Cycling Forums - View Single Post

01-20-2005, 07:38 AM

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 06:55:35 -0700, Mark Hickey <mark@habcycles.com>
wrote:

>dgk <sonicechoes-spamless@hot-nospamp-mail.com> wrote:
>
>>Anyway, there is going to be one very angry biker in the LBS in an
>>hour or so.
>
>What makes you think that the flats had anything to do with anything
>other than you running over debris, thorns, glass or "Michelin wires"?
>
>And you should learn to change your own flats if you're going to bike
>commute. Otherwise you're going to be in a bad mood quite often.
>It's cheap (a LOT cheaper than having the LBS do it), quick (a LOT
>quicker than having the LBS do it) and easy (a LOT easier than
>dragging your bike to the LBS).
>
>Mark Hickey
>Habanero Cycles
>http://www.habcycles.com
>Home of the $695 ti frame

I usually do my own flats, just not in snow and cold. It hurts my poor
hands. Trying to get the tire over the rim, that final piece, is not
something that I'm good at. I'm a good computer programmer but a lousy
mechanic. One thing I did learn was to run my hand around the inside
of the tire feeling for anything sharp. Perhaps they don't do that.

My experience, while limited, is that flats on consecutive days
indicate that the cause of the flat was not removed from the tire
completely. It is possible that I simply hit something three times,
but wouldn't you say that three flats in three days is very unusual? I
do watch the road for glass.

I had hoped that a bike shop would be far better at doing flats than I
am. I could be wrong.

01-20-2005, 07:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
dgk Guest Posts: n/a	Re: upcoming MURDER at the LBS On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 06:55:35 -0700, Mark Hickey <mark@habcycles.com> wrote: >dgk <sonicechoes-spamless@hot-nospamp-mail.com> wrote: > >>Anyway, there is going to be one very angry biker in the LBS in an >>hour or so. > >What makes you think that the flats had anything to do with anything >other than you running over debris, thorns, glass or "Michelin wires"? > >And you should learn to change your own flats if you're going to bike >commute. Otherwise you're going to be in a bad mood quite often. >It's cheap (a LOT cheaper than having the LBS do it), quick (a LOT >quicker than having the LBS do it) and easy (a LOT easier than >dragging your bike to the LBS). > >Mark Hickey >Habanero Cycles >http://www.habcycles.com >Home of the $695 ti frame I usually do my own flats, just not in snow and cold. It hurts my poor hands. Trying to get the tire over the rim, that final piece, is not something that I'm good at. I'm a good computer programmer but a lousy mechanic. One thing I did learn was to run my hand around the inside of the tire feeling for anything sharp. Perhaps they don't do that. My experience, while limited, is that flats on consecutive days indicate that the cause of the flat was not removed from the tire completely. It is possible that I simply hit something three times, but wouldn't you say that three flats in three days is very unusual? I do watch the road for glass. I had hoped that a bike shop would be far better at doing flats than I am. I could be wrong.