Wednesday, August 06, 2008

OK... that was odd...

So I rode home from work tonight on my cross racer
At just about what I consider to be the 1/2 way mark I heard the front tire hissing from a puncture.
"Well crap" I thought but I kept rolling until I found a good place along the bike path to stop and fix it.
It was pretty much on the rim when I stopped. Flats suck but I figured this wouldn't be that big of a deal. It was a front and I had a tube and CO2 cartridges with me
I pull to the side, pop off the front wheel, peal off the tire, pull out the now flat tube, etc... you cyclist people know the routine.
After verifying that there was nothing poking through the tire I installed the new tube, set the bead, and shot it full of 17 grams of CO2
I put the wheel back on, adjusted my brakes, and set the bike aside to gather up my spent cartridge, old tube etc and put my shooter back in the seat bag.
I put my helmet back on grabbed the bike, started to throw my leg over when I realized that the front tire was completely flat sitting on the rim again.
"Awwwww.... WTF?!?!"
Here we go again.
I repeated the process of getting the wheel off the bike and the tube back out of the tire. I wasn't sure what my plan of action should be since I only had one tube and it was already flat.
Just as a precaution I pulled out the "Ultimate Multi-tool", my phone, and called Mr. Joshua to see if worst case I could get a ride... I got his voice mail.
Crap
I realized that I had two more 17 grams CO2 cartridges in my seat bag. I had just picked them up right before I left work (I'll go head and give my self a pat on the back for that one) and I carry a patch kit.
So using one of the CO2s I shot a little bit in both tubes to find the holes and do some patch work
Tube #2 (the seat bag spare)I found a hole in right away. There was a large one right next to the valve stem. I double checked the tire and rim for poky things
Nothing
Tube #1 (the original) I could not find a hole so I emptied what was left of CO2 #2 in to it
Still nothing
So I decided to take a chance and installed tube #1 back in the tire and on the rim
Shot CO2 #3 in it to fill it full, mounted it back on the bike, cleaned up my empties, shoved my skid lid on my head and jumped back on the bike and pedaled off
No problems
I rode the rest of the way home, including a short but risky detour on to a small single track loop with out a problem (well no problem besides realizing that my "race" tires don't hook up in slick off road conditons, I was sliding all over on my off road loop. Guess I never raced in the wet with those tires last year)

????...........
Now almost 2 hours after getting home my front tire is still full from CO2 #3
What an odd... adventure
I think I need... deserve a beer

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha, I've had similar.

One time, after my second flat of the day, I realized I was out of patches but still had one CO2 cartridge left. I ripped the tube at the hole that had formed, tied it in a knot and stuffed it back in the tire. Shot it with the CO2, then road it 15 miles or so home on a bumpy ass knotted tube.

I was labeled a genius at the bike shop the next day. Haha.

It's always something isn't it??

One Eyed z said...

As of this morning the tire is still full and ride worthy.
It really was FLAT, I didn't fix it just took it out and looked at it, put it back in and its still fine.
So crazy

Anonymous said...

It's the newest invention....self-patching tubes. I think Stan sells 'em for about $80 a piece.