How about no more whining about flat tires?
05-26-12, 08:40 PM
#1
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How about no more whining about flat tires?
Heard a guy in the bike shop ragging on the owner because he had his first flat tire after "only" three months of riding. Of course he didn't have a pump, patch kit, tools or spare tube and had to call for a ride...
Here's how it is: Flats are part of cycling. I've had nine on a century and three on my 12-mile commute. One summer I averaged a flat every 30 miles (lot of thorns here). You will have them. If you don't have the tools and knowledge to fix them, it will be inconvenient. Only sissies use their cell phones when they have a flat.
No disrespect intended here. We've all been there; the first time I repaired a punctured tube it took me more than half an hour. Now I can do it, rear tire and frame-fit pump, in well under five minutes, and I'm 67 years old. Man up, for God's sake.
Here's how it is: Flats are part of cycling. I've had nine on a century and three on my 12-mile commute. One summer I averaged a flat every 30 miles (lot of thorns here). You will have them. If you don't have the tools and knowledge to fix them, it will be inconvenient. Only sissies use their cell phones when they have a flat.
No disrespect intended here. We've all been there; the first time I repaired a punctured tube it took me more than half an hour. Now I can do it, rear tire and frame-fit pump, in well under five minutes, and I'm 67 years old. Man up, for God's sake.
05-26-12, 08:59 PM
#3
Portland Fred
05-26-12, 09:02 PM
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If I got flats every 30 miles I'd do whatever I could to prevent them, tire liners or whatever. Barring that, I'd give up cycling. Fortunately, only one so far in my riding. Glad there are no thorns here, I don't have the patience for a flat every 30 miles.
05-26-12, 09:52 PM
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05-26-12, 09:54 PM
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I live in the middle of every kind of cactus and tumbleweed known to man kind but this is the first place I've ever lived that doesn't have goat heads and I can go for weeks/months without flats.
05-26-12, 11:14 PM
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We can whine about flats. I just did today. I've had my fair share of flats - 98% of them are no-fuss take care of problems.
However, there's that small percent due to a small shard that's IMPOSSIBLE to find that repunctures your new tube, flats than happen when you're totally bonked out and too tired to do a good job and then next thing you know you've done something wrong and damaged the tube (twists are common) or something bizarro happens like the core of the valvestem of the replacement tube breaks as you're inflating with the hand pump.
All of these have happened to me in that small percentage, and all of them totally suck and are whineworthy.
However, there's that small percent due to a small shard that's IMPOSSIBLE to find that repunctures your new tube, flats than happen when you're totally bonked out and too tired to do a good job and then next thing you know you've done something wrong and damaged the tube (twists are common) or something bizarro happens like the core of the valvestem of the replacement tube breaks as you're inflating with the hand pump.
All of these have happened to me in that small percentage, and all of them totally suck and are whineworthy.
05-26-12, 11:56 PM
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KingoftheMountain wannabe
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Can we whine about people who whine about other people whining about their flats?
05-27-12, 12:32 AM
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I wonder how many people never add air in the tires, making the odds of a pinch flat high. I know I was suprised by the suggestion to add air in my tires every ride. Without this forum, I would never know to do that.
05-27-12, 12:37 AM
#15
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
An amazing number of people do not know how to to check the oil in their car or change a tyre.
05-27-12, 12:47 AM
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Heard a guy in the bike shop ragging on the owner because he had his first flat tire after "only" three months of riding. Of course he didn't have a pump, patch kit, tools or spare tube and had to call for a ride...
Here's how it is: Flats are part of cycling. I've had nine on a century and three on my 12-mile commute. One summer I averaged a flat every 30 miles (lot of thorns here). You will have them. If you don't have the tools and knowledge to fix them, it will be inconvenient. Only sissies use their cell phones when they have a flat.
No disrespect intended here. We've all been there; the first time I repaired a punctured tube it took me more than half an hour. Now I can do it, rear tire and frame-fit pump, in well under five minutes, and I'm 67 years old. Man up, for God's sake.
Here's how it is: Flats are part of cycling. I've had nine on a century and three on my 12-mile commute. One summer I averaged a flat every 30 miles (lot of thorns here). You will have them. If you don't have the tools and knowledge to fix them, it will be inconvenient. Only sissies use their cell phones when they have a flat.
No disrespect intended here. We've all been there; the first time I repaired a punctured tube it took me more than half an hour. Now I can do it, rear tire and frame-fit pump, in well under five minutes, and I'm 67 years old. Man up, for God's sake.
05-27-12, 01:04 AM
#17
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I whine about it because its a pain in the ass. Until recently I rode a mtb and only had a flat 1 time in three years. Added some slime and kept on riding, now with my cross bike I had three flats in the first 2 months. I also never added air to my mtb tires they never needed it on the cross bike I have to add air every ride. And dont even get me started on tire levers.
Sorry for the newb rant....
Sorry for the newb rant....
05-27-12, 05:34 AM
#18
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05-27-12, 06:04 AM
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Got two flats in 24 hours a few days back. I just switched out to the spare tube on the trail in 10 minutes or so and did a quick check. I couldn't find any obvious reason. Put the new tube in, rode home and 3 hours later it was flat again. I had to pump the tubes up to operating pressure and immerse them in water to find the tiny pinholes that caused it.
Then I checked inside the tire and found the worlds smallest metal shard. How it got in there I have no idea but it was that few mm of metal that caused it. Its amazing what can cause a flat tire.
Then I checked inside the tire and found the worlds smallest metal shard. How it got in there I have no idea but it was that few mm of metal that caused it. Its amazing what can cause a flat tire.
05-27-12, 06:06 AM
#20
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What we need to whine about is putting on new tires. I installed some Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires two months ago and my arms still hurt from it. I ain't lyin'.
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Momento mori, amor fati.
05-27-12, 07:14 AM
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Got two flats in 24 hours a few days back. I just switched out to the spare tube on the trail in 10 minutes or so and did a quick check. I couldn't find any obvious reason. Put the new tube in, rode home and 3 hours later it was flat again. I had to pump the tubes up to operating pressure and immerse them in water to find the tiny pinholes that caused it.
Then I checked inside the tire and found the worlds smallest metal shard. How it got in there I have no idea but it was that few mm of metal that caused it. Its amazing what can cause a flat tire.
Then I checked inside the tire and found the worlds smallest metal shard. How it got in there I have no idea but it was that few mm of metal that caused it. Its amazing what can cause a flat tire.
05-27-12, 08:44 AM
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I agree that people need to be prepared to be self sufficient while out on a ride. Heck, boy scouts have been tought that for a hundred years. So I agree, HTFU and learn to fix your own flats. Flats, like crashes, are part of the game.
Now, to the OP, if that comment didn't intend disrespect, WTF did was intended?
Now, to the OP, if that comment didn't intend disrespect, WTF did was intended?
05-27-12, 08:50 AM
#24
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05-27-12, 09:02 AM
#25
Riding like its 1990
I asked a guy in the shop where the patches were, he showed me the stick-ons. I asked if he had any luck with them as I've never had them work for me.
His response "I don't use patches, I do it the RIGHT way by putting a new tube in and throw it away." I replied that I've had multiple flats before. Well, he "carries C02 and two tubes".
Understand why he feels that way but it just tells me that he doesn't ride enough. That 3rd flat or leftover shard is going to ruin his day. Then again, maybe once the flat occurs his Strava time is ruined so he just rolls home.
His response "I don't use patches, I do it the RIGHT way by putting a new tube in and throw it away." I replied that I've had multiple flats before. Well, he "carries C02 and two tubes".
Understand why he feels that way but it just tells me that he doesn't ride enough. That 3rd flat or leftover shard is going to ruin his day. Then again, maybe once the flat occurs his Strava time is ruined so he just rolls home.