Don’t Let Your Tire Flatten Your Day

Chris Weiss June 14, 2008

I’ve always been an impulsive, impatient kind of dude.  What this has boiled down to when it comes to outdoor sports is me venturing into the great yonder without the proper preparation or supplies.  Little things like mountain bike maintenance, tools and spare parts have gone to the wayside in favor of winding singletrack and sweet, sweet descents.  After all, do I want to be spending my spare time in the garage cleaning my chain rings with a toothbrush or out in the woods actually biking?  No brainer. 

When I started to expand my mountain biking into the unforgiving desert expanses of places like Moab and Fruita, however, I realized it was time to change my negligent ways.  The last thing I need is to get a flat tire, broken chain or other crippling malfunction deep in desert terrain, particularly as the summer months rolled in.  I focused on purchasing tools and parts that were essential, compact and lightweight. 

For once, I was prepared.  Therefore, when I had a flat front tire as I pulled my bike out of the trunk at the Kokopelli trailhead, I thought—BOOM, I’m ready.  I popped in a spare tube, got my tiny little CO2 pump out and was ready to ride.  No I wasn’t.  Turns out, I wasn’t particularly keen at working my new pump.  The whole cartridge of CO2 shot all over my hand instead of into the tube.  No problem, spare cartridge.  I got a little more determined and focused and tried my second (and last) cartridge.  Frozen hand. 

Unfortunately, I had not brought a manual pump as back up.  My so-called preparedness was leaving me high and dry.   

Long story short, I found a bike shop, pumped up my tire and was on my way.  I did lose about an hour of valuable ride time, however. This experience got me thinking about the importance of preparing appropriately and really thinking through one’s supplies.  This incident could have very well occurred twenty miles into the desert and a simple flat tire could have become a dangerous affair. 

When I purchased my tools I’d focused on things that were light, small and could provide a pain-free, speedy fix.  The CO2 pump fit the bill perfectly being tiny and much quicker than a manual pump.  Unfortunately, it proved too exhaustive and even if I’d known how to use it properly I could still foresee running out of CO2 on a longer ride.  A manual pump will be on my next trip.  At least then, I’m guaranteed to have a pump that will fill my tire, even if it wears my arm off.   

A spare tube or 2 is great for a quick, painless fix, but a patch kit is also a must-have for longer rides, in case of multiple flats (only so many tubes are fitting in your bag).  Patches are tiny, lightweight and essential.  And don’t forget some tire levers for removing the tire.   

In addition to tires, some other fragile parts of the bike are vital to its most basic operation:

Chain—Without a chain your bike becomes a heavy, useless hunk during the most difficult parts of trail.  Bring a chain tool so you can repair a chain if it kinks or breaks.   

Wheels—Sure, tires are important, but so are the big discs they’re spinning on.  Although, you won’t be packing spare wheels, a spoke wrench is essential toward providing a quick true.  Spare spokes might be another item to consider.  

Brakes—Stopping is a nice little luxury.  Although you’re not likely to lose all function in both sets of breaks, it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with how to adjust/service the specific brakes on your bike to keep you stopping smoothly on those tear-ripping downhills.   

Know-How—If you know all about bike maintenance, great—you’re set.  If you’ve been avoiding it at all costs like me, however, be sure to learn how to use your tools before you need them.  A pocket bike maintenance guide would also be a helpful item to pack.  All the tools in the world aren’t very valuable if you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.  

Pals— Obviously you can’t plan for every possible contingency—not too much you’ll be doing if your bike frame were to crack in two.  Therefore, the most important thing you can bring is a friend or two.  In a real pinch, where your bike is rendered immobile, your friend could bike out, get help or extra water and supplies, bring a 4WD to drag you and your bike out or, at the very least, keep you company as you hike.  Two sets of tools, hands and minds are also good commodities in case of a problem.   

Misc.—Multi-use items such as a multi-tool, Swiss army knife, duct tape and adjustable wrench can prove invaluable for all those little breaks you’d never have thought of.  These are all relatively compact and easy to store. And it doesn’t hurt to be over prepared.   

Although mountain biking is a lot of fun and bike maintenance/preparedness is none at all, it pays to be ready for a breakdown and could potentially save your life.  If you’re going deep into the wilderness, you should always carry the basic supplies needed to mend your bike and keep it riding out to the trailhead.  It also pays to give thoughtful attention to what you need and what you are purchasing to ensure that it is the most reliable option out there.  Don’t raid the multi-tool rack at your local shop and think you’re ready for anything.  Bottom line—be smart and ready and then you can truly enjoy the sport of mountain biking.  Take it from an impatient bonehead that just wants to ride.   

 

 

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One Response to “Don’t Let Your Tire Flatten Your Day”

  1. Don’t Let Your Tire Flatten Your Day | Gearfire.com on June 14th, 2008 2:03 pm

    […] ElKarlos! wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI’ve always been an impulsive, impatient kind of dude. What this has boiled down to when it comes to outdoor sports is me venturing into the great yonder without the proper preparation or supplies. Little things like mountain bike … […]

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