Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Crash Course in Flat Tire Replacement

Last Saturday I rode from my home in QC to BGC. I planned the route and estimated one way to be around 15km in total. I started off at around past 6am, able to go as I pleased since there were only a few vehicles plying the roads at the time.

As I left the Ortigas Business District and headed to C5 via Shaw, riding thru the downhill was very inviting so I obliged. The feeling, as always, was very exhilirating.

As I turned right and climbed that short uphill entering C5, I noticed that my pace started to slow. I looked down to check my tires, and, as confirmed by another biker who passed me, "May flat tire ka Sir!"

I am convinced that the flat tire resulted from that downhill wherein I hit a rather sharp break on the road. Tsk tsk.

At that moment, I was along the bridge at C5 bordering Pasig(?) and Taguig, over the Pasig River. I stopped to the side and thought, "Well, here goes nothing..."

This was my 3rd flat tire experience, but on the first two (one in Greenhills and one in Camp Aguinaldo) I was fortunately near my car. I just packed my bike and took the flat tire to my LBS where it was replaced with no worries. This 3rd time, along C5, there was no "vehicle support" to help me.

Instead, fortunately, I brought along a spare tire tube, hand pump, and bike levers ---all conveniently placed in my bike shirt's back pockets. The hand pump and levers were of the Lezyne brand and were bought from Bikezilla which is a short walk from my office here in Ortigas.

With no experience except at recalling what the bike mechanic did in my first two flat tire replacements, I dove in and started the work. It took me about a little over 10 minutes, and thank goodness, I was able to replace the flat tire! Needless to say that I was able to reach my destination with no further issues.

Whew!!! Boy, was I glad that I brought along those tools and spare tube!

Here's a BETTER way of replacing the flat tire that I found on YouTube that you may find helpful ---just in case. :)



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