Flat Resistant Tires & Riding Alone

[sundial]

Removing and installing rear wheel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfu96dIcPdA

And a really quick, efficient tire change:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeeOh...eature=related

[loopybunny]

This totally reminds me of the video from a year ago that was something along the lines of challenging an Olympian. The video showed Levi Leipheimer changing a rear flat. You could tell immediately he wasn't sure how to get the rear tire off & had trouble. Took him 50 minutes. Made me feel less bad.

I read through this rather fast... have you checked your rim tape? I destroyed mine changing a couple of flats and had to have it replaced. I had the LBS do it when I finally put on puncture resistant tires and it didn't cost much. I haven't had any flats since last December or so when I got the new tires (Specialized Armadillo Elite).

I almost always ride alone, but I stick to roads where I know there is likely to be other cyclists just in case I have an issue. It is out in the country, with only a little traffic, but my hope is that one of the other riders might ask if I need help if I did have a problem. Luckily, I haven't had to test this theory yet.

[nscrbug]

I use tire liners and would HIGHLY recommend them! Certainly gives me some piece of mind, in exchange for a few extra grams of weight. The only flats that I have gotten since using the liners, are those that come through the sidewalls. I run Vittoria Diamante Pro tires, which I love. They have lots of puncture protection, yet still have a low rolling resistance to keep them feeling "zippy". And they're great in wet weather, too.

I must admit...I am not too fond of riding alone, so I can totally relate on that aspect. I have weak hand strength, so getting my tires on/off is quite difficult for me. I tend not to venture out too far if I opt to ride alone...usually I stick to a 25-mile route. The rest of the time, I'm either riding with my DH or a male cycling buddy (who, lucky for me, happens to be a pro at changing a flat tire).

Sorry...can't help with the group riding thing, as I've never even attempted to ride with a group. I seriously doubt that I could hang with any of the club rides in my area. Those guys go blasting by us at well over 20mph. I can do 20mph for short stints (a mile here, a mile there), but certainly NOT for an entire ride.

[marni]

I ride alone, distances from 30-60 miles, from preference. I have ridden for 5 years with a total of three flats. I ride on bontrager hard case race ultra lights that have kevlar in them. I have great faith in these tires. As for riding alone, I carry a cell phone and cab fare along with telephone numbers for several local cab companies. I wear a road ID and have a copy of my drivers license in my wallet. I have fallen and been injured and was lucky in the care of strangers both times. For the enjoyment of solitude, I am willing to take chances.

That being said, I don't ride stupid. I know how to mechanically manage most small equipment repairs. I can change a flat and I am not ashamed to ask for help from one of the local farms or ranches as needed.

[Chile Pepper]

Don't forget to pump up your tire before every single ride, even if you just rode a day or two ago. Full pressure seriously helps minimize flats.

[lph]

I don't flat that often, maybe once or twice a year, and rarely fix it on the road anyway, but I would find it very very stressful to ride worrying about flatting because I couldn't fix it myself.

The hard part about fixing a rear flat is imagining how the chain and rear derailleur are supposed to go together once the wheel is off, because the rear derailleur collapses a bit in on itself once you pull the wheel off.

Having a simple diagram of what it looks like once the wheel is ON with you would help. You could put it in your seat bag, or tape it under your saddle. I'll make you one if you like :-)

[Catrin]

I am very careful to air my tires before every ride - generally before it goes on my bike rack.

I have arthritic hands so changing a tire is very hard for me - the problem is getting those last 6 inches of tire back on the rim. When I practiced it actually took me something like 2 hours from beginning to end for that reason.

Now I have a trunk bag, I understand there is a tool that is safe to use to assist getting the tire back on the rim