My tube is toast.
My tube is toast. This is a bummer because I've ridden this tube nonstop since 2001. It's been patched thrice. I loved it because the valve stem is smooth, instead of having threads up and down it - it was a pleasure to pump up, since the smooth surface made it easy to get a pump head on and off.
Hit a man-made hole in the road at the north end of Wirth Parkway. It had those nice sharp edges that only a man-made hole can have. It was raining, and I was cruising downhill at a good clip - didn't even see the hole until my wheel was bouncing out of it. Flatted instantly. Kind of freaky flatting at speed. Nice big pinch flat - two 1/2" slits on either side of the tube :(
Stopping to install a new tube in the rain wasn't a big deal since we were well soaked already - shoes had filled with water about 10 miles earlier. When the shoes fill with water, that's when I generally stop caring that it's raining and just enjoy riding. 'Cause once the shoes fill with water, it's a pretty good bet that, come what may, it's impossible to get any wetter.
Only problem was that after stopping to install the tube, I was freezing my ass off. Wasn't bad until we got rolling again, but once the wind hit the wet skin, I started shaking with cold. So I sprinted up Wirth Parkway in an attempt to warm up a bit, and after that I was fine for the last few miles. But the hot shower still felt damn good!
Hit a man-made hole in the road at the north end of Wirth Parkway. It had those nice sharp edges that only a man-made hole can have. It was raining, and I was cruising downhill at a good clip - didn't even see the hole until my wheel was bouncing out of it. Flatted instantly. Kind of freaky flatting at speed. Nice big pinch flat - two 1/2" slits on either side of the tube :(
Stopping to install a new tube in the rain wasn't a big deal since we were well soaked already - shoes had filled with water about 10 miles earlier. When the shoes fill with water, that's when I generally stop caring that it's raining and just enjoy riding. 'Cause once the shoes fill with water, it's a pretty good bet that, come what may, it's impossible to get any wetter.
Only problem was that after stopping to install the tube, I was freezing my ass off. Wasn't bad until we got rolling again, but once the wind hit the wet skin, I started shaking with cold. So I sprinted up Wirth Parkway in an attempt to warm up a bit, and after that I was fine for the last few miles. But the hot shower still felt damn good!
posted by equipoise at 9:01 PM
3 Comments:
I hit that *same* pothole! It was full of water and I couldn't tell it was there until I was going through it!
Sorry to be selfish, but I'm glad it was your turn to change a flat. I flatted twice in April from potholes. I'm down to one tube and am going to have to have a tube patching session this weekend.
I like wearing sandals when it's raining. You get to that "can't get any wetter" stage that much faster. :)
Peace.
I like your thinking, Nathan!
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