What's your plan for a flat tire 10 miles from home?
- Thread starter xerxez
- Start date
Velosurance has an optional AAA for bikes which not only will help with flats in the middle of nowhere, but can get your bike and your ass home if need be. Let's say you wipe out or have a mechanical or electrical issue 26 miles out with your RCS... I doubt your Walk-Mode will be much help and pushing a piece of rolling lead all that way is pretty much out. Who knows if your bike will even roll. Many cars and even smaller SUVs will not hold an RCS and you may have to take it fully apart just to fit it in, so you better hope your ride remembered to bring the big wrenches. Velosurance says they are prepared to handle even a 70lb fat ebike in their vehicles. I called their 800 emergency number and asked them. Oh, and their bike insurance is totally kick-ass too. They cover everything you declare at a very resonable price. I find it's worth every penny, and I ain't rich!
Tars Tarkas
Well-Known Member
Well, not exactly the middle of nowhere. They have to be able to drive to you. How worthwhile that is depends on where you ride. I ride in a lot of places that a car or truck can't get within miles of. I have Markel Insurance with the pick-up feature, but for a flat, I can fix the tire faster than a tow vehicle can get to me, assuming it can get to me. The issue is totally resolved and I'm back riding instead of sitting in a truck figuring out whether to go home or try to find someplace to go to get my tire fixed.
TT
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Good to know!
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This is exactly what I was going to say AAA tells you very clearly they will not go in the middle of nowhere meaning if you were stuck on a trail somewhere and there's no access to roads they are not coming to get you. I forget where it's mentioned though but I remember seeing it. Might be when you go to request a pickup.
Also be potentially prepared to wait for a long time for them to arrive. I was waiting on the side of the road they told me it would be 45 min but in my case was, I believe closer to 2 hours. They had to go back on the way to pick me up to get the right truck with the bike hitch because not all their trucks have it. If they could have just told me it would have been that long I could have rested inside a restaurant but the whole time they were saying they are on the way even on the app it was showing them coming in my direction so I waited outside in the heat the entire time.
TAZMANIMAN
Active Member
I too carry an extra tube with me. However I haven't heard anyone mention the slime patches. You simply peel the backer off and stick it over the hole. Instantly bonds and holds pressure. We were in Myrtle beach riding the strip when my front tire went flat about a mile from our hotel. Since it was very hot and I didn't want to be a tourist attraction I simply leaned way back to take the weight off the front tire and throttled back to the hotel. Once I have the tube out if I have trouble finding a leak I just over inflate it and it can make it easier to find. The Slime patches are simply peel and stick so they make quick work of it. I rarely even use tire levers, most of the time I can simply pull the tire one way enough to get the edge over the lip of the rim. After you do that its pretty smooth sailing and by using hands only almost impossible to pinch a tube. I did try a slime tube but the valve stem was too wide at the base to properly fit my wheels so I switched back to oem tubes. My tubes and tires are all covered on my lifetime warranties so I have extras. Since they are a wear item you can periodically call in for a new set. I did both of our bikes with new tires and tubes at 2000 miles. That's about 2 years for us. All I have to pay is the shipping!
This is legit real world advice: " I rarely even use tire levers, most of the time I can simply pull the tire one way enough to get the edge over the lip of the rim."
Too many ... people talking about how easy it is to change a tire..... don't even mention that you need to have an 18mm open-face wrench to change the rear tire. Most combo bike tools don't include that.
Side note: I did not know AAA covered bikes 'til people mentioned it a few times on this thread. Good stuff!
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TAZMANIMAN
Active Member
I hope I wasn't sounding like a hero. Just trying to add what works for me.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
You're fine with me. I use just my hands as well....
Nah, your post was good. You gave a concrete example of how you'd fix it with your hands. I thought that was helpful.
For rear-wheel hubs, removing the rear tire requires a very specific tool. Few mention that.... I could have said that without the snark. Cheeers.
Taylor57
Well-Known Member
I fixed a leak on my back tire a couple of days ago, but needed the little plastic prying gizmo to get the tire bead broken and off the rim. Can anyone recomend one to put in my rackbag? I think I gave my kids the little cheapies that come with slime or cheap patch kits. Lightweight and possibly multidimensional?
Oh, and #2
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carsonjones
Member
No. 3 for me also. I've changed many tubes on the side of the road or trail. I carry everything in a small Topeak saddlebag (list below).
- at least one extra tube and typically two on longer rides (100+ km)
- patch kit also
- zip ties
- chain quick links (10 and 11 speed in case others I'm riding with need one)
- zip ties
- bike tool (Topeak multitool incl. chain tool)
- latex gloves for the grease
- small pair of cutters that are also great for digging out wires and anything else that digs itself into the tire
- a few cut up tubes (i.e. small rectangles) for a boot
- black electrical tape around cutter handles
- small pump mounted to my bottle cage
- three tire levers (good quality ones recommended)
- couple of wet naps for cleaning
- valve adapter
All of these things (except small pump) fit neatly into the small saddle bag. I have to learn how to maintain and repair tubeless setups! That's next on my list.
- at least one extra tube and typically two on longer rides (100+ km)
- patch kit also
- zip ties
- chain quick links (10 and 11 speed in case others I'm riding with need one)
- zip ties
- bike tool (Topeak multitool incl. chain tool)
- latex gloves for the grease
- small pair of cutters that are also great for digging out wires and anything else that digs itself into the tire
- a few cut up tubes (i.e. small rectangles) for a boot
- black electrical tape around cutter handles
- small pump mounted to my bottle cage
- three tire levers (good quality ones recommended)
- couple of wet naps for cleaning
- valve adapter
All of these things (except small pump) fit neatly into the small saddle bag. I have to learn how to maintain and repair tubeless setups! That's next on my list.
Do you have a mid-drive?
carsonjones
Member
Yes mid drive - Cannondale Synapse Neo 1.
Tars Tarkas
Well-Known Member
It is easy to change a tire. I've said that many times, and you're right, I've rarely mentioned the need for an 18 mm open end wrench (or an adjustable wrench of some sort). I've equally rarely gone into a step-by-step tutorial with list of necessary tools.
If that's what you need, please ask. Deciding you want to patch or replace a tube on the trail does require knowing how and having the tools you need, of course. There are great videos on You Tube, and I would hope most bike shops would offer classes or let you watch while they do a repair for you.
TT
Lightning P38
Active Member
Good list. I also carry a 6” crescent wrench, just in case. Not sure if it even opens up to 18 mm to work on the axle nut, or if I could force the nut loose with it.....I just better carry the 18mm box end wrench with me! The crescent could loosen the nut on the clamp bolted to the torque arm, if the philips screwdriver won’t break it loose. Most of the fasteners on my bike have allen heads, so a small crescent isn’t needed much.
carsonjones
Member
I've also added a Silca T-ratchet kit to the things I carry. I'll typically only take it on longer road rides and definitely on trail rides. They're super expensive but truly a well designed tool. Love the included torque measurement option which is especially great for carbon components.
T-Ratchet + Ti-Torque Kit 2nd Generation
The world's smallest and lightest bicycle torque wrench with live 2-8nm torque measurement. Never break a component on the road or trail again.
silca.cc
This is so crazy how much stuff you have to carry for tubes. This is a great reminder I am so glad I switched to tubeless and I don't own a car my ebike is my primary form of transportation and I'm in Colorado I go off road and through the trails and wherever I use it for everything I don't rely on public transportation anymore it's my full time commuter.
I have had absolutely ZERO issues since I went tubeless (Maxxis) back in March. All I carry with me is a small pinky sized plug/patch kit incase I need to plug a puncture and my portable air pump. I haven't need to use either on the road since I had my Maxxis Minion installed. Goat heads in Colorado are insane too but whenever I get them I just pull them out and spin my tire and the sealant seals it.
Other than that I just check my psi like once a week or so and top up my air and then every few months I take it to the bike shop to get the sealant checked/added. I have absolutely no mechanical experience. I am not handy with anything, barely handy with shoelaces but these Maxxis have been totally maintenance free like I said I just take it to the bike shop every few months for them to do the messy work with the sealant.
But not going to lie before I went to Maxxis I had Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tubeless installed and had a nightmare of an experience with the rear tire and a freak puncture but thank goodness I didn't give up and after switching to Maxxis I am never going back to any other tire brand or tubes at all.
Also it was no easy task getting the Maxxis Minion on the Juiced Ripcurrent S wheel my first local bike guy couldn't do it. It didn't want to seal on the bead or whatever it's called. For some reason the Schwalbe had no issues going on was very simple and actually my bike guy was amazed but I had other issues with it. However the Maxxis took 3 guys at my local bike shop and some time to do it but once they got it it's been smooth riding since the day I rolled out of the shop. It was a great decision on my part.
I have had absolutely ZERO issues since I went tubeless (Maxxis) back in March. All I carry with me is a small pinky sized plug/patch kit incase I need to plug a puncture and my portable air pump. I haven't need to use either on the road since I had my Maxxis Minion installed. Goat heads in Colorado are insane too but whenever I get them I just pull them out and spin my tire and the sealant seals it.
Other than that I just check my psi like once a week or so and top up my air and then every few months I take it to the bike shop to get the sealant checked/added. I have absolutely no mechanical experience. I am not handy with anything, barely handy with shoelaces but these Maxxis have been totally maintenance free like I said I just take it to the bike shop every few months for them to do the messy work with the sealant.
But not going to lie before I went to Maxxis I had Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tubeless installed and had a nightmare of an experience with the rear tire and a freak puncture but thank goodness I didn't give up and after switching to Maxxis I am never going back to any other tire brand or tubes at all.
Also it was no easy task getting the Maxxis Minion on the Juiced Ripcurrent S wheel my first local bike guy couldn't do it. It didn't want to seal on the bead or whatever it's called. For some reason the Schwalbe had no issues going on was very simple and actually my bike guy was amazed but I had other issues with it. However the Maxxis took 3 guys at my local bike shop and some time to do it but once they got it it's been smooth riding since the day I rolled out of the shop. It was a great decision on my part.
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