A Most Fortunate Bike Flat

Now that the weather is finally cooperating and giving us Mainers some sun, I was pretty anxious to get my bike out for a ride.  Of course, I never bothered to get my bike ready in the event that we would have a sunny above 50* day, so when that day came, both the tires were low.

Not a problem.  I put my bike in the back of my van and headed downtown to the gas station where the owner has an adapter so he can fill my tires when needed.  (My bike has a presta valve, which means that it is super skinny and a regular air pump won't work.)  Of course, when I got there no one knew where the adapter was and the owner wasn't going to be in until Monday.  womp womp.

Let me just remind you that I live in the middle of nowhere and the nearest bike shop is 40 minutes away, open from 9-5 and closed on Sundays.  It was Saturday at 4:15.  If I didn't get air that day, I wasn't going riding until the following weekend when when I could get to the shop on my day off.

I tried a shout out on FB hoping my tri/biking/runner friends would answer the call for a bike pump.  Only one did and it looked like the wrong valve.

On to Plan B.  I had class this weekend in Bar Harbor (about 3 hours away) and was heading there again on Sunday so I planned to bring my bike with me and after class go to one of the many bike shops in Bar Harbor to have them pump them up.  Otherwise, it's a week before I can get my bike in to anywhere.

So I get done with class and head to the bike shop on my way out of Bar Harbor.  The 12 year old working there was very nice and filled my tires for me.  I went in and purchased a bike pump of my own so I never have to rely on anyone else to fill my tires for me.  AND it attaches to my bike.  I am so cool now.

looks a bit like a gun.  but it's not.  unless I'm going to shoot you with air.

So, I was taking my super cool self down the road to home so I could go bike when I hear from the back:  PSSSSHHHHHHHHT.

This cannot be good.

I pull over to check my bike and the back tire is completely flat.  ugh....  I turn around and head back to the bike shop to find out what went wrong, just in case the kid screwed up and filled them too much.  Turns out there was a  hole just near the valve.  Fortunately, they had techs available and they kindly replaced the tube for me right then.  Woo!  $20 and 20 minutes is all is cost me.  Probably the least amount of money I have ever spent on that bike at a bike shop.

As annoyed as I was about it happening right after he filled the tire, after thinking about it a little, I ended up being thankful it happened that way.  The last thing I need is to get a flat while I'm out riding.  At least I wasn't 10 or 20 miles from home.

Side Note:  I really should learn how to change a tube if that does happen while I'm out biking.  I suppose that will be my next purchase since the front tire is probably due for a flat.

Happy Note:  I got a 45 minute ride in last night just before dark.  No flats.