More than crashes or the myriad other problems anticipated before embarking on a ride, the threat of a puncture is the most tangible. I could be persuaded to leave for a ride or start a race without my trusty multi-tool or even my bidons, but never without at least one tube and a means to inflate it in case of un pneu crevé.
Those of us observing Rule #29 carry a minimum number of tools, each carefully selected for their versatility, weight, and size. Our machines are meticulously maintained, thus roadside repairs are rarely required. Chain tools and box-end wrenches are superfluous and need not feature in the Velominatus’ road training toolkit. A multitool, a spare tube or two, a simple tire lever, and a means to inflate a tire are all that is required.
The means by which we choose to inflate our tires on the road is determined by reason or whim; small, lightweight means of inflation both pump and Cartouche CO2 are readily available for all budgets. My preference is to carry a small C02 inflator with two cartridges and to distribute the weight between my three pockets. I use a rubber band to bind the cartridges together with the tire lever and put them in the center pocket; the inflator and multi tool each go in a side pocket (the mulitool goes on the right, for obvious reasons.)
Made of brass and plastic twist valves, most CO2 inflators suffer from KFC regret and are cumbersome and unnecessarily heavy. Always one to appreciate a simple, minimalistic design, it was love at first sight when my gaze passed over the Lezyne Trigger Drive CO2. Meticulously constructed of CNC-machined aluminum, it is ridiculously lightweight and possesses the soft polished glow reminiscent of the gleaming metal bits Campagnolo produced in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I almost yearn for the hiss of air escaping from my tire, just for the excuse to use it.
In the hand, it feels smooth and perfectly weighted – the folks at Lezyne do the work of a Velominatus. The cartridge threads into it perfectly, without allowing the escape of any air from its compressed confines. It threads perfectly onto the valve stem; the action required to unleash the pressurized gas is both effortless and controlled.
I am not too proud to say I carried it with me everywhere I went during the first two weeks I owned it. Magnifique.
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@Ron
I switched from the Genuine Innovations one myself; this one feels about 1/3 of the weight. It's awesome.
@Ron, @michael
I don't want to tempt fate, but the only flat I've had in the last 4 years - between my and my Velomihottie's bikes - was on my steel where the valve stem tore off while inflating the tires pre-ride because the tube was so old the rubber was hard. I bought a stock of spare inner tubes in 2003 of which I still have several.
Ride good tires (GP4000), replace them when they are worn, clean them after riding through crap, and you go a long ways towards never needing your gear.
One of my cycling resolutions for 2011 is to lose the damn saddle bag this year. Granted, I have a super small one, but bikes REALLY do look better without them. I carry two tire levers, co2 chuck, two co2 cartridges, some patches and glue, and some dollars for boots or emergency money. I didn't have to use any of this in 2010, and I feel that I could fit it all into a small pouch (like the Lezyne one) without too much trouble.
@mcsqueak
That would fit in your center jersey pocket no problem with room for a tube too. Get with the program before Frank's goon squad comes knockin'.
@Cyclops
No kidding, I don't want to wind up knee-capped like Nancy Kerrigan.
@frank
Some point-counterpoint on tire wiping from two guys who know a lot. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/wiping.html
I never wipe my tires and rarely get punctures. I think your biggest defense is not letting your tires get worn too thin. Once I get one or two, chances are that tire is ready to be....wait for it...RETIRED!!!!!! I'm drunk.
I'm with Sheldon - he seems as if he was much more grounded in reality that Jobst's odd disconnected scientific theory.
I'm a rubber (oo-er!) and have snagged bits of glass, flint and wire out before, possibly avoiding punctures down the road. Sure, the offending articles have often ended up stuck in my fingers causing blood and pain, but I just harden up and ride along sans crevaison.
I should also say that in my youth I once did as Brandt said and got my hand jammed suddenly between my tyre and my seat tube, causing an instant lock-up followed by a topple onto my side into the lane of traffic. Fortunately, I lived to tell the tale and I've never been quite so casual about the procedure since...
@frank & @Ron,
It too was my valve stem that got a slow leak for being so old, but it waited until I was as far from home as I was going to ride to get low enough to notice. Remember my bike's been sitting more than rolling up until just 2010. Ron, no V involved, only luck. Well I suppose there may be a little skill with peripheral vision and reflexes well aligned with the subconscious mind.
@frank Well I'll be - Urban Dictionary has already catalogued KFC regret.
@Oli Brooke-White
http://yarchive.net/bike/glass_puncture.html
Found that even more in-depth discussion, and now I tend to lean toward Jobst's side. Indicates he's done actual experiments and describes a little bit more of the physics behind it and an explanation for why tires might puncture some distance after running through glass and still not be helped by wiping.
His avalanche of geekery definitely makes some sense, but I still feel it's better to brush than not in the same way that I throw salt over my shoulder after a spillage.