Grog
07-10-2007, 07:52 AM
Why is it good to be able to take care of your own flat tires? Read on.
Sweet Partner of mine has been cycling for over 20 years and has changed lots of flats. He gets impatient when I change a flat because I am very careful at checking for the cause of the flat because I hate changing the same flat twice. I get impatient with him because he changes them really quickly, and promptly gets another one.
The other morning we're getting ready to ride, I pump my tires and then a few minutes later I hear "psssssssssshhh". The valve had broken and the tire was flat. He feels like we're in a hurry and says: "I'll change it it will take me 5 minutes it would take you half an hour." I'm insulted, because if I know the cause of the flat of course it takes 5 minutes for me too, or maybe 6. But I just shut up and let him do it.
He swiftly pulls off the tire, pulls off the old tube, and puts a new tube in. One of my new, expensive tubes with a long stems that I really like. I try not to look as he pulls the tire back on, but he's going so fast - Schwalbe tires are GREAT for that, Ksyrium rims are easy too - I'm sure he's going to get me a pinch flat. I decide to just shut up and let him be, even if I cringe internally when I see the BIG piece of tube sticking out just before he pushes the last bit of the tire bead into the rim. He quickly pumps the tire back and I tell him that I'll put it back on the bike.
BANG!!! My ears were inches from the wheel as I was fixing my brakes. For ten seconds I swear I didn't hear anything. I must say that we were in the tiny space of our student residence suite, and I thought a gunshot would have been just as scary. I looked at him, he was looking at me. I told him to get out of the way, that I'd change it this time. He said "sorry".
When I pulled the tube out it had a five-inch tear in it, exactly opposite the valve, exactly the part that was sticking out when he pushed the tire in.
*sigh*
I could have spoken out as he was doing it, but I guess he wouldn't have learned the lesson he did. Plus, if necessary, I can now say that I don't hear him because he made me deaf. But I'm glad it happened indoors, not as I was barreling down some hill, because then it would have hurt a lot more than my ears.
Sweet Partner of mine has been cycling for over 20 years and has changed lots of flats. He gets impatient when I change a flat because I am very careful at checking for the cause of the flat because I hate changing the same flat twice. I get impatient with him because he changes them really quickly, and promptly gets another one.
The other morning we're getting ready to ride, I pump my tires and then a few minutes later I hear "psssssssssshhh". The valve had broken and the tire was flat. He feels like we're in a hurry and says: "I'll change it it will take me 5 minutes it would take you half an hour." I'm insulted, because if I know the cause of the flat of course it takes 5 minutes for me too, or maybe 6. But I just shut up and let him do it.
He swiftly pulls off the tire, pulls off the old tube, and puts a new tube in. One of my new, expensive tubes with a long stems that I really like. I try not to look as he pulls the tire back on, but he's going so fast - Schwalbe tires are GREAT for that, Ksyrium rims are easy too - I'm sure he's going to get me a pinch flat. I decide to just shut up and let him be, even if I cringe internally when I see the BIG piece of tube sticking out just before he pushes the last bit of the tire bead into the rim. He quickly pumps the tire back and I tell him that I'll put it back on the bike.
BANG!!! My ears were inches from the wheel as I was fixing my brakes. For ten seconds I swear I didn't hear anything. I must say that we were in the tiny space of our student residence suite, and I thought a gunshot would have been just as scary. I looked at him, he was looking at me. I told him to get out of the way, that I'd change it this time. He said "sorry".
When I pulled the tube out it had a five-inch tear in it, exactly opposite the valve, exactly the part that was sticking out when he pushed the tire in.
*sigh*
I could have spoken out as he was doing it, but I guess he wouldn't have learned the lesson he did. Plus, if necessary, I can now say that I don't hear him because he made me deaf. But I'm glad it happened indoors, not as I was barreling down some hill, because then it would have hurt a lot more than my ears.