Practice those Tire Changes ....

For anyone who hasn't practiced their tire changing abilities - I highly recommend it now.

I've changed bike tires on bikes as a kid many times. When I bought a new Tri-Bike a year ago, I thought no problem, I can change those tires. I made sure I bought a tube, levers, and pump and always carried them with me. In a year, I had never had a flat tire.

Last week, I'm out on what was supposed to be a 20 mile ride. I got almost to the turnaround (read - as far away from home as I could get), and I had a flat. I was actually kind of excited, because I'm thinking - All right, I get to test my tire changing abilities.

I take the wheel off, take the tube off - no problem. Get out the new tube and look at the valve and think (man that looks different than the tube I took out). It was a Presta valve, but it was threaded and didn't look as long as the old tube.

I wrestled it in the tire, get the tire back on the rim. I tried to air it up, but couldn't get the darn pump to engage far enough to pump air in. I take it all back apart - put it back together again, same problem.

I messed with it some more and then I broke the center part of the valve that holds the air in.

Now I'm kind of frustrated, as I am a really long way from home.

Had to call my wife to come and pick me up. She kind of got a kick out of that. I had started walking back, and by the bike computer I was walking 3 mph. At that pace it would have taken me 3 hours to walk home (less than 30 min ride).

Lesson learned - be sure to check that you have the right size tube (which I did) along with the valve stem. I am glad that it happened in training instead of a race. I had a few races last year while I was carrying this inferior tube. Good thing I didn't have a flat then.

Bought 3 new tubes. Replaced the bad one, and just put the other 2 in the bike bag along with a patch kit (I could have patched the blown tube if I'd had this).


Good luck - Hope nobody has the same experience.