Is that a little flint in there?
Frank’s maddening post about doing things because, well, because that’s the way to do things made me question some of my own questionable cycling behavior.
My sensi taught me to clean off my tires immediately after riding over something that might cause a puncture. This was done while riding, finger tips floating over the tread to dislodge any potential trouble. The front wheel is easy, the rear requires some technique, indexing one’s hand against the seat-stay. Did sensi mention the indexing part? I don’t think so, sensi did not have to state the obvious all the time. The obvious being: if your hand gets too close to the seat tube your hand becomes firmly wedged between tire and seat-tube, hilarity ensues.
Drunk people are not interested in recycling or redeeming the $0.05 deposit on their beer bottles. It is much more fun to throw them out the window, resulting in me wiping off my tires, usually a few times a ride. I do this and have not had a flat tire in a long time so you must all start doing this, except my wife’s bike roll with the same Veloflex Arenberg tubulars and she never does this and she has not had a flat in a long time either. We train together and she blithely rolls over the same glass that I’m madly wiping off my tires.
The conclusion is, on dry roads glass rarely punctures tires. I have found tiny wire segments are what sometimes punctures my tires, possibly from destroyed car tire radial belts but one never rides through a glittering, highly visible, pile of those. All bets are off when the tires, road and debris are wet. My current theory is the water provides enough lubricity to let glass and other fun things go right through the tire tread. I have no data to prove this; it might be standing on the side of the road in the rain makes a more vivid memory of getting a flat.
Paul Sherwen is always saying the rain causes more “flints” to wash into roads, hence more punctures on rainy days. I’m thinking, if anything, the rain washes “flints” off the road but in any case the wet causes the troubles. Again, Paul was a Pro but I’m one year older (we share the same birthday, I did not know that) so that’s a wash.
Have we learned anything today? Not bloody likely as I will continue to wipe off my tires as I ride over bad things despite no evidence that it helps. Have I cursed myself and my wife by mentioning our lack of flat tires, quite possibly. Does this mean I should shift my bike into the small/small cogs when putting her away for the night, no.
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@brett
it's a bidon, when was the last time you had to buy one?
@piwakawaka
also, the slight build up of black crud on the bottom of the bidon is no worse than the marks most bottle cages leave on them anyway.
Until now, I stop and use my gloves to wipe the tyres. My only concern then is that the dirty palm of my glove ruins my white bar tape...
I can see how one can clean the front tyres while cycling, but anyone care to take a picture of how to position your hand for cleaning the rear tyre with glove or bidon?
@KogaLover
Spoken like a true Velominatus! Just the other week my chain came off my small chainring. I put it back on, wiped my hands on my (black) tights. Imagine my horror when I got black smudges on my clean white handlebar tape! First world problems indeed . . .
@wiscot
Someone suggested having a pair of latex gloves in your repair kit for mechanicals, to avoid grease stains on kit or bartape - could you don a pair while riding to perform a wipe down then hurl them in a bin as you roll past?
@RobSandy
Ach, forget the latex gloves. I'd rather just have a team car follow me and take care of everything!
@wiscot
You mean you don't already? Amateur...
I ride on a MUP every day during my commute to/from work. There is a group of folks who hang out just off the trail drinking all day, every day. At least once a week, but more like 2-3 times one of them goes off the rails and breaks numerous bottles directly on the trail. I've pondered how I might convince them to break as many bottle as they want - in the woods - but haven't figure out the best approach.
Their hangout spot is in one of the most depressed parts of the city, so the police have little interest in breaking up their party. A few months back I did make enough calls that I found a guy at the DPW who gave me his direct number and told me to call whenever there is glass out there. It worked really well. Last week I call him and he told me due to budget cuts, he'll only be able to send the guys out once every two weeks. Damn. It was good while it lasted.
@KogaLover
All while rolling of course............
@RobSandy
Ahum, the person suggesting latex gloves in your repair kit would be yours truly. I mentioned it during a prior post on packing your tool kit. I do not use these gloves for wiping tyres though, that would be too time consuming to put on the latex gloves over my normal gloves.