Pwiiiiiiish!
Yesterday about a mile from the ferry I experienced my very first blow out. I've had slow leaks, quick leaks, pops while stopped at lights and random bursts while the bike was in the living resting against the wall. But now I have my "Popped Tire While Rushing A Traffic Light" badge.
I could easily have walked the bike the rest of the way and fixed it in the comfort of my living room. But it was a nice night, I didn't have any engagements, and I've been carting around a pump and patch kit in The Mansion anways, so, why not? I pulled off, setup shop, and got to work.
The only specialized tool I have for the job is an awesome Crank Bros. hand pump. The rest o' my kit is made up of a crescent wrench, Allen tool, Leatherman, and a garbage bag. The patch kit I bought months ago and cost like $2.50. The garbage bag is multipurpose rain poncho/tool box/prison wine distillery/Halloween costume. The Leatherman I have not had to use yet, but I'm sure once I come upon the president of the Fox network trapped in a burning overturned car, I'll be glad it's there.
I timed myself, of course. While I have thus far avoided the other traits of cyclists (i.e. spandex) watching a clock is something I've started to do. With pictures taken, a phone call from The Misses, and packing back up it all took about fifteen minutes.
A bunch of that was hand-pumping my tire back up to 110 PSI, which took forever. I discovered a method of quick & easy pumping by propping the tire and pump against a wall and using my leg to do the work, although I'm sure it looks like I'm humping the air from the road.
I had about ten minutes to make it to the ferry. I rode hard, but not hard enough. Sitting here on my couch or at work in my chair I sometimes long for the kind of painful exertion I've read about and seen on the faces of athletes, but out there on a bike in high humidity it's hard to push yourself that hard just to get home thirty minutes earlier. I wasn't up on the pedals pushing with my heart and soul, but I was doing what I've come to learn as kind of a sit-down sprint.
I missed the ferry by about a minute. I spent the resultant thirty minutes waiting for it to come back talking to The Girl while riding in circles and trying to drift around various objects.
Hours later the tire suddenly popped again whilst watching TV with us. A quick investigation of the punctures revealed a pattern that is very interesting. I think a hole in the sidewall of the tire is causing re-occuring pinch flats. I'm going to bring the evidence to my local bike shop and see if I can get this taken care off once and for all.
After the day I've had, it's hookah & brownie time. Daddy needs to relax after dealing with... people who... aren't... the best with computers.
Time for resting. Peace!
- David
I could easily have walked the bike the rest of the way and fixed it in the comfort of my living room. But it was a nice night, I didn't have any engagements, and I've been carting around a pump and patch kit in The Mansion anways, so, why not? I pulled off, setup shop, and got to work.
The only specialized tool I have for the job is an awesome Crank Bros. hand pump. The rest o' my kit is made up of a crescent wrench, Allen tool, Leatherman, and a garbage bag. The patch kit I bought months ago and cost like $2.50. The garbage bag is multipurpose rain poncho/tool box/prison wine distillery/Halloween costume. The Leatherman I have not had to use yet, but I'm sure once I come upon the president of the Fox network trapped in a burning overturned car, I'll be glad it's there.
I timed myself, of course. While I have thus far avoided the other traits of cyclists (i.e. spandex) watching a clock is something I've started to do. With pictures taken, a phone call from The Misses, and packing back up it all took about fifteen minutes.
A bunch of that was hand-pumping my tire back up to 110 PSI, which took forever. I discovered a method of quick & easy pumping by propping the tire and pump against a wall and using my leg to do the work, although I'm sure it looks like I'm humping the air from the road.
I had about ten minutes to make it to the ferry. I rode hard, but not hard enough. Sitting here on my couch or at work in my chair I sometimes long for the kind of painful exertion I've read about and seen on the faces of athletes, but out there on a bike in high humidity it's hard to push yourself that hard just to get home thirty minutes earlier. I wasn't up on the pedals pushing with my heart and soul, but I was doing what I've come to learn as kind of a sit-down sprint.
I missed the ferry by about a minute. I spent the resultant thirty minutes waiting for it to come back talking to The Girl while riding in circles and trying to drift around various objects.
Hours later the tire suddenly popped again whilst watching TV with us. A quick investigation of the punctures revealed a pattern that is very interesting. I think a hole in the sidewall of the tire is causing re-occuring pinch flats. I'm going to bring the evidence to my local bike shop and see if I can get this taken care off once and for all.
After the day I've had, it's hookah & brownie time. Daddy needs to relax after dealing with... people who... aren't... the best with computers.
Time for resting. Peace!
- David
posted by BuddhaDave at
8:03 PM
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