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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View Comments
@EBruner
I'm opposite. I live by the motto, " Never look at your tires. It can only lead to bad news". That's how I roll.
@Teocalli
"All while rolling of course…………" We should ask @Brett, as he knows how to make pictures -while rolling- of impossible poses (See A shift in time).
Someone else mentioned having an octopus pet as being handy in the #26 and#65 post.
But realistically: anything goes. A picture while standing still and then showing how to hold on to your seat tube/stays while rubbing your rear tyre or bidon, is more than acceptable. And for that particular shot, I will not wine about stems at 6 o'clock and pedals not at 90/180 degrees.
@KogaLover
That would have been me with the pet Octopus (not that I actually do - but for those who know about these things I was mighty surprised to see a Blue Ring Octopus for sale in a Tropical Fish shop I used some years ago).
I guess the idea is to hook your thumb rear side of the seat stay and dangle little finger side of palm onto tyre.
@RobSandy
Yeah, I know (hangs head in shame). Mind you, one of the blessings of black shorts is that they are, in fact, ideal for wiping off oil and lube from one's hands. That was actually my downfall - I thought I'd put the chain on with my right hand only, but I inadvertently used my left hand too. Result? Black smudges on the left side of the stem.
@Rob
Thank you. No need for palms, or bidons, just a little sense and practise.
@wiscot
To each their own, but to me this is on a similar level to snotty kids wiping their noses on their sleeves.
@osbk67
That's cos the kids haven't mastered the nose-clearing double nostril blast with a gentle pinch of thumb and forefinger to tidy up.
@mouse
It's a story I heard, old school six day and someone heading for the top of the banking and doing this to save himself... To me it makes sense if the emergency was that dire.
@Rob
Wow! Kudos to him then.
I couldn't even imagine being able to pull that off!
I might start packing a toothbrush in one of my jersey pockets to brush any glass or dirt off while rolling.