My First Flat

Just hundreds? I have had three flats in the last 7000 miles and that's at
east three too many.
"pjclarkesq" wrote in message
news
WOW!!!!! Did I get a lot of great stuff about tire repair. I thanked
some
of you with a private note but decided it would be better to do it this
way.
It's really neat how many of you spent time to help this old geezer out.
I
hope you all have hundreds of flat free miles.
Phil
"pjclarkesq" wrote in message
news:_GGgb.59360$%h1.43588@sccrnsc02...
Had the first flat on my new Tour Easy. Luckily I was only about 2.5
miles from home. Still...a long walk for an old guy (be 70 next spring)
pushing a big long Tour Easy. So I guess I better learn how to fix
flats
again. Haven't had to do that since I had my first bike back in the
1940's....a big old balloon tired bike with nothing but a "New
Departure"
brake to complicate taking off the rear wheel.

Can anyone recommend a bike repair manual clear enough for a
mechanically
inept guy to understand that will help me get that rear wheel off and
safely
back on? I watched the guy at the bike repair shop but he got the wheel
off
so fast I couldn't keep up with what, precisely, he did to get it off.
I'd
appreciate any suggestions.

Phil

Question: Why do some people have asterisks at weird places in certain
words? Is it some kind of censor function of the site they post from or
their newsreader app? IE, why "fl*t" and "p*nct*re"? OR, is this some kind
of "knock on wood" defecne against flats (err, fl*ts)?

Thanks

"harv" wrote in message
...
Single tool is possible Crank Brother Speed Lever, which generally works
well. Since I changed to Stelvios, I added 3 regular strong plastic tire
levers to my kit. The speed lever just won't do it with very tight tires.

It is good to practice taking the wheel and tire off and replacing them in
the comfort and safety of home. Just figuring out how to lay the bike in a
stable position and pulling back the derailleur to release and insert the
wheel is just as important as how to replace or patch a tube. A tip: take
your new spare tubes and put them in a grocery sack with some talcum
powder
and shake and bake the tubes. The talc is a good lubricant. Put the powder
covered tubes in a plastic zippy bag for your road kit.

Since we are both at geezer age taking along the trifocals in your kit if
you normally wear single vision is a good idea. Tough to fix a flat if you
can't see it.

Pumping up a tire with a bike frame pump can be tough. I can't hold the
tire/valve/pump head with one hand while pumping with the other to get up
to
riding pressure. I have to lay the wheel on the ground and put a spacer
under the pump head -so it doesn't rip the valve off- so I can get enough
muscle behind the pump to get 120 psi.

A Tour Easy isn't a wallyworld bike. Don't be afraid to go back to your
LBS
and have them demonstrate the whole procedure for you. It's a lot easier
to
do it after seeing a demonstration.

Also, most flats seem to be on back tires. Learn how to reach behind the
seat and use the palm of your riding glove to brush crap off of the tire
before glass can work its way through the tire.

Good luck, and once you learn how fix a fl*t, I hope you never have to
apply
the skill.

snip
Taking the tire off usually requires just one tire tool, don't know the
name
of it. After getting the tire off, be SURE to check for thorns, glass,
steel, etc. inside the tire. I simply rub my finger around the inside of
it.
I'm sure someday I'll get cut doing this as someone is surely to note.
If
you don't, you are going to get a flat down the road again.

snip

snip

I'm sure someday I'll get cut doing this as someone is surely to note.

So noted. I have thrust puncture-vine (Goat Heads) into my fingers
doing that, as well as glass, but I still do it.

GeoB

I carry a couple kleenex in my kit and if I get a flat, I just gently run
the kleenex around the inside of the tire. Anything nasty sticking up will
usually snag the kleenex and tear a piece off. I developed this method
after a rather nasty slice on two fingers from a long and thin piece of
glass through the tire.

In article 4pJhb.275828$Lnr1.198610
@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com, says...

snip

I'm sure someday I'll get cut doing this as someone is surely to note.

So noted. I have thrust puncture-vine (Goat Heads) into my fingers
doing that, as well as glass, but I still do it.

GeoB

I carry a couple kleenex in my kit and if I get a flat, I just gently run
the kleenex around the inside of the tire. Anything nasty sticking up will
usually snag the kleenex and tear a piece off. I developed this method
after a rather nasty slice on two fingers from a long and thin piece of
glass through the tire.

Also helps sop up the blood after you've found the glass shard with
your fingers.

--
Cletus D. Lee
Bacchetta Giro
Lightning Voyager
http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

iLiad wrote:
... After getting the tire off, be SURE to check for thorns, glass,
steel, etc. inside the tire. I simply rub my finger around the inside of it.
I'm sure someday I'll get cut doing this as someone is surely to note. If
you don't, you are going to get a flat down the road again....

Check the rim strip also, as protruding spokes can cause punctures.

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

harv wrote:
...
Pumping up a tire with a bike frame pump can be tough. I can't hold the
tire/valve/pump head with one hand while pumping with the other to get up to
riding pressure. I have to lay the wheel on the ground and put a spacer
under the pump head -so it doesn't rip the valve off- so I can get enough
muscle behind the pump to get 120 psi....

Have you considered getting a Topeak Road Morph?

Also, most flats seem to be on back tires. Learn how to reach behind the
seat and use the palm of your riding glove to brush crap off of the tire
before glass can work its way through the tire....

Or you could accidentally stick your fingers into the spokes - I will
pass on this suggestion.

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

Sticker Jim wrote:

Question: Why do some people have asterisks at weird places in certain
words? Is it some kind of censor function of the site they post from or
their newsreader app? IE, why "fl*t" and "p*nct*re"? OR, is this some kind
of "knock on wood" defecne against flats (err, fl*ts)?

W* h*v* * sh*rt*g* *f v*wv*ls.

T*m Sh*rm*n - N**r th* c*nfl**nc* *f th* M*ss*ss*pp* *nd R*ck R*v*rs

Lewis Campbell wrote:

Having a flat on a 'bent is really no different from having one on an MTB or
any other bicycle....

Unless you have a Windcheetah "Speedy" where all the wheels have single
side mounts, so the tires can be removed with the wheels in place.

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

pjclarkesq wrote:

WOW!!!!! Did I get a lot of great stuff about tire repair. I thanked some
of you with a private note but decided it would be better to do it this way.
It's really neat how many of you spent time to help this old geezer out. I
hope you all have hundreds of flat free miles.

What about flat free kilometers for those who live in countries that
have adopted SI, i.e. 95% of the world?

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

Its probably so that they can say words like ' ph*ck ' and not offend anybody. :-)

Lewis.

***********************


"Sticker Jim" wrote in message . cable.rogers.com...
Question: Why do some people have asterisks at weird places in certain
words? Is it some kind of censor function of the site they post from or
their newsreader app? IE, why "fl*t" and "p*nct*re"? OR, is this some kind
of "knock on wood" defecne against flats (err, fl*ts)?

Thanks

"harv" wrote in message
...
Single tool is possible Crank Brother Speed Lever, which generally works
well. Since I changed to Stelvios, I added 3 regular strong plastic tire
levers to my kit. The speed lever just won't do it with very tight tires.

It is good to practice taking the wheel and tire off and replacing them in
the comfort and safety of home. Just figuring out how to lay the bike in a
stable position and pulling back the derailleur to release and insert the
wheel is just as important as how to replace or patch a tube. A tip: take
your new spare tubes and put them in a grocery sack with some talcum
powder
and shake and bake the tubes. The talc is a good lubricant. Put the powder
covered tubes in a plastic zippy bag for your road kit.

Since we are both at geezer age taking along the trifocals in your kit if
you normally wear single vision is a good idea. Tough to fix a flat if you
can't see it.

Pumping up a tire with a bike frame pump can be tough. I can't hold the
tire/valve/pump head with one hand while pumping with the other to get up
to
riding pressure. I have to lay the wheel on the ground and put a spacer
under the pump head -so it doesn't rip the valve off- so I can get enough
muscle behind the pump to get 120 psi.

A Tour Easy isn't a wallyworld bike. Don't be afraid to go back to your
LBS
and have them demonstrate the whole procedure for you. It's a lot easier
to
do it after seeing a demonstration.

Also, most flats seem to be on back tires. Learn how to reach behind the
seat and use the palm of your riding glove to brush crap off of the tire
before glass can work its way through the tire.

Good luck, and once you learn how fix a fl*t, I hope you never have to
apply
the skill.

snip
Taking the tire off usually requires just one tire tool, don't know the
name
of it. After getting the tire off, be SURE to check for thorns, glass,
steel, etc. inside the tire. I simply rub my finger around the inside of
it.
I'm sure someday I'll get cut doing this as someone is surely to note.
If
you don't, you are going to get a flat down the road again.

snip