Walking the walk - MY first rear flat on a 65 mile ride.

[indigoiis]

So tonight I go out to get my ride to ride, and the back tire was flat again.
Huh.
Go figure.
I ain't perfect.
Neither is the bike, apparently.
So I took the old mountain bike. Averaged, I think, 11 miles an hour. Good times.

*SIGH.*

Maybe I will try to change it AGAIN, this time in the livingroom.

About the flippy over thingy - I don't know why they don't have you flip it over, except, if you do it their way, you don't have to remove bike bags, or get your saddle and handlebars all dirty. I actually prefer not having to flip the bike over (having done that many times as a kid with my old Huffy Strider.) Putting the back wheel on was pretty easy for me. I just went back in where it had come out, and pushed the frame down onto the wheel, and then put the chain on the smallest cog, and then tried to make sure I didn't forget anything.

[Veronica]

So tonight I go out to get my ride to ride, and the back tire was flat again.

Did you check the tire, while it was off the rim, to find out what caused the initial flat? If the thorn, glass, whatever was still in it, it would puncture a new tube.

V.

[SouthernBelle]

I looked at the trek site posted and am curious why the instructions specifically state *not* to turn the bike upside down? I've changed flats both ways and find the upside down method easier.

Any thoughts?

Have you changed the rear upside down? Seems like the chain and derailleur falling in would make it harder.

[indigoiis]

Did you check the tire, while it was off the rim, to find out what caused the initial flat? If the thorn, glass, whatever was still in it, it would puncture a new tube.

V.

I did. I ran my fingers inside and out, and found the offending wire/pin while I changed it the first time. I then checked it again to make sure that was the only one. It's a mystery. I still haven't changed it the 2nd time yet. Maybe tonight.

[Veronica]

When you change this one, try putting the tube in some water. The air bubbles will show you if there is more than one puncture and will give you an idea of where to look on your tire.

Good luck!

V.

[coyote]

When you put the tube back in, put the logo of the tire where the stem hole is. This way, you have a reference point for the tube and the tire. In the future, when you get another flat, you will know where to look in the tire for an object by where the hole is in the tube. Or, if you know where the object is in the tire, you know where to look on the tube for the puncture.

This came in handy this last week for me. I had a thorn in the tire but could not find it and I did not feel anything on the inside of the tire. I found the hole in the tube and patched it then went back to the tire and looked in the area where the tube had been punctured. The thorn was slight and not very long. I had to push down on the tire to feel it. Had that same problem with a sliver of glass once too.

[indigoiis]

Changed the 2nd tire last night - the one I put on on the road - and found the leak. Up at the nozzle, there was a crack. DH tells me it is likely from my using the small hand pump and having nothing to support it as I pumped. I guess I need to put a hand behind it or a knee or something. Mystery solved.

[jandmw]

When I read your first post I laughed out loud so hard. I did a 150 mile ride over 2 days and by the end, you would have thought I was a witch! Everything pissed me off! Yet I long to get out and do another long ride this weekend.
As for the tire changing thing, my bike shop guy told me to carry a cell phone instead of a tube. Guess I must look to stupid to be able to change a tire. Maybe I should have told him I change a lot more than that on my car, so I might be able to handle a bike tire! Ohwell, I had to laugh. Then I went to another bike store and got what I needed.

[PinkPilot]

I went on the trek website just now and, lo and behold, they have the whole thing right there. Here is the link:

http://www.trekbikes.com/women_cycli...?questionid=31

Sorry about all the rear flats! You guys scared me enough that I went to a tire changing clinic at my LBS tonight. After I got home, I went to the Trek site indigoiis recommended to refresh my memory. The Trek site was really great .... until it stopped dead after filling the tire. I can't imagine why they didn't continue the steps showing how to get the rear tire back on properly. I guess they figure we're all mechanically-inclined enough to reverse what we just did. Obviously, they have never met me! Perhaps I'll practice more tomorrow -- it's supposed to rain tomorrow night anyway. Thanks for the link, indigoiis!! And may your flat times be past.