First Flat
Last week was pretty lame on the riding to work front. Rode Monday, didn’t ride Tuesday, rode Wednesday, rode in the morning Thursday, but Megan picked me up after work. I had a meeting to go to. Which is exciting. Friday, I didn’t go to work because my Dad was in, but we went out on the trail. He and the girls walked, and I got 12 miles in. Yesterday afternoon was my first go at going on the trail from home, and it was a good time. I saw a deer on the side of the trail, and a dead copperhead in the middle of the trail. Nature Ride!
About a quarter of a mile from home I ran over something on the side of the road, and got a flat tire. LAME! It must have been a nail or something, because there was a clean, round hole in the tube. I took it to the shop today, and they fixed it. And while at the shop I bought myself a bike computer[1] for my bike. It will keep track of my mileage (total and per ride) and speed (average and max), and also tell me the time, temperature and let me know if my pace at any given time is above or below my average. I’m excited about it. My bike won’t be ready until Wednesday, though, because I’m also having the gear shifter/brake handles replaced, since one of them was acting a bit funky.
So, I’m not going to make my 200 mile goal. Which is sad. I didn’t expect to get 300, but I thought I’d reach 200.
[1]Special Note: It is a bad idea to buy things like this for yourself when you have a birthday just around the corner.
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6 comments
That stinks. I’m glad I never got a flat before I took that basic bike maintenance class because I wouldn’t have known how to get my tire off of the wheel. But now I know and I could probably handle it.
Somehow I made it 2 summers (into my 3rd) of commuting to work without a flat. I will consider myself lucky.
Do you have a link to the bike computer for me? I’m interested in something like that.
I added a link in my post. They have some that do more stuff, and some that are wireless, which is pretty cool. But I went with the cheapest one that could give me max speed and average speed.
Invest in some tire levers, a pump, and a spare tube. I got a little pump that straps to my bike frame (the plastic mount holds the tire levers), and I keep the spare tube in my CamelBak.
Pushing a bike is certainly no fun.
Yes – bad idea! My dear husband is notorious for buying himself things right before his birthday Christmas, and our anniversary…. usually stuff I’ve already bought or am getting ready to get. He did it while we were dating, engaged, and the last 4 years of our marriage. We joke about it now…. expect for when it happens — I usually cry
Oh – and sorry about your flat!
Also a bad idea to buy things like this right before Father’s day!
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