.

Milton Keynes

Definitely a pinch flat, especially since it started losing air right after you hit the rock. The tube's not defective and didn't just decide to fail. Just patch it and use it as your spare.

GuessWhoCycling

It already had one patch on it so it got tossed. I have about 10 new spares at home. I usually patch two times before tossing but this one was suspect so I just tossed it.

PdalPowr

Respect to you for going on. Would I continue?
Too much depends on the day to answer that easily.
If it was the day where I ride all morning on good clean roads then yes.

shelbyfv

Though inherent to cycling, flats continue to generate drama. Like chain lube....

North Coast Joe

If it were me, well, I have beer at home. Patching tubes is much better when using that.

wphamilton

I've never quit and turned around due to a flat. In this case, if it was a snakebite flat I wouldn't have thought twice about continuing, but a puncture, maybe not. I've never had much luck finding a tiny thorn or glass in the tire at the side of the road.

Milton Keynes

Really? I patch them until they wear out. Only time I toss a tube that needs patched is if the new hole is right next to a previous patch, since there's no easy way to fix that, or if it's an old patch which is coming off or something and I can't easily remove it without tearing the tube in order to put a new patch on.