Friday, July 01, 2005
LET'S GO FLATTING!
I attended a "change your flat tire" workshop the other night. I was the only one there, so it ended up being a personal workshop with the bike mechanic! Here are the steps to resolve a race day situation that could potentially put you out of the entire competition:
- most flats usually occur on the rear tire (more weight on the back, so there are more chances for object penetration) - plus, the rear tire is the more difficult of the two to work with and Murphy is always your best friend!
- undo the break cable to release the calipers
- undo the quick release that holds your tire onto the fork
- pop the tire off
- release the rest of the air from the damaged tire (this makes it easier to take the tread off the rim)
- start with one side of the tread and pull it off the rim (best position is to rest the wheel on your lap and reach across the opposite side like as if you were waterskiing)
- flip the wheel over and finish off by pushing the second tread edge off the rim - remember which tread edge corresponds with which rim edge
- reach inside the tread and take the damaged tube off
- locate the protruding object - when under the gun, run your fingers along the inner side of the tread until you locate the nail, staple, piece of glass, etc. - remove the offending object
- insert partially inflated spare tube into tread
- assume same position as when removing tread and seat one edge of the tread with tube onto rim
- ensure tube is seated properly and seat the other tread edge onto the rim
- inflate tire
- reinstall wheel and ensure that quick lock and brake mechanism are done up
This whole process took the mechanic less than 30 seconds. When I tried it, it took 5 minutes! So, looks like I'm going to practice a few times to get used to it. Oh yeah, he showed me how to use a CO2 cartridge to fill up the tire. Inflates to 90 psi in less than 5 seconds! Wicked!! This process also assumes that you are carrying a spare tube (which takes up very little space when new)
** "flatting" is a common term used in NZ (as well as in Britain) which means "staying over at someone's place" (which is commonly referred to as someone's flat)
- most flats usually occur on the rear tire (more weight on the back, so there are more chances for object penetration) - plus, the rear tire is the more difficult of the two to work with and Murphy is always your best friend!
- undo the break cable to release the calipers
- undo the quick release that holds your tire onto the fork
- pop the tire off
- release the rest of the air from the damaged tire (this makes it easier to take the tread off the rim)
- start with one side of the tread and pull it off the rim (best position is to rest the wheel on your lap and reach across the opposite side like as if you were waterskiing)
- flip the wheel over and finish off by pushing the second tread edge off the rim - remember which tread edge corresponds with which rim edge
- reach inside the tread and take the damaged tube off
- locate the protruding object - when under the gun, run your fingers along the inner side of the tread until you locate the nail, staple, piece of glass, etc. - remove the offending object
- insert partially inflated spare tube into tread
- assume same position as when removing tread and seat one edge of the tread with tube onto rim
- ensure tube is seated properly and seat the other tread edge onto the rim
- inflate tire
- reinstall wheel and ensure that quick lock and brake mechanism are done up
This whole process took the mechanic less than 30 seconds. When I tried it, it took 5 minutes! So, looks like I'm going to practice a few times to get used to it. Oh yeah, he showed me how to use a CO2 cartridge to fill up the tire. Inflates to 90 psi in less than 5 seconds! Wicked!! This process also assumes that you are carrying a spare tube (which takes up very little space when new)
** "flatting" is a common term used in NZ (as well as in Britain) which means "staying over at someone's place" (which is commonly referred to as someone's flat)
# posted by Duffshot @ 6:40 PM 
