Lesson Learned

dscribner

Hello All,

My planned long bike ride was yesterday.  I am in week 9/20 for Half Ironman with plans to switch to Ironman training in 3 wks.

I learned a valuable lesson in how to change a tire that I wanted to share.  Out about 25 miles from home when I got a flat.  I luckily had a spare tube and CO2 cartridge.  I have watched the videos and have seen the process of changing a flat several times in real life.  It was much more of a struggle than I thought and wouldn't you know when I went to insufflate, I didn't have good control of the CO2 cartidge and it insufflated too fast and blew a large hole in my spare tube.  The tube must have been caught between the tire and the rim.  Needless to say, my long bike was only 1.5hrs and much waiting in the hot sun for my wife to come rescue me.

Lesson learned; be comfortable with changing tires and CO2 cartidges.

 

 

 

ht001

Ouch...pinch flats suck! Good to have that karma banked for race day!

Kristen_Olson

Dennis, I'm not comfortable with the CO2 cartridges, either. I can use them, but seem to err on the side of underinflation rather than over. I run 650 wheels and tires so the cartridges would over fill my tires for sure. I recently switched to Conti Gatorskin tires, and I love them! Making the tradeoff of heavier tires with greater rolling resistance is worth it for me to ride a tire that helps me to avoid flats!

Beth_S

I've been there, Dennis! On my first ride out this year, (which was also the first time I ever forgot a spare tube) I realized CO2 required a little practice, because mine was a disaster. I also bought a superior inflator. The little screw-on head is tiny, but doesn't really work all that well.

Cary Blanco

1) Practice at home - it'll cost you a co2 canister. And you can get the workings of the inflator in a relaxed setting rather then on the side of a road.

2) if you ride with a group always be the flat change guy/gal. It gets you a lot more changing experience than just changing your own - plus you get the added "benefit" of having to catch up to the rest of the group. It'll also familiarize you with other tires, rims, dropouts etc. If you get thrown a curveball on race day, you'll be that much more prepared.

Steven Ford

Posted By Cary Blanco on 28 Jun 2010 08:11 AM

2) if you ride with a group always be the flat change guy/gal. It gets you a lot more changing experience than just changing your own - plus you get the added "benefit" of having to catch up to the rest of the group. It'll also familiarize you with other tires, rims, dropouts etc. If you get thrown a curveball on race day, you'll be that much more prepared.

 

Also this will earn you points with other people so if you encounter a problem they will do all they can to help you.

Mark Stovall

Dennis, I am feeling you man. My first flat in a looooong time was at the Gulf Coast HIM this year. I have vivid memories of removing old tires with my bare hands in the past and fully intended to do the same with my new setup if I ever got a flat. I never said I was very smart. It would have been hilarious to watch me wrestle with a brand new tire and a brand new wheel with no tire tool. I didn't even come close to getting that damn thing off. Turns out the tire has a kevlar bead, not the old wire rim that I remember. Anyway, lesson learned. I have since practiced changing them several times, which as you know, means I will never have a flat again. I use Pedro's tire tools and they work great. I also got a suggestion from my LBS. Once he replaces a tube, he slightly inflates it and then deflates it. He said this will typically help unseat a potential pinched tube. FWIW.

Coach Patrick

FWIW, you want to micro inflate it first, just to make sure that everything is sitting well. If coach dick isn't there, then you aren't on the clock and can take the time to get it right!

P

Cary Blanco

I usually blow the tube up with my mouth (hopefully the valve stem is clean) just slightly before I seat it in the tire. Then I check both sides of the rim for signs of a possible pinch, then inflate. The more you do it the easier it gets.

I got my first flat with my new 'new' bike this weekend (yes I had to replace the frame after the crash after 10 hours of use), it was a somewhat difficult with the rear wheel and rear facing horizontal dropout. But I know I'll be better at it next time and the time after that. Practice, Practice, Practice.