Sixth Time Is the ... Something.

[rowyn]

This has been the summer of tire problems for my bike

Comments

[tuftears]

Egads. o_o That's a lot of tire problems for your poor bike!

[rowyn]

I have had more tire trouble in the last five months than in my entire life prior. I can't actually remember EVER having a flat tire on a bicycle prior to this year. I probably had one at some point in my childhood.

STILL.

[tuftears]

Maybe you should make an offering to the Madonna del Ghisallo :)

[jordangreywolf]

I was wondering! Not that I've used a bicycle myself in ages, but once upon a time, I used to bike EVERYWHERE, and if I ever had a leak problem, it was just a slow leak at worst (never had a blow-out or such). But maybe I was just lucky. I don't know what kind of tire you're using right now, but maybe there's some more rugged "off-road" type of tire you can get for your bike, next time you get tires? What with all the key-caltrops you keep encountering, it seems like it would be warranted.

[the_gneech]

What deranged lunatic is going around strewing broken keys right and left???

-TG

[rowyn]

Someone shelling out for a lot of replacement keys, I imagine. c.c

[terrycloth]

I'm pretty sure I would have just ridden home on the flat tire. I hear that's bad for the wheel though.

[alltoseek]

Yes, very bad. Pretty much destroy the wheel. True for cars as well.

[terrycloth]

Well, I rode around on basically flat tires for a while when I was a kid, since my tires had slow leaks and I was lazy about filling them. I didn't notice anything in particular happening as a result.

[rowyn]

"Basically flat" and "incapable of holding any air at all" are actually a lot more distinct than you'd think. I've ridden on tires that had <10 PSI (when they should have 65 PSI) and the only thing I noticed was that it was a little slower and felt like it took more work to pedal. Trying to ride on a totally flat tire is not significantly easier than walking, by contrast.

[alltoseek]

The tire shredding itself along the wheel is concerning. Either the tire was poorly manufactured (if you got it at Walmart would not be surprised) or the wheel itself has a problem - also not surprising if keys and things keep clanging about in it. The wheel itself may be out of true, the spokes may be damaged, any number of problems. Also, hate to say this, but prying the tire off the wheel with the tire tools may have caused a problem

[rowyn]

Yeah, the tires had a goopy white substance. It was not adequate to the task of patching over the rents either time.

The tire is definitely getting replaced this time. I'll ask Rick at the bike shop if he can tell why it died.

[sythyry]

Perhaps I am glad that I cannot bike anymore. I avoid this particular doom!