Today I got my second flat of the year on the Cannondale. Different kind of tire but also a different kind of flat. When it happened I thought maybe a baggie or something had fallen out of my pack and was flapping between the bike frame and my leg, but what I was really feeling was the air blasting out of the cut in the rear tire sidewall as it would rotate past my leg.
If a sidewall tear/cut was going to happen it was going to happen where I was riding. I was descending from my second ascent of Little Annie Road for the day and was about 1/2 a mile from the turn around point and in a section that is super steep and with a lot of large and loose rocks, and sharp ones I guess too.
Once I got stopped and realized it was a flat I tried to figure out what caused it. There weren't any obvious signs. My first attempt at fixing it was to remove the valve stem, insert a tube of Stan's Sealant and then try to inflate the tire. Well that didn't work at all but from where the air and sealant was now leaking from I knew where the hole was.
I wouldn't call it a worse case scenario but it's about as bad of one as I want to deal with. I removed the rear tire, broke the bead and then had to scoop and clean out all of the sealant that I had just put in it. Then I basically removed the valve stem, put in the new tube that I had in my pack, tucked the tire back within the rim and was able to inflate it with my last CO2 canister as I had used a full one when trying to fix the tire with just the sealant.
Fortunately it held and I rode some more down to Castle Creek Road and then up Midnight Mine Road a bit. I cut that last part short as I was pretty much just done for the day and to be honest I was wary of flatting with that tube and having to deal with that, meaning push my bike the rest of the way home.
But this is why I basically never leave, ever, on a ride without my pack. I never wanted to ever be in the situation where I had to use the spare tube in my pack but I have to say I was damned glad I had it. As well as the valve stem core remover, the extra Stan's, and the boot to put in the tire to cover the hole so the tube would not protrude out. I am also very grateful that I had TWO cylinders of CO2 and not just the one. As they say, always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Still a good ride for the day regardless. 44 miles, 11420 feet in gain in 5:17. (The time does not include the trail side bike repair.)
And I am pretty happy with the week. 15:48 total training time. 8:29 on the bike and 7:19 running.
Three weeks and six days until the marathon.
Headed to the Springs super early tomorrow to liberate the Trek from Pro Cycling and to pick up some other things to bring back here. It should be an interesting day.
No comments:
Post a Comment