Flat tires are the bane of a cyclist's existence. I've had three in the last month. Not cool! It's not that I mind the whole tire changing process, but not when they happen at the most annoying times and places!
Flat #1- The first time was about a month ago, I had just worked a late day and was rushing to catch the bus. I had ten minutes to rush out the door and done the road eight blocks to make my connection. I whipped out one of those cool Co2 cartridges that I have never in all my cycling years used! It was slick and within under a minute the tire was inflated and I rushed off to catch the bus!
Flat #2- Again, leaving work I noticed I had a flat. Well, this time it was anything but smooth. I hadn't replaced my cartridge nor had I replaced the stupid pump on my bike that I know doesn't work. So much for my being prepared. It's only eight blocks to the bus so I started to walk. A super nice school district bus driver pulled over and gave me and the bike a lift down to the gas station where I was able to refill the tire. At home while changing the tire I noticed that there was eight or nine patches on the tire deemed it was time to retire (ha ha). I purchased new cartridge's, ditched the bogus pump, and took a regular hand pump to work for a back up. I was ready.....well....so I thought.
Flat #3- Today, barely a week since my last flat, I noticed on the ride to the bus this morning that it was getting a little rough riding and sure enough....FLAT!!!! I thought, no problem, I'll whip out one of those awesome Co2 gadgets and I'll be on my merry way. What a joke! Mind you, the last one I used was almost ten years old and gave a burst of air that could have pumped up 10 tires....this wimpy one I bought last week couldn't even fill my up tire half way. It was enough to get me to work, and the hand pump was able to insure my return home. I enlisted the wonderful husband in the changing process this time to make sure there wasn't something I was missing that was causing this awful reoccurring process. While he was giving my grimy bike a good degreasing I discovered the culprit, a tiny piece of metal had pierced the tire and caused the flat. Glad to know I ran over something and it wasn't something I had missed the last time!
I was reading Reader's Digest at lunch today and there was a survey of commuters around the world. An interesting tidbit was that in the United States none of the female respondents rode bikes to work but in Mexico none of the men did. I don't think that women commute on bikes as a general rule for many reasons. Changing clothes, getting dirty and probably changing tires. I hope this third time works, because it's definitely NOT charming!
