Ok, so here’s an LOD (Lesson of the Day) I’ve learned before
but apparently have to keep on learning.
Get your bike ready the night before.
Yesterday’s group ride didn’t start until 9:00, so I figured
I’d have plenty of time to get the bikes ready in the morning. I got Brenda’s bike, pumped up the tires,
lubed the chain—ready to go. Then I got
my bike—flat rear tire. What’s up with
that? It was fine 2 days ago when we
rode. Then I was kind of under the gun
because we were meeting a bunch of other people in just a little bit so I
didn’t take the time to check the inside of the tire and stuff like I’d usually
do—I just took out that tube, put in a new one and we took off. We did a relatively short, 37-mile ride, and
it’s a good thing we didn’t go any farther than that. After we got back I checked the old tube,
found the leak, and matched it up to where its position would have been on the
tire. Then I took the tire off and
checked it, and sure enough, there was a metal sliver in there that surely would
have eventually poked through the new tube too.
(And when I say “eventually” I mean I got off real easy not flatting on
that ride.)
Flat tires are weird—I’ve gone for years without getting a
flat, and then I’ve gone through periods where they come hand over fist. Brenda hasn’t had a single flat tire
yet. I only hope that when she finally
gets one I’m with her. I’m happy that
she rides with a very good group—if she ever is in a position to have to ride
home by herself there are several in the group who will ride with her just
because they don’t like to let a girl ride very far by herself. Thank you, guys—you know who you are.
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