Lost my Tire Virginity!!

The new road bike forced me to change my first flat today. (rear wheel even!)

I apparently picked up a splinter of glass on the rail trail. I was so oo glad that I had asked the LBS to walk me step-by-step thru tire changing before I took the new bike home.

I didn't have a spare tube, only a patch kit (spare was at home waiting to go into the seat bag). So I crouched on the rail-trail next to the depot, and talked myself thru the whole thing. I got it off, patched it with "Slime Scabs", got it back on the rim, had it almost all the way inflated .... when the valve stem separated. CRAP!!!!!

Fortunately, one of the LBS's was only about 2 blocks away, so I hoisted the frame up on my shoulder, grabbed the wheel with my other hand and hauled my way to the bike shop.... and arrived two minutes after closing time. CRAP!!!!!

Fortunately, one of the mechanics saw me standing there in front of the glass, and probably saw my mouth forming cuss words, because he came out and asked if I needed help!

So, now I have a new tube in the tire, AND a new tube in the seat bag (lesson learned), AND a newfound skill in bike maintainance!! Yeah for me!!

:D :D

You also experienced another axiom in cycling:

It's Always The Back Tire

At least you found the blasted hole. I can never find it. I just change out the tube & go on.

:D
G-r-e-a-t! Now you just reminded me of my springtime chore, patching a whole lotta tubes for riding season! For both bikes, no less...
Yes, even with flat changing experience, I'm still not a smiley person when I hafta change flats, ugh.
But bottom line, what the mechanic cute????:D

I bought Gatorskins (conti) that are supposed to be bomb proof.

I am going to keep my virginity a bit longer. ;)

I gotcha on that one!

Bike was due for a checkup, so I took it down to the LBS today and said while they were at it, they should swap me out for some 28c Armadillos!

There's lots of drunks and college kids that drop glass around here, so I'm hedging my bets for these tires!:D

I'm sooo glad I read this. I am getting ready to go shopping :) ...and I almost forgot that I need new tubes. My road bike has tubes that are 13 years old...I kid you not!!! They are the originals. I just got the bike and won't leave the neighbor hood until I get my tubes!!!! SLIME SCABS??? Is that like a band aid patch, no glue just stick it on sort? I might have to look for those also!

I still have my virginity. I worry about it also -- they did show me how to change one in the bike shop, but that was last summer! I've never heard of Gator Skins -- I'll do a search.

Quote:

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Originally posted by hibiscus09
I worry about it also -- they did show me how to change one in the bike shop, but that was last summer!

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Practice, practice, practice! My husband "showed" me how to change a tire and replace a tube, but I didn't really get it until I had done it a few times. The first time I did it by myself (at home in the garage) I couldn't do it. (Now granted, I'm not really very mechanically inclined). Be sure you know how to remove and replace your back wheel! As Dogmama said, it's ALWAYS the the back tire!

But I'm really glad I practiced at home so much. I've flatted a few times out on rides and the practice paid off! I ride alone a lot, so if I can't fix my bike, I would have to walk back.:mad: I'd also recommend you learn and practice how to fix a chain. That comes in handy sometimes, too!

I need someone to practice with me -- my hubby (sweet, loving man that he is) doesn't have a clue!! I'd take it off and not be able to get it put back together.

I do agree practice will help me. I wonder if bikeshops do powder puff type clinics?

Hibiscus,

Why not just ask your LBS to walk you thru the drill once or twice (or three) times? If they offer "any" kind of customer service, surely this should be it. Especially if you bought the bike from them in the first place. Just say that you ride alone alot, and your husband isn't mechanical, and you want to be able to do it yourself. The guy at my LBS seemed thrilled that I was actually interested and asking questions about routine maintenance. And if you are anything like me, just watching doesn't help alot, I have to actually lay hands on in order to get the hang of it!:)


Barb,

Yeah " Slime scabs" - lovely name isn't it?:D They are made by the "Slime" people and are pre-glued patches ('scabs' for tire boo-boos, I guess) I ran into them accidentally on the Performancebike.com site. They were actually very easy to use.
Good luck!

Thanks, doctorfrau -- I'm really not easily intimidated -- but I have been somewhat with biking. I'm somewhat athletic -- have squatted 215lbs and leg pressed 815lbs, played softball and have done some running -- I don't know why I'm hesitant to ask these guys to spend some time with me teaching me about routine bicycle maintenance. I must be though, because I haven't done it yet! :p There's another cycling shop in town that is run by a woman and she does rides from her shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays -- I think I may contact her and ride with them some and get her to show me. :)

And yes, I do prefer actually doing something to being shown! :)

Just a little warning about "slime scabs" or any other pre-glued patch......
They are quick and easy to use for an on-the-road-repair, but are not as dependable as the good ole let-the-glue-dry then put on the patch type of patch. It'll certainly get you through the rest of the ride, but don't depend on that tube to last for a long time. They often fail at the patch. I used to use them but no more. I carry a spare tube and use it if I get a flat -- I've had 4 already this year. :-( -- If I get another, I patch it, but usually, I just patch blown tubes when I get home and then use them as spares.

Anyone have any similar experiences?

Thanks for the heads-up Annie.
I was wondering about that. I guess there are drawbacks to anything that is "that" easy.

Quote:

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Originally posted by annie
Anyone have any similar experiences?

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Yep. The glueless patches will "getcha home" but that's about it. For long lasting patches I use the old-fashioned style.

I also agree with "doing" vs. "watching" when it come to flat-repair. It's important to know that you can fix your flat with your equipment. That means practice using the pump and/or CO2 device that you carry, along with your tire lever(s) and patch-kit of choice. You want to be sure that it all works well before you actually need it.

Oh my. I don't even remember when I lost my tire virginity. And they say you never forget the first time!

I use heavy duty tubes that have slime inside & don't care about the added weight. At any given time during the month, I may have added or lost that much weight on my body! However, those tubes can be a pain to put in, so I keep regular tubes for road use.

Here are some tips:

Taking the tire off: Use your tire tools to get the edge of the tire flipped over the rim. When you get a good 3-4" of tire off of the rim, you should be able to use a tire tool to flip the rest off (put it between the tire & rim & run it around the tire). Don't take the tire all the way off - leave one side in the rim.

Remove the tube. Look for the hole. Cuss & throw away the tube (that's my story - you may be able to find the hole.) Note - I always pack my old tubes back & throw them away at home.

OK, here's the good stuff.

When you buy a new tube, take it out of the box & rub it lightly with cornstarch - sort of drizzle it between the folds. Now, put it in a baggie & put it in your seat pack. Now the tube just slides in the rim rather than sticking (and possibly sticking between your rim & tire causing the dreaded "snake bites." More about that later)

You have your tire halfway off (one edge of the tire is still in the rim.) Put a little air in the tube - just enough to give it some shape. You might be able to just blow some air in with your lungs. Put the valve in the hole & work the tube around in the rim. It may fall out, that's OK. Do the best you can.

Now - without tire tools - start to flip the tire back under the rim using your hands. Tire tools may pinch & puncture your tube, so hands are important. Get the part of the tire that is next to the valve in first - that's the hardest part. Move around the tire being careful to not catch the tube (which has a little air in it to give it shape) between the tire & rim. The last part may be difficult - that's why practice is good.

This is where you insure against snake bites. Inflate the tire just a little so that it is semi-hard but still soft enough that you can push the sidewall in & see the bottom of your rim. Push that side wall in all the way around, both sides, making sure that the tube isn't caught between the rim & tire.

You're done. Inflate the tire, get it on the bike & ride like the wind!

Thank you, Dogmama!! :)

That was a great run-through, Dogmama. I have just one little tip to add. Before you put the new tube on, look to see if there is anything embedded in the tire that caused the flat in the first place. I always carry a small rag with me and I rub the inside of the tire looking for anything sharp. (Remember that there can be more than one!).

When you take the old tube out, try to remember which way it was oriented. Blow it up a little and see if you can see where the hole is. Picture your tire like a clock. Put the stem in the 12:00 position. If you see that the hole is at the 4:00 position on the tube, look at the 4:00 position on the inside of the tire. Be careful because that sharp object could cut your hand. I flatted once while mountain biking, and the culprit was a tooth from something like a rabbit!!

Sometimes whatever flatted you doesn’t stay in the tire. But if it does and you don’t find it, it’ll flat your new tube, too.:mad: Oh, and I can't stress enough how important it is to practice at home before you need this skill out on the road/trail! You can practice, pray it never happens or walk home!

I lost mine last summer on a bike shop ride...twice in one ride! I felt like such a moocher 'cause I didn't have ANY tubes, so I had to scam from other riders. They were really great about it, but I sure learned my lesson. Never ride without a spare or two!

By the way, BOTH flats were on the *@%! back tire! Oh well, gave me a chance to flirt with the helpful tire changing guys.

Must be in the air....Lost my virginity last weekend on my back tire. Thankfully I was about 1/8 of a mile from my house because I had no spare tubes. Apparently hit a curb a bit too hard, though I have yet to inspect the tube closer to see what the culprit was. I did have a couple in my garage though, got some "thorn resistant" tubes which make the stock Trek tubes look incredibly thin. Thank god for the internet so I could look up how to get the tire off. The rest was relatively easy. But come on, couldn't it be the front tire? My hands were black from chain grease by the time I got everything back on.

Speaking of that, I highly recommend Fast Orange hand cleaner to get that stuff off. Worked like a charm!

So I'm all ready to ride on my trainer, while watching the Laker game, dilly dallied a little bit. Went to go get my bike in garage and rats! Back tire flat. We have an air compressor, so I fill the tire to try to find the hole, hear the hissing, can't find the hole.
Went out and bought a bike rack, yes I don't have one. I have one now. Plan to go home on my lunch today, pick up bike, go to bike shop and discuss tire changing. I have nothing. No spare tubes, no repair kits, nothing. Guess what I'm buying.

Why is it always the back tire? It seemsthat I've had 4 flats in the back tire, in the last 4 months!

My LBS had a great idea over the winter - they held a ladies night tea and tire changing clinic. We all brought a wheel in and took the tire on and off.
Another good place to learn things may be if you have adult ed in your community. We have a different bike shop that gives a two hour "basic" class. We didn't do anything hands on, but he showed us how to change a tire, how and where to lube parts, stuff like that. Very worthwhile, I thought.

I just joined this group! I had the dreaded first flat back tire this weekend. Fortunately, the group I was with had a certified bike mechanic in the group (these people serve as volunteer bikepath patrols). The tire had barely started to hiss and they were calling for the mechanic, who came rushing back with a mission to perform! They whipped out a camera to document an "incident" on the trail and everything. I tried to look like I was helping, but he had a new tube in before I even knew what hit me. I at least had the tube and the right equipment with me. But that's the way to get a flat on the trail! Since I didn't actually change it myself, am I still technically a tire virgin?? Or is a flat a flat, no matter how I got it fixed? :)

My boyfriend helped me change my first flat at home over the weekend and I rode the same trail again tonight and got a thorn in the tire again. (Front tire, luckily) Managed to ride it back to the car and brought it home to change and patch. All went pretty well until trying to get the last 8 inches of the tire back on the rim (knobby mtb tire). I just can't seem to be able to push the @#^$ thing in! Any tricks? I have a little arthritis in my thumbs and not a lot of hand strength. Help!!

I have lost my tire changing virignity for real now! As I was riding the bike path, I was thinking that I would post a warning on our local website about all the plant debris from the trees overhead (thank you for the shade though!). While I'm thinking about it, to my heart and soul's fear and terror, I hear the dreaded hissing, from the rear tire no less. Dang! No bike mechanic with me this time. What a pain. A flat on the front feels like a gift compared to the back. I managed to get it almost completed and had to ask someone to help me get the wheel back on. I just didn't have enough hands to manipulate the bike, the wheel, the chain and the derailleur. I guess I need to practice in the comfort of my own garage so I can do it completely by myself next time. Because I'm thinkin' there will be more than a few next times!

For getting stubborn tires on rims: Not 100% recommended, because it can cause a pinch-flat if you are not careful, you can use your tire lever in "reverse" to help pop the tire back on the rim. Have your trusty (in-home or LBS) mechanic show you how to do it.

Another trick is to use your stomach as leverage. Push the already- on-the-rim side of the tire/wheel against your abdomen and use both of your hands to go around the bead and get that last little bit under the rim. I find this makes the best use of my limited hand-strength.


For changing rear flats: Be sure to shift into your smallest cog on the rear before you begin. Many women find it easier to change a rear flat if they flip the bike upside down first (guys just roll their eyes at this :rolleyes: ). It seems to make it easier to re-insert the rear wheel. After the wheel is inserted in the drop-outs, flip the bike right-side-up and open the quick release lever. Let gravity do it's thing so the axle is properly seated in the dropouts, then tighten and flip the lever closed and off you go!

I ALWAYS flip my bike over to change a flat. It's much easier. One thing to remember - if you have a computer mounted on the handlebars, take the computer head off before flipping the bike or you risk scratches to the face of the computer, making it harder to read.

annie

Thanks for the tips. I am definitely going to practice this back wheel thing, with the bike flipped over, at home a few times.

I lost mine this past weekend. I was heading out on a long ride. About 2 mile from home, I wondered who was throwing firecrackers at me. I felt something hit the back of my leg and started to look around for kids having fun. Very quickly, I realized my back tire had blown out. I managed to unclip and dismount without falling. I proceeded to chage the tire per lbs instructions. I gues I had it kinda easy because the blow out took the tire half way off the rim. Changed everything out and then couldn't close my quick release to keep the tire in place. Talk about frustration.
After bumming a ride home from a friend, I called the lbs for an explanation as to what I was doing wrong. Turns out that I had overtighted the release. It closed easily when I loosened it up. Just something to keep in mind when you're changing out your first flat.
I took the bike and tube into the lbs on Monday. They told me it was the best blow out they'd ever seen. There was an 18" rip in the tube. They also gave me an A+ for my tire changing efforts. I was quite proud of myself.

Congratulations on your first tire change! I'm glad to hear you didn't crash and burn when it blew. Fortunately, both of my flats this year have been leaks and not blow outs.

I did practice the back tire at home a few times so it isn't so difficult the next time. I got the quick release thing ok, but I have a little trouble getting the wheel aligned properly when I put it back on the bike. I'm sure practice will make perfect for all of us not-so-skilled-tire-changers.