A Day of small Firsts for me

[annie]

Congrats on your Firsts, Lisa! (Well, not the flat, but still, now you know how to deal with it.) Going fast is FUN! Almost makes up for the slow drudge up the hills.

I turn my bikes upside down to change tires always. I've done it forever. Never had any resulting damage. I've seen people do it both ways. Whatever is easier for you.

Darcy, I think it depends on how each computer works. Mine turns itself off automatically after a couple of minutes so it doesn't factor much of the off-bike time into average speed. I just need to remember to start it up again when I get back on the bike. I'm not always so good at that.

Annie

[RolliePollie]

Good job on that flat, Lisa! I wish you could magically appear when I get my first inevitable rear flat. I've already had 3 front flats so I think I've got that down pretty well. But the rear...I'm not looking forward to that. I usually ride alone as well, so perhaps I better try taking the back wheel off here at home just so I know how to do it. Hmmm, maybe tomorrow...

Congrats on the new speed record too...that is super fast!!!

[cosc]

Super job on all your accomplishments. Hills, distance, speed and flat repair all in one day makes you one strong lady! I've never even changed a front tire by myself. I tried changing a tire at home so I'd be ready for a flat on the road, but wasn't strong enough to get the bead off the rim. I even used levers. My dh had to help me when he came home. I have a different brand tire now and need to try the flat repair session again.

[quint41]

Congrats on all feats accomplished!!!

The 38 mph terrifies me! I don't like speed. Never have, never will. Don't like roller coasters or any of that, fast cars, nope nope nope. I brake downhill and don't care who knows!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The 38 mph terrifies me! I don't like speed. Never have, never will. Don't like roller coasters or any of that, fast cars, nope nope nope. I brake downhill and don't care who knows!!

Believe it or not I am mostly like that too. I always go slow down curvy descents, or any descents with gravel or blind spots where dogs or cars might pop out from the side...
I am a very cautious rider. It's only when I get a straightaway smooth descent with clear visibility for 1/2 mile around that I let it go. I used to get REALLY SCARED going fast. But I never go faster than I feel in control of.
Nowadays, when the conditions are just right, it's fun and doesn't seem as fast as it used to seem to me. But always always...safety first.

COSC- don't feel bad- some tires are really HARD to get off the rim- you might have had some of those stubborn ones.

[kelownagirl]

Hey Lisa - congrats on all the firsts!! And on one day too!!

I had my first flat when I was alone so had no choice but to fix it. Luckily I had been practicing a few times at home the week before so I managed. Did you say you managed to take the tire off without using levers? I can't seem to do that - my hands aren't strong enough I guess. Do you think it depends on the kind of tire (ie road vs mtb?)

Your top speed is the same as mine! Whoo hoo! I haven't hit it once this year though. Don't know what's slowing me down - I keep trying.

[Bikingmomof3]

I know I am behind, but....


CONGRATULATIONS on all your milestones.

[Kitsune06]

I had my first flat relatively recently, too. Well, first flat on the ROAD BIKE. MTBs are different. I just load those w/ slime, when I get a puncture, I hop off, inflate, let it re-seal, then go. Wouldn't work the same on the road bike. So in one go, I got to learn how to operate those scary Prestas, take off my FREAKIN' TIGHT tires, pull out my patch kit (first time for that, too. No idea how it's taken me so long to need to use that...) and realize how woefully inadequate the tire levers on my multi tool are.

So I decide to go up on the sidewalk to avoid the bus that's stopping every 100 yards (or less) because the rush hour traffic up Hall had been *quite* prohibitive in going *around* said bus. All of a sudden I hear "Pop!" like running over a sizeable bit of gravel on a mtb or something. I think nothing of it until the bike starts going squirrelly and I start 'feeling' the bumps a little too much. Oh, yes. I was flat.

I patched the one hole (easily located by the chunk of glass protruding thru the tire) and sat pumping, pumping, pumping. It was only as I was telling the immensely kind recumbent cyclist who stopped to help that I couldn't pump it up, that it occurred to me that I might have more than one hole. Off came the tire (as I curse myself for not having a spare tube on hand, just my patch kit "It should be good enough!") and a 1x2" area was all chewed up, multiple holes etc. Eff. in addition to another hole further up. Recumbent Man (here RM) had a touring patch kit including a very large patch that just fit the area. I felt like that damsel in distress type, so typically saying "THANK YOU, Recumbent Man!"

but the tube was repaired- a learning experience- then I went to the bike shop w/ X and got a couple new tubes, new tires and a tube for my bag. Problem solved.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Most Excellent!!!

It is NOT easy to change a flat tire unless you've done it a few times. I haven't yet.
"Recumbant Man".....sounds like a real life super hero!!!
Kit- order this:
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001005.php
The Crank Brothers Speed Lever. It is the BEST most wonderful fast way to zip your tire on and off the rim. I have it- it works and then some. (but now i am practicing trying to do this stuff with my hands instead, though I have my speed lever just in case!) It's also very lightweight and not too big.

Good for you getting through the first flat. Sounds like it was a doozy!

Since you ride on streets now with lots of glass, you might want to get Kevlar lined tires- they REALLY cut down on flats due to punctures. I ride them on sharp rocks and gravel roads all the time and it amazes me that I've only gotten one flat so far in thousands of miles.

[Kitsune06]

Oh yeah, I have kevlar lined Conti Grand Prix 4-seasons. They feel like they roll pretty fast, not *too* heavy (I'm not racing...) and yes, that all-important kevlar lining

It's RECUMBENT MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

RECUMBENT MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN
rescued

FLAT GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL
!

[Kitsune06]

Flat Girl: "OMG! Save me, Recumbent Man! Glass is, like, my Kryptonite!"

[pooks]

Last Saturday we rode our bikes to eat breakfast, and when we left the cafe we'd only gone a couple of blocks when I felt that strange thumping -- yep, FLAT.

We didn't have tubes, patch kit, nuthin. After all the times I had all that stuff with me, and this time, nada. (I'd emptied my handlebar bag and put magazines in it!)

The shaftdrive bikes are much more complicated to take the rear tire off, so changing a tire is not something I've attempted. My husband has done it, but that day he said he was too busy, just take it to the bike shop and pay somebody!

So -- all they found was a teensy-tiny little hole -- like a wire or something had been stuck in it and then pulled out. So weird!

I have armadillo tires.

[Jolt]

Good job Lisa...............I had my first flat 3 days ago ,and I had to walk home 3 miles (lucky I was close). I had no idea what to do. It was my back tire also. Its something I really need to learn ,and the only way Im going to learn is take my tire off.

Bummer! Does your local shop offer any kind of fix-a-flat class? Some shops do, and it would be worth looking into--you definitely do need to know how to fix a flat. I learned how to fix a flat at the local bike co-op that has open shop hours, and a few weeks ago was glad I did--had my first flat on the way to the grocery store (flatted just as I was getting to the parking lot), and was able to patch it myself. And of course, it was the rear. I think that's Murphy's law of flat tires!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Flat Girl: "OMG! Save me, Recumbent Man! Glass is, like, my Kryptonite!"

Recumbent Man: "There, there, now, Miss! Dry your tears- my MANLY TOURING PATCH is the answer to your maidenly prayers!"