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Sacrifice to Bike Gods?

carls10carls10
in General Training Discussions

Last weekend, got a rusty nail through back tire, through tube and out the other side.  Ok change tire/tube, get a pinch flat because I rushed trying not to hold up the people I was riding with.  Eventually ended up having to get a ride home.  I chalk it up to if you ride enough, it's going to happen. 

This morning doing my RR, less than 10 miles from home, back tire flat again.  Now I have my race tires on... (used for exactly one race). Very, very small nail/staple punctured the tire and tube.  Able to plug the hole with cue sheet and replace tube.  The roads around here are horrible at best and all the pot holes and bouncing (literally feeling like you are in a washing machine, teeth jarring) my right forearm pad collapsed completely onto my bar. 

In addition, I had a flat at my first HIM this season. 

So really looking to make 'good' with the powers that be before HIM next weekend.  Any suggestions?

(I do completely realize that a flat is NOT the end of the world.  Always thankful to come home from a ride in one piece)

Comments

  • Brenda RossBrenda Ross
    Pray, pray, pray and practiice, practice, practice that tire changing just incase the praying does not work. Sorry to hear about all the bad luck. Perhaps it is all gone now and next weekend will be the race of your life.
  • NortonNorton
    I find that flat tires come in inexplicable bursts (so to speak!) and then just...stop.
  • Matt SamojedenMatt Samojeden
    Posted By Bill Russell on 13 Aug 2011 07:48 PM

    I find that flat tires come in inexplicable bursts (so to speak!) and then just...stop.



     Bill I am with you , they come in spurts. Last season 4 flats in training , this year none.   Now I just belew than im sure..O k let's get it over before the races

     

  • Spokane_AlSpokane_Al
    I suppose you could go with Gator Skins for training tires - they are pretty tough, although not particularly high in the roll resistance test.
  • kjanracingkjanracing
    Volunteer at a race. You'll pay back and get back in His good graces.
  • timdawg7timdawg7
    I was thinking to when I was a kid and some bikes had tire that were completely solid, meaning no air...you guys remember that? So I started doing some looking around and found the solution to flat tires. :-)

    http://www.airfreetires.com/

  • gilliattgilliatt
    I look at it as you have to get the stupid stuff out of the way enroute to great execution.
  • carls10carls10
    @ Al I was training with Armadillo's which work very well, however the nail that went through the tire was very substantial

    @ Kurt, volunteered at IMLP this year, raising $ for Timberman and coaching my sister to her first HIM...will continue to look for ways to give back

    @ Tim I will look into those :-)

    I hope you are all correct with the whole "flats coming in spurts" and I hope I am done with them for the season! Still considering a small ceremony in the back yard before the race... :-)
  • Michele CellaiMichele Cellai
    Carly- I agree with the bursts. This has been my season for flats as well. My road bike came back from Cali with a flat. I would change, get 1 ride, and flat again. I could not find the source. Last one I had to get a ride home. I am back on my race wheels and keeping fingers crossed for next week.
  • Gordon CherwoniakGordon Cherwoniak

    It's all part of the game, but I agree it seems to be in spurts for flats. 

    Seeing as it was suggested I'll give you an n=1 on both sides.  My problem this year has been my commute to work 2 flats on consecutive rides coming home then going to work the next morning. I volunteered at Lake Placid and it's been good since. 

    I wonder where that good karma was at IMC last year?   Right as I was leaving special needs after donating a spare tube and co2 to someone who might need it I got a flat. 

    Gordon

  • ri133ckri133ck
    I feel your pain Carly. Last weekend I did my IM RR and had two flats plus a slow leak I filled twice. Last year at IMLOU I used my Zipp 808 tubulars and they worked great. This year at IMLOU I am thinking about just going with my SRAM S80 clinchers just so I dont have to carry a spare tubular tire and air. I was thinking after my RR flats maybe I shoudl stick with what worked last year. I'm so confused!
  • DCorsoDCorso

    @Carly - I feel your pain, the roads in MA are marginally better than the cobbles in Belgium and northern France.  Are the flats with the same set of tires or have you changed them?  I recently had an issue where I kept flatting, couldn't find any sort of puncture or piece of debris in the tire and finally gave up and changed what was a brand new tire.  Haven't flatted since and I still can't find anything in the tire I pulled off.

  • carls10carls10
    Fingers crossed that I am out of the woods. Completed the HIM without an issue. One sprint left to go...
  • Michael ByertsMichael Byerts
    I had my own "sacrifice" on Saturday. 2 flat tires in less than 2 hours. You can debate the wisdeom of only carrying 1 tube and CO2 (which failed, by the way, leaving me stuck waiting for a good samaritan cyclist to come by with a spare cartridge) on a 2 hour ride. You can say I should carry my cell phone when riding and it was stupid to leave it at home. But still, 2 flats on one ride covering less than 40 miles? I didn't have a Stadler melt down, but still wound up walking home, in bike shoes, for 2 miles.
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