My first Flat

**surgtech1956** · 06-13-2011, 04:17 PM

I got my first flat today on my new bike thats suppose to have puncture resistant tires.

Of course the flat is on the back tire. The only good thing is it happened when I was done with my ride. I'm going to attempt to change the flat. Tomorrow I'll stop by my LBS and get some tubes. Wish me luck........

**tangentgirl** · 06-13-2011, 04:29 PM

You can do it!

**surgtech1956** · 06-13-2011, 05:01 PM

Thanks. Dont know what I ran over, I rode about 9 miles, went over some railroad tracks(twice), I also forgot to inflate my tires before I rode. I inspected the tire and didn't see anything.

**Velocivixen** · 06-13-2011, 05:12 PM

Have you changed a flat before?

**Owlie** · 06-13-2011, 05:16 PM

Check the area around the valve stem--that's where all my flats have occurred. The rubber there just separates.

Good luck! (And I'm pretty sure the thread title should be a children's book or something.)

**surgtech1956** · 06-13-2011, 05:22 PM

No never changed a tube before.

**Velocivixen** · 06-13-2011, 06:04 PM

I asked because I didn't want to throw out random, unrequested advice to a seasoned flat changer. So I'll start by saying that I have never changed a flat because I've never had one. I have all the supplies and have taken several (over the years) free clinics regarding flats. The best one was the most recent one and the instructor emphasized to theck both the inside of the tire once you have it off the wheel and the tube is out, and check the outside of the tire. Try to find what caused the flat, because if it's in there and you fix the tube, put it all back together, you'll just get another flat. So look and feel the inside of the tire for the culprit.
It's a good idea to check tire pressure prior to every ride. Is you have presto valves you lose about 3 pounds of pressure every day! Surprising, huh?
Let us know how it goes.

**OakLeaf** · 06-13-2011, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Velocivixen

Is you have presto valves you lose about 3 pounds of pressure every day!

Got nothing to do with the Presta valves. Those actually seal a whole lot tighter than Schraeder valves - with Schraeders, the valve cap is actually what keeps the air in, and we all know how "airtight" those little pieces of plastic are.

The air goes out through pores in the rubber. Lightweight tubes tend to be more porous, and also are more likely to have Presta valves. That's all ...

Anyway surgtech I can't believe you've been riding all this time and have NEVER had a flat! You'll be fine, it's easy.

**Velocivixen** · 06-13-2011, 06:34 PM

@OakLeaf, thanks for the update. I got the impression, from a lbs employee that it was the valve itself that "leaked" air out. So it just leaks through the pores of the tube and not the valve? Good to know. Thanks.

**Owlie** · 06-14-2011, 04:22 AM

If you filled your tires with argon, they wouldn't deflate as fast.

**redrhodie** · 06-14-2011, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by surgtech1956

Thanks. Dont know what I ran over, I rode about 9 miles, went over some railroad tracks(twice), I also forgot to inflate my tires before I rode. I inspected the tire and didn't see anything.

Sounds like a pinch flat. Pump those tires!

**marni** · 06-14-2011, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by redrhodie

Sounds like a pinch flat. Pump those tires!

+1 railroad tracks and under inflated tires almost always = pinch flat.

I always check my tires thoroughly for tears, scrapes, miscellaneous crap after each ride. also pump my tires and check my brakes, handle bar, stem and seat before every ride.
Prevention is also part of the cure

marni

**Catrin** · 06-15-2011, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by marni

....
I always check my tires thoroughly for tears, scrapes, miscellaneous crap after each ride. also pump my tires and check my brakes, handle bar, stem and seat before every ride.
Prevention is also part of the cure

marni

I do this as well. My mountain bike tires have Schraeder valves and I strongly dislike those. I lose much more air when taking the air pump on/off than I do with all my other tires which have Presta. Part of me hates to replace perfectly good tubes because I don't like the valves but....

**MollyJ** · 06-22-2011, 05:41 AM

I had two flats on my new bike in rather short order. And railroad tracks were on my list of suspected factors though punctures were found also.

I got a kit for tire changes which I now carry in my fanny pack--thanks to the LBS guys who helped me put it together. I've read the how-to here at TE and watched some You Tube videos plus gotten some instruction from the LBS guys.

I want to be a "good" bike owner. I took my bike in for its' 100 mile check. I am hearing the message to air up tires all of the time--I was lazy on this at first. I read somewhere that you should before every ride check the tires and "bounce" the bike (drop it from a short distance) to note any rattles or loose parts. Anything else?

Chain cleaning? How often and how?

Anything else people feel compelled to add is okay, too.

**RubyTuesday** · 07-29-2011, 09:53 AM

I changed a flat this morning on my sister's road bike. It was also my first flat fix. I struggled a bit getting the lever under the bead. As I am sitting here thinking about it, I might have forgotten to take ALL of the air out of the tube, although it was pretty flat. The videos make it look so easy and it is not easy getting the levers under the bead or getting the last section of tire over the rim. It just takes brute strength. I finally got it off. Getting the tube back in was pretty easy and checking to make sure there was no pinch was pretty easy. Getting the last section of tire back under the rim again takes brute strength.

Oh well, it was my first tire change and I did it. It was a back tire so it took me a few minutes to figure out the chain. They all make it look so easy. Hopefully, it will be easy for me some day.

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