Re: First flat in a looooong time

On Wed, 2 Apr 2025 07:42:25 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

On 4/2/2025 7:30 AM, John B. wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:54:58 +0200, Wolfgang Strobl
<news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:
 

Am Tue, 1 Apr 2025 23:20:38 -0400 schrieb Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>:
>

On 4/1/2025 2:19 PM, Wolfgang Strobl wrote:

>
Many years ago, when commuting each work day by bike, I got a flat now
an then, too. Most often, I just patched the tube and continued my
commute. My record was something like a bit more than seven minutes,
from removing the tire to pumping up.  Ideal conditions, sunny morning,
a a clean place to do the repair, a somewhat soft tire that I could
remove with my bare hands, an easily found small puncture and, last but
not least, a fresh repair kit from TipTop.

>
While it didn't involve patching a tube, many years ago our bike club
put on a family-themed event in our local large metropark. Besides a
selection of rides there was a big picnic with multiple games and contests.
>
One game was a "flat fixing contest." Again, no tube patching, but the
contestants had to start with a deflated front tire; remove the wheel,
remove the tube from the tire, re-install the tube and tire, pump the
tire up to an acceptable pressure (around 100 psi in those days),
install the wheel and re-set the brakes.
>
The winner was the guy who was (and probably is still) considered the
best bike mechanic in our area. As I recall, it was back when "Quik
Sticks" were new on the market, which gave him an advantage over classic
tire irons; but it was still impressive to watch. He did the job in less
than a minute, IIRC.

>
Impossible, when using a Rema TipTop patching set from that time.  Those
sold nowadays are advertised with "there is no need to wait until the
SVS vulcanization fluid dries because the inner tube patch can be fitted
immediately after the coat of fluid has been applied".  Those sets from
twenty or more years ago recommended to wait about five minutes before
applying the patch to the prepared tube.  The applied contact adhesive
had to be dry before the patch was pressed on; the higher the contact
pressure, the better the patch held.
>
<https://www.bike-discount.de/en/rema-tip-top-repair-kit-tt-04>
>
On a hot day in summer, half as much was good enough. But no way to
complete the whole process including patching in less then five minutes.
This is because the necessary roughening and cleaning of the tube with
sandpaper also takes time.
>
>

>

On other occasions, I just
mounted a new tube and patched at home, later.

>
That's my standard procedure. It's so much easier in my shop, with the
necessary tools (including dowels for sanding anvils) all ready to go.

>
Sure. But sometimes, you have to patch on the road, for example when you
get a second flat and don't carry a another tube. Happened to me a few
years ago.
>

>
BTW, last week I helped a young woman resurrect her mountain bike,
unused for five years, so she can begin riding to work. She told me she
needed new inner tubes because the old ones wouldn't hold air.
>
Turns out she'd borrowed a Schrader mini pump. She didn't recognize that
it didn't fit her Presta valves. So I gave her tire irons, taught her
how to change a tube, and advised on buying the proper pump and a spare
tube, checked over the rest of the bike, etc.

>
Even around here, where almost every child or adult is able to ride a
bicycle and does it at least now and then, the majority seems to become
unable doing even the simplest repairs. Even here in Germany, where
almost every child or adult is able to ride a bike and does so at least
occasionally, the majority no longer seem to be able to carry out even
the simplest repairs. For example, replacing a light bulb on a rear
light or adjusting the head lamp.
>
Some even can't inflate a tire.  I guess these people expect a bicycle
to work similar to a modern car: Do not touch anything except the
handlebar/steering wheel, pedals and brakes and visit the dealer's
workshop if an indicator light comes on. E-bikes have accelerated this
unpleasant process considerably.

 
In my youth the only type of bicycle we had were the single speed,
coaster brake, double top tube models and I reminder the first
"English Racing Bike" I saw. A student from Dartmouth Collage, a very,
very, up market school trying to inflate his tire at a gas station and
of course he couldn't as the old Tubular tires had a different air
hose attachment then an auto.

>
In your youth, an upscale imported bicycle at Dartmouth
would more probably have a Woods/Dunlop valve inner tube
than tubulars, although either are possible.
>
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0019/0785/1353/files/Anatomy_of_a_Woods_Valve_3b32ea15-ad84-4834-a114-0fda2b3b8a2f.jpg?v=1659016138

It was a lot of years ago but I remember how superior we felt with our
bikes - strong enough to carry a friend sitting on the top tube, brake
with either foot, tires you could inflate at any gas station.... Nope,
them flimsy things will never be popular!


--
Cheers,

John B.