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September 14, 2004
Flat
My aim today was to ride to work and back. But Nathalie had to come and get me 1/3 of the way back from work. My back tire blew out at the roundabout on the edge of Crolles. I didn't have a replacement inner tube, nor tire irons.
Good thing my inserts are supposed to be ready tomorrow morning. Should be able to start running again.
Matt Swift, one of the developers on Directory Server, does lots of biking. When I told him I was riding in and back home sometimes, he said I ought to be able to do it in 45 minutes (avg. speed about 43 k/h). Considering that it takes about that long in the car, I guess that he's either overly optimistic or almost ready for the Tour de France.
Posted by Mark at September 14, 2004 08:51 PM
Comments
I have a little pack I carry that is designed with a strap to attach it snuggly under the seat against the seat rails. It is approximately 3 inches by 5 inches by 2.5 inches thick. While this sounds quite small, I have in it right now: a spare tube; a patch kit; an allen wrench that fits my shoe cleats; a schraeder adapter for presta tires; a quarter; three aluminum tire irons plus a nylon tire tool; a three-pronged allen wrench with which I can adjust/tighten most things on my bike (handlebars and seat are primarily the reason for carrying it;) a thin, one-foot square rag; an identification tag with name-address-telephone (in case my nest of kin need to be notified;) and a compass (if I lose my sense of direction on a cloudy day.) Naturally, I also have a pump that I carry all the time. I now must strap the small bag to my rear rack since I don't have a bike seat with rails underneath anymore.
I feel that not carrying the necessary tools to change a flat tire is like driving a car home when the gas gauge says empty. Sure, you will make it almost all of the time even if you don't stop to get gas. But you are severely punished those rare times you don't make it. It also increases my sense of independence and competence to have the stuff with me. Matt does not carry anything with him when he rides to work but then he is never more that 1.25 miles from either work or home and he could carry his bike that far it need be.
I think you should carry both a spare tube and a patch kit. With only a patch kit you could have a problem you can't fix -- a broken valve or a long tear in the tube for example. With only a tube, you could pinch a hole in the tube (putting in on in a hurry) or fail to find the object in the tire tread that flatted the tire in the first place and putting a hole the the new tube when you pump it up.
Does your new bike have a pump peg? If you get a frame fit pump remember they come in sizes to fit the frame.
Posted by: Dana at September 15, 2004 03:39 AM
Rob has one of those small kits under his bike seat. It may hold a spare tube. Maybe he gets a whole sew up tire in there? I'll ask.
With sew ups, isn't the procedure more a replacement than a repair?
Not sure whether the frame has a pump peg. Perhaps I could get one of those compressed air cartridges so I don't have to take a pump everywhere just for the occasional emergency.
Posted by: Mark at September 15, 2004 06:12 AM