[CR]Lessons from a flat tire...

(Example: Framebuilders:Masi)

Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 21:27:22 -0400
From: "HM & SS Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Lessons from a flat tire...

Flatted Sunday, riding the 65 Paramount w. Cinelli bivalents, which only goes out when the weather is really nice... Rear wheel.

So, it was not a snake bite. bit of the tire poked a bit too far out through the old sidewall, which happens when you're not diligent. Big deal, but some comments might be of interest:

1) The dollar bill wrapped around the tube did work as a boot, so the next tube didn't poke out and blow up. But it may be difficult to explain the weird tear patterns to the bank when I trade it in... Maybe just laying it over the whole, a couple of layers, would be better.

2) Rummaging through the old stuff in the tubes and junk box back home, I found the tubular tire repair kits (shudder, they were well used), and the next box had some circular cloth patches with a fine cloth laminated to them. Maybe 2 cm diameter. Looked like they might have been sold for booting tires. Seemed to work (after cleaining the patch and tire inside with rubber buffer), but I have no memory of when I might have gotten them.

3) The Rigida narrow hook-bead rim had a ding at one point. Really scary how easily it pretty much pulled out with just a pair of pliers. This is not your neighborhood heat-treated or ceramic-surfaced aluminum!

The little surprises keep it fun.

harvey sachs
mcLean Va