Re: My first flat!: Bikefanclub.com

Skuke,

Just so you feel even more disapointed, it was only a little rattlesnake. I've seen them as big around as baseball bats and 6 feet long. I have not heard of anyone being bit by a rattlesnake. I do believe, however, that along the trail more than one has been run over by bikes.

I found the hole in my tube and patched it. It was on the edge of a thickened spot on the tube (apparent molding defect). It's possible the tube was twisted in the tire. I put another repaired spare tube in my kit as well, so I have two spare tubes.

On a similar subject, one dejected guy was walking his mountain bike with a flat tire down the trail while I was lounging on a bench letting what little strength I had left ooze slowly back into my muscles. He asked if I had a pump, and I gladly pumped up his tire (he had replaced the tube and had broken his frame pump). I have a Serfas MP-02 and I think it's a great little pump. It has a little foot peg and the nozzle is on a pull-out rubber hose. Makes it easy to pump up a tire to full pressure, as well. Even that fat mountain bike tire was easy to pump up, it just took a lot more strokes.

This brings me to another subject. I am very pleased I got a rack and rack trunk on my bike. Since I like riding more than 20 miles from home, in an area where flats are common due to local thorns that get on the trail, it's saved me more than once having a full kit. Besides, apples, bannanas and oranges are good fruits to bring along on a ride. They are as good for quick energy as the packets of drinks people pay for, and a whole lot cheaper. I can carry extra water bottles as well. I also carry a handkerchief or hand towel with me. The convenience of having the storage space on my bike which, behind me, is not even noticeable, even going up hills. At most, I'll hear a rattle of stuff inside when going over bumps. It suits me very well.

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