Today the flat came at about 9 miles. The good news is that with yesterday's practice today's repair went really rapidly. I almost immediately found the sharp piece of rock imbedded in the tire, fourth spoke over from the valve. Got the tube out, placed the patch, remounted the tire, blah, blah, blah.
Nine miles is too far from home to try to limp back to my garage. However, I was only about 2.5 miles from County Cycles, the best bike shop in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. I got enough air into the tire with my mini-pump to limp to County Cycles where they were glad to assist. The bike kid even did the pumping for me, putting me back on the road.
The standard answer to the question of when you should replace your tires is that you should be fine until you start having flat tires. The truth is that I have been on borrowed time on this set of tires for a while. I hope to get 2,000 miles on a set of tires but usually don't. I have replaced a set with as few as 1,500 miles and have fallen into the habit of close examination of the tires at 1,600 miles with an eye to replacement at about that time. As of today, this set has 2,898 miles. I am so close, I was hoping for 3,000 miles.
Obviously there is more to flat tires two days in a row than worn out tires. There is also really bad luck. If I can ride through the weekend I still have a shot at 3,000 miles on these tires.
Everyone wish me luck.
Everyone notice that the lesson parte deux is that I haven't learned my lesson.
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3 comments:
Good luck!
I have nearly 6,000 miles on my current tires -- one flat last year. So even flat proof tires aren't flat proof. BTW, I really liked the photo of LOOK at Freewheel.
I have nearly 6,000 miles on my current tires -- one flat last year. So even flat proof tires aren't flat proof. BTW, I really liked the photo of LOOK at Freewheel.
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