Plastic Fantastic

FAIL of the Plastic Tire Iron

The first thing I needed to do to the Univega was get the front tire to hold air. Accordingly, I removed the tire and tube. I found out the tire had an oversize tube, so I simply replaced the tube with a new one of the correct size. Along the way, I discovered that my plastic "tire iron" wasn't up to the job. Note to self: carry a plastic tire iron on the road, but keep the steel ones to use at home when a "real fix" is necessary. I guess there's a reason that steel "iron" was used back in the day instead of the plastic they give you nowadays.

Along the same line, our Jaguar car club had its annual show yesterday. One of the cars, a mid 1950's XK 140 emphasized the theme of this post. From a distance, it looks like the car has some gold trim. You can see it below.

Note Gold Color Around the Headlights and Turn Signals

However, if you look closer, you can see a statement is being made.

Some Things Were Done Differently Back in the Day...

ABC Off!

Armadillo Still Mounted on Frankenbike's Rear Wheel. Sidewall Was SAD, but Tread Separation was the End of the Tire

I’ve been an ABC Quick Check Failure for many years. It isn’t that I don’t DO ABC Quick Checks, but rather that I typically make a mental note to “fix that later” as long as I decide it will not keep me from completing my immediate trip. Sometimes, that approach proves less than satisfactory. Sometimes, it merely allows one to combine multiple fixes into one session. I’m fortunate enough that this time, I got to do the latter.

This all started back in late spring. My rear tire on Frankenbike was flat one morning. Adopting my usual approach, I pumped up the tire and it held air just fine for my morning journey. The next morning it was flat once again. I pumped it up again and this time it stayed inflated for an entire week. After about four episodes, I decided that my wife’s bike needed exercise (she rarely rides it) and I’ve been using it for the entire summer. After some experience with it, I’ll make a future post about my summer with “modern” bike technology. Needless to say, while I was going through these gyrations I was making mental notes about truing my front wheel and adjusting the brakes, not to mention cleaning and lubing the chain. I also picked up a new tire; a low-cost Kenda.

This all came to a head this week when my three daughters came to visit. Suddenly, Frankenbike was needed for transport once again. I pumped up the tire, but unlike past episodes, this time, the tire went flat within a couple of houses and the kids were not really enthused about riding “Madeline.” Apparently, fixies are not everyone’s cup of tea.

To make a long story short, the family wanted to motor in to the big city (Aberdeen and Hoquiam) to go shopping. My request included four spokes and some rim tape. I already had bike chain lube handy. I provided the old, broken spoke so they could be sure to get the proper length. In due time, I had the parts, including an extra roll of rim tape (for reasons unknown). I set to work and discovered just how pleasant truing an old rim can be when you have a bike stand, a comfortable chair to work with, and you are not in any rush.

Now there ARE a few extra items that don’t entirely fit within the narrative. They include:

• This is my second Armadillo tire that failed by separation of the tread from the casing. I am now “Armadillo-free” in Ocean Shores.
• I discovered that rim strips, such as the Origin 8 I have onBuddy, are much less universal than rim tape such as the Velox I used in this repair. The Origin 8 does not come in a 27-inch size and I don’t know if the 700c strip would fit. I’m guessing it’d work fine since the rims are not that different in size, but when the “LBS” bike shop is 30 miles away, I voted for rim tape that’ll fit ANYTHING.
• I used an ultrasonic parts cleaner to clean the chain. It worked OK, but I was wishing I had either my Park Chain Cleaning tool, or my trusty can of carburetor cleaner.
• Shiny new spokes really make their 30-year old ancestors look LAME
• I'm not sure if this is typical, but my new Kenda was MUCH easier to fit to the rim than any Specialized, Vittoria, or Continental I have recent experience with. No "must use hook bead rim" nonsense, either. It also seems that 28c wide Kendas are wider than 28c Armadillos.
• While I was fixing stuff, I fixed my second floor pump as well (it had a failed pressure head) using the head from my lousy third floor pump. My favorite floor pump, shown here, is still in Texas.
• Aberdeen, besides being the hometown of Kurt Cobain of "Nirvana" fame, was also the home of America's most prolific serial murderer; Billy Gohl. While there are no records of Billy's first six years of operation, 41 bodies were recovered in his last three years in Aberdeen.

Armadillo Tire as Removed and Ready for Trash. Note the Separation Between the Tread and the Still-Intact Casing
I'm Not Sure WHAT that White Spot is, but it was on the Inside of the Tread When the Tire was Removed

ABC and Armadillo Tires

LaVogue Bicycle Shop in Hoquiam, Washington - Conveniently Next Door to Tully's Coffee

As noted here, I've been a fan of "Armadillo" bike tires in the past. However, as noted here and here, they are not without their faults. For older bikes, I'm coming to the conclusion that Armadillos may be more trouble than they're worth.

Lately, I've had a failure progressing on Frankenbike's Armadillo front tire. Having had "ABC" failures in the past, I have kept a close eye on it. One problem, however, is that there's really no place to get a 27 inch tire here in Ocean Shores. Ace Hardware actually has "Bell" brand 27 inch tires, but they weigh at least as much as the Armadillo and I really don't trust Bell components other than tubes and helmets.

Can You See Why the Tire Was Making Funny Noises?

There IS a bike shop 15 miles away in Hoquiam. What's more, an express bus runs from Ocean Shores to Hoquiam, though I've heard tales of where it discharges its passengers - a locale nicknamed "felony flats." Luckily for me, my brother-in-law (BIL) in Everett required a visit - going to Everett and back from Ocean Shores using public transit is really a multi-day affair if you aren't going to motor there. I first stopped by the bike store in Hoquiam, but they didn't have anything much more appealing than the Ace Hardware Bell tire. I like the Hoquiam store, though it lacks the "spiff" of a Performance Bikes locale. After continuing, I stopped at a bike store I favor that's close to my BIL's house. They didn't have anything fancy, but the Specialized Trisport, made in Taiwan, seemed several steps better than the alternative Chinese "noname" tire and it was much lighter than either it or the Armadillo it was destined to replace. Reviews on the Trisport are mixed, but unlike the Armadillo, it does not indicate it REQUIRES a hook bead rim. After conversation with the bike shop guy about the tire and its intended rims, I splurged for less than HALF what it's cousin, the Armadillo, would have cost. Heck, if my tire's going to fail due to tread separating from the casing, I might as well spend a little less.

In summary and without further ado, I do NOT recommend Armadillos for old (non hook bead) 27-inch rims. They will eventually blow off same if you pump them up to their specified pressure. Their tread doesn't stay attached to the casing any better than a $5 Chinese tire, and they ride like wood. And that doesn't consider that their traction in wet conditions is, to put it charitably, "challenged." Oh, forgot to mention that they weigh a ton and cost almost as much as the excellent Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires that unfortunately are not available in 27-inch size.

Tread is Becoming "Dearly Departed" Though the Casing is Still Intact The Sidewall was Originally a Dark Red

On the other hand, even with the rubber detaching from the casing, the tire never actually went flat. Had I felt "ABC Daring," I would have pulled the rubber off the tire and ridden on the casing alone. Perhaps, someday, I will. For now, the love affair with Armadillos is OVER.

UPDATE: In response to Khal's comment, take a look here, here, and here to see more about using Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires. They're still on my "good" list though they're even MORE expensive than the Conti Gatorskins. I like them despite their own particular faults. The Contis are not available in 27" size and I'd be VERY reluctant to use folding tires on an old rim in any event.

That's the TREAD, Not a Tube! The Red is the Remaining Vestige of the Original Sidewall Color

ABC Choices

Yes, That IS a Bulge. Illustrating the Value of the "A" Part of "ABC Quick Check"

Hmm, my rear tire's had a real SLOW leak for about three weeks now. Each morning, I pump it up from about 60psi to somewhere north of 100. Now, It's developed a "bump bump bump" with each revolution. The symptom isn't getting better.

Looking at it, there's a bit of an "owie" on the tread. Look at the picture carefully and you can see it - a reverse curve that represents a bulge in addition to the gray area that is perhaps coincidentally in the same vicinity. Ironic really, considering that Big Oak just got some new Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires. THIS is the same tire, and it's only got about 4K miles on it. In the past, if babied, these tires will go nearly 6000. What has German manufacturing come to? Crimeny, these things cost almost half as much as good Jaguar tires!

Well, considering that I've been an "ABC Scofflaw" in the past, I'm considering three options:

• Change the tire and tube (remember that slow leak) before tomorrow's ride. I do have an older, but still serviceable Conti in hand. Actually, I have two, but the sidewall weaving is coming off on the second tire while the first one is mere tired (no pun intended)
• Pump up the tires on Frankenbike and simply defer the issue
• Carry the extra tire along to work tomorrow "just in case" and hope that things will stay stable for one more day (our company will be shut down next week)
• Carry the tire along and change it at lunch time, cutting the risk of a flat on the trip by some unknown fraction

My loyal reader will bet I take option 3. We shall see. Stay tuned.

Dusting Off and Pumping Up for Bike to Work Week

As You Can See from Google News, People that Don't Ride Want Us to "Dust Off" and "Pump Up"

Honestly, I'm conflicted about the whole notion of "Bike Month." You see, in reality, EVERY month is Bike Month and it seems a little silly - like declaring June as "Drive Your Car to Work" month to me. Still, it gets a lot of publicity and we're told (mostly by people that don't ride) to "dust off" our bike, "pump up" the tires, and ride to work. In that spirit, I did EXACTLY THAT this weekend. You see, in North Texas, May is the month where those of us that commute year round need to start getting serious about the summer commute season. I've got a queasy feeling this summer will be hot around here. As in hotter than usual.

 Dust Off the Bike

600 Miles of Grime on Buddy. Yuck! Note the Sidewall on the Soon-to-be-Retired Conti

I started off by dusting off Buddy. I put the Eezox dry lube on about 600 miles ago, back in March, and while it is a dry lube, some "dust" accumulated that needed to get cleaned off. The rear hub seemed EXTRA dusty. So, in honor of "Bike to Work Week," I cleaned things up a little.

Dusty Rear Hub - That Simply Would NOT Do! That Thread is From the Rear Tire

Simple Green, Water, Eezox and Soon the Dusting was Done

Pump Up the Tire
However, the advice from the news was also to "pump up" that bike's tires. And, I do confess, I haven't pumped up Buddy's tires in nearly a week. Like as documented here, when I pumped up the rear several times on that last mile home. Looking at the old tire, I've concluded that 6000 miles was a decent life for the Continental 4 Season tire. Conveniently enough, I've had one hidden away in the closet for the better part of a year. You can see the comparison between old (2 years) and new. I didn't bother with the front tire. On the new commute, I've spaced out tire pressure topoffs to biweekly unless something looks suspicious. Since it was a touch high, I'll probably wait and simply top it off the first time I do the rear one.

Sidewall Coming Apart. No Doubt Some of that Occurred in the Last Mile of the Tire's 6000 Mile Life

While I was all enthusiastic about Biking to Work, I got carried away and also fixed the tube on the road bike's front tire. I have no idea why IT went flat other than perhaps the tube was simply ready to fail. Regardless, it'll be ready to go, and just in time for the warm season, even though I don't see myself ever riding it to work on the v3 commute. I'd have to wear a backpack and that would simply not do.

Tubes are $6 Nowadays. Patches Keep Them Rolling on the Road Bike

Bike Week - Pamper the Bike!
Anyway, "Bike Month" has taken on a new significance for me and I think it's a better reason to celebrate than most of the hokey news blurbs on the subject. It seems like a good time to take care of that overdue cleaning and maintenance, and to put the bikes into summer trim. I haven't finished redoing the bag transport configurations yet, but I'd hate to run out of things to cover this month. I'm undecided whether to go to downtown Fort Worth on "Bike Day" this year. This would be the first time it might actually be practical. Perhaps I'll have to see what sort of enticements are offered. To get there, I'd ride to work, take the early TRE train into downtown Fort Worth. Festivate, and then ride the TRE back to work. Simple, if a little extreme.

ABC Quick Check FAIL

Arriving Back Home, the Tire Still Had Air. The Presta Valve was Still Broken.
I Guess Those Little Screws Don't Replace Themselves. OOPS!

In bike school, they teach you the "ABC Quick Check." In this case, the "A" means you are supposed to make sure your AIR is at the proper pressure in the tire before you gaily go riding off to work or wherever else you are riding.

As is my habit, first thing every Monday morning, I attach my floor pump to each of the tires and deliver the four to six strokes needed to bring each tire back to its target starting pressure. I pump the rear tire up to 110psi and the front up to 100psi. It's why the rear tire now has about 6000 miles on it, while the front tire is barely broken in at 2000 miles.

While I don't necessarily agree with my instructor Richard's assertion that "Presta is Besta," Presta valves DO look a little snazzier. Well, they do unless you happen to bend the valve core screw a bit with the pump and then snap it off completely when you try to straighten it back. There's a first time for everything. While I entitled this post "ABC Quick Check FAIL," there are a number of other titles that might be much more apropos. However, "Steve Butchers a Perfectly Good Tube Because He Can be an Uncoordinated Klutz Sometimes" isn't very catchy.

AFTER this little episode, I screwed the cap back on and rode the tire to work and back home with no further incident. In case you think I'm a TOTAL idiot, I do have a spare tube, and I took the precaution of stopping off at the LBS on the way home to purchase a new tube. While this tube might last a month or more before becoming dangerously prone to a pinch flat (symptomatic of tire pressure that's simply just too low), I'd rather not run this particular tube out to the bitter end. On the other hand, I'm sure it'll wait until the weekend. It WOULD be nice if the inner valve were replaceable on a Presta valve. Of course, you're reading a post from a serial "ABC" failure, so we KNOW your judgment might be open to question...

What a Presta Valve SHOULD Look Like
From Wikipedia

Even Contis Don't Last FOREVER

Something Got Through the Tire Casing and Not Even 6000 Miles Yet!

It had to happen. Today, when it came time to go home from work, my rear "Continental Grand Prix 4 Season" tire was getting flat. Luckily, the leak was slow enough that I was able to get home without having to change the tire by the expedient of using my mini pump to keep it rideable. The leak is slow enough that it seems to take two or three hours to go flat.

When I pumped things up to full pressure with the floor pump, I observed damage to the tread that went through the anti-flat caseing, along with a hissing noise, indicative of the correlation with the leaking air.

Is this tire done for? I really don't think it is, and it was actually simpler just to patch things than to walk to the bedroom closet and get the new tire out. What's more, I seem to have spotted a little wire that did the damage. Everything patched up and put right. I'll leave the new tire for a while longer before I put it on. For reference, I used a glue-on patch on the tube, and a glueless patch on the inside of the tire as insurance against a repeat. Because I line up the tire label with the valve, it's easy to line things up again. I'll leave the repaired tire off until tomorrow morning, just in case there is an unexplained pressure loss.

Still Going

As related here, I concluded it was time to replace one of my Continental Grand Prix Four Season tires, based on damage to the tire casing causing me to distrust it. At that time, I bought two replacement tires. However, being one to stretch the envelope a little, I am still using the survivor, 750 miles later, as my rear tire on Buddy. The second replacement tire is safely ensconced in a dark closet, awaiting its own call to glory. Science is more important than an extra flat. Fortunately for me, tire fairies live in the UK and not Texas. That old tire is sitting right about 5000 miles now. And it looks good. Like maybe I'll get even MORE than the 6000 mile target. Yup, I certainly AM tempting the fates. I need to find some wood to knock on, and maybe toss some salt over my shoulder.

Armadillo Tire Troubles

It was a LONG Walk Home with a Failed Armadillo

I love Specialized Armadillo tires. IMO, they are the MOST debris resistant tires around. HOWEVER, they are not perfect, by any means. Besides being heavy, with poor wet weather performance, one weakness is in keeping them on the rim. I experienced this myself, as recounted here. I put that down to using the tires on an old-fashioned rim, rather than the hook bead rim Specialized specifies. However, two of the four Armadillos I currently am using have been mounted on non hook bead rims with never a hint of any problem. The third has always been mounted on a hook bead rim and has had no problems. The fourth blew three times, before I broke down and mounted it on a hook bead rim I built up, described here. It seems to be stable on the hook bead rim.

Rim Differences

It isn’t just me. One of my fellow bike school students also had an Armadillo blow out – a tire used only ON a hook bead rim. What’s more, her experience is unlike any tire failure I’ve seen before. Namely, it appears the bead separated from the tire, with actual rusting of the bead, leading to an explosive tube failure.

Fairly New Armadillo with Catastrophic Failure

FWIW, coincidentally, I noticed a very interesting article on bike tire beads, here. Damon Rinard actually CUT the bead wires, and the tires did not blow. It was not a long-term test, but it suggests that the rubber part of the bead may be part of the culprit when it fails over enough of the circumference that the tire does not stay mounted.

What does this mean? Maybe nothing. However, I suggest that if you are getting a new Armadillo, you carefully inspect the bead of the tire to make sure there is no path for oxygen to get to the bead wire and replicate the bottom two photos. In over 40 years of cycling, I have never seen a tire fail in this manner – until I saw this one where the wire separated from the rubber.

Also, keep Armadillos out of the sun except when you are riding them. Those red sidewalls fade really fast and the sidewalls start to break down.

Clever Bike School Instructors

Parking Lot Where the "Accident" Happened

Sometimes my commute starts to seem routine. I wonder about what in the heck is there left to write about on this blog about it. At such times, invariably something novel pops up. It's different than driving in to work. Driving, it seems that the novel things all involve some rice rocket finding a new way to turn my few remaining hairs gray (grey for Rantwick and Ham).

Anyway, yesterday, on the way home from work, I had an "accident." In a parking lot. Not the kind of parking lot that Rantwick's mom warned him about, but a parking lot where I actually detoured into just for the purpose of purchasing something. Specifically, a "tall, no room, bold if you have it" product from a major coffee purveyor. I'd enjoyed the hot beverage, and was departing, when the accident happened. Sssssss and suddenly the "A" part of the "ABC Quick Check" was departing from the norm.

Not to worry; as a proud and happy "Traffic 101" graduate, I'd just change the tube in that tire and I'd be on my way with virtually no delay at all. The barista leaned out the drivethrough window and waved. I gaily noted that it came with the territory. I looked at the tire and it appeared I'd picked up a nail or something. Those Contis are tough, but nails are more than they're designed to handle.

Bike Down!

Exhibiting the speed and dexterity of much practice over the years, I had the tire dismounted and the tube removed with a speed of a NASCAR mechanic. I reached into the bag to grab my spare tube, and, BY JINGO (or thoughts to that effect), this tube is totally WORTHLESS. It was at that moment that my instructor Richard's words came back to haunt me. "Presta is Besta." All the rest of the way home, I kept muttering, "That's for darn sure when you have a wheel drilled for a Presta valve and your spare tube has a Schrader valve!" You see, my spare looked like the picture below. I'm sorry, Richard. At least my patch kit worked. I've been lugging that spare tube around for months. Talk about useless weight.

Another note, for those that think motorists are unfeeling cads that are merely waiting to kill any cyclist in the vicinity:

While I was going through all of this, I received offers of help from three motorists that were departing from the neighboring bank drivethrough, including one from two guys with baseball caps in a white pickup. White pickups are sometimes viewed with suspicion by cyclists on the road. I don't know if any of these motorists had any clue about fixing bike tires, but I felt heartened by the offers all the same. Each of you gets a gold star. We all had some good, if mercifully short conversations. Civility is NOT dead. What's more, I also discovered an added shortcoming in my bike "tire fix" equipment. You cannot use an oak tree twig to puncture the top of a glue tube. Keys don't work, either. An SKS fender stay will ALMOST work, and I'm not sure the slightly smaller Planet Bike fender stay wouldn't. A loan of a pen from one of my favorite baristas did the trick. I said "pin," but "pen" works just as well. Actually, now that the glue tube has been punctured, I won't need to worry about that - instead, I'll just have to make sure the glue hasn't dried out from old age. Upon reflection, I'm not sure that the plug from a set of headphones wouldn't work, but I didn't think of that at the time (yes, Gail, I'm BAD, REALLY BAD).

Yes, Presta IS BESTA Than Schrader When Your Wheels Have Presta Holes

Spare Tube had a Worthless Schrader Valve!

Postscript: Feeling around the inside of the tire, it appeared the Kevlar composite layer has failed. What's more, the whole thing felt really thin and flimsy, and the tire casing was feeling a bit like thick paper. Rather than using a dollar bill, I used another patch on the inside of the tire casing. Perhaps my revised goal of making 6000 miles with these tires was optimistic, and my original 4000 mile life was more on the mark. I'm going shopping for new tires. 4250 miles is a respectable mileage. I think I'd regret running them until the cord actually showed through the rubber. My new tires will be the same as the old ones. Continental Grand Prix 4 Season. 28c width. GREAT tires! 3 cents per mile, but worth it in peace of mind. THESE TIRES ROCK! I noticed that Tracy Wilkinson also uses Contis. A post on his experiences over on Springfield Cyclist would be of great interest to at least one of his blog readers (hint hint).

Continental Tires Are Better Than I Thought

Continental GP 4 Season Tires at 2300 miles

In my post, here, back in September, about nothing being idiot proof, I noted that I got over 2300 miles before I got my first flat with the 28c Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires I run on my commute bike. Well, this morning, I had two more flats. The first was waiting for me when I went to get the bike – it’d had full pressure at 10PM last night. I changed the tube and replaced the spare. Mentally, I noted that the tube damage looked similar to the September flat. Hmm. About 15 miles into the commute, the tire suddenly went flat as I was headed north on Katy Road on the Keller/Fort Worth border. It was about three doors north of the tank, shown here. I was really glad I’d replaced the spare!

Sure enough, when I got the tire off, I found tube damage identical to the first two flats. All three were caused by failure of the rim strip at one of the spoke holes (these rims have recessed spoke nipples, being semi-aero). Before installing the spare tube, I took a “no glue patch” and stuck it over the rim strip failure location. These rim strips are the type intended for use with a tubeless tire conversion, not the Velox I normally use.

So, dear readers, my previous report was in error. The tires were blameless at 2300 miles and they remain blameless at 3400 miles. With last weekend’s cyclocross, I took the opportunity to rotate the tires so that wear between the fronts and rears remains equal. At 2300 miles, I estimated the tires would last for 4k-5k miles. Now, I think they’ll last for at least 5k miles. 3400 miles with no tire-related flats seems like a pretty good start to me.

Continental tire (same tire as photo at top) at 3400 miles

Who are these tires for?
Clearly, I’m a fan of these tires, but they’re not for everyone. If you’re a road racer, their 28c profile won’t appeal to you. Their puncture resistance is also more than what you’ll need. On the other hand, if you’re going to go riding through heavy duty debris and glass, the Continentals won’t hold up as well as Armadillo All Condition. They also don't come in sizes wider than the 28c that I run - Dutch bikes need not apply. However, if you want a tire for a fast, long distance commute, and you ride where debris and potholes are a moderate hazard, these tires will get you there, they feel solid and roll nice, and they’re surprisingly light for a puncture resistant tire (lighter, for example, than ChipSeal's Armadillo Elites). Even in the wet, they feel steady.Yeah, I'll probably buy another set when these ones wear out next Spring.

PS:
This morning illustrated why having part of the commute in daylight is REALLY nice. First, I wasn’t changing things in the dark, which I would have been doing had this occurred in October. Second, a Good Samaritan living in the next door house made a special trip outside to inquire as to whether I needed help and he even offered to provide a pump. I didn’t need the help, but it was sure nice to hear the offer all the same. I think help offers would be less forthcoming in predawn darkness. Instead, the owner would see some scofflaw out in the dark, acting suspiciously.

And yes, the patch on the rim seems to have done the trick!

Nothing’s Idiot Proof

CO2 Cylinder Used by Clueless Idiot

Some say it is a poor mechanic that blames his tools. It’s true.

I don’t get flats often. Eventually, however, a flat will occur. It happened to me on Buddy this morning. Commuting on Buddy, I normally carry a CO2 pump and cylinder, a second Topeak pump, a spare tube, two plastic tire irons, and a patch kit. Until this morning, I’ve never needed to use any of it.

I got a flat on the Alliance Gateway Freeway, right at the turnoff to Cabela’s. Confident, I whipped out the leaking tube, put the new tube in, remounted the tire and started to pump with the Topeak. “Gosh this’s slow, let’s get that CO2 going and not be late for work.”

Next thing you know, I was wondering why nothing was happening. Then I tried inflating the old tube. Nothing. Tossing the worthless (notice the tool blaming?) CO2 pump aside, I got enough air in to get me the last two miles in to work. At lunch, I noticed that the glue in the patch kit was hard – the CO2 pump had punctured the glue tube. I also noticed that if you UNSCREW the CO2 cylinder a bit, gobs of pressure come out. Maybe that pump wasn’t so worthless after all. MAYBE it was just the idiot operator. I’m glad I didn’t get a flat on the HH100 when I was running with ONLY CO2 and 2 cylinders, along with a spare tube and the patch kit with the dead glue.

Note on Tires and Flats - Testimonial
Buddy uses 28c Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tires for commuting. I bought them at the LBS at the end of January, so all my Buddy commutes have been on them. Today was my first flat in over 2300 miles on these tires. I use normal tubes. These tires may be good for 4-5K miles. When they wear out, I’ll buy another set – they weigh much less than Armadillos and perform well. Unlike Armadillo Elites or other flat resistant tires, they’re available in 28c width in a foldable configuration (that's 180g less rotating weight for those that might care). For me, 28c is a nice commuter width. The width gives up about three minutes over the 20 mile commute compared with 23c tires, but they offer much better stability and comfort in exchange.
.

I do think I'll rotate the tires this winter when I yank them off to try Cyclocross. The rear is showing slightly more wear than the front. It's the front one in the picture below.

28c Continental GP 4 Season at 2300 miles

It Seemed Sinful

But it felt good as well.

Something must have really tweaked all the Keller bus routes with the opening of their new high school. This morning I ran across another school bus that was stopped, along with a lane of parked parents doing some sort of not-very-obvious-to-me school-dropoff-or-child-snatching thing. None of these buses were EVER sighted last spring!

Off the bike I hopped. Past the bus I walked, and I was on my way. Last I saw of THAT bus. The motorists didn't seem perturbed. Most of them were busy texting. I guess y'all were right.

Put this one in the "another way bikes are different" category.

ALSO, it rained this morning on the way in. I don't really like riding the road bike in wet conditions - the narrow slicks get a little twitchy in the wet, but this is probably the last time this year I'll ride the road bike in to work. Tomorrow is "Drive Your Bike to Work Day" and then it's off to Wichita Falls. When I get back, it'll be time for Buddy to start earning its keep again now that the days are getting shorter.

Arrows

Is the color suitable?

The wheel will have to wait until tomorrow...

New Hero

Link here and another is here. I went shopping afterwards, and visited "the Apple Store" on the way home. A few observations, before this post gets photos & gew gaws added:

• If you're gonna be lazy, don't leave the cell phone at home.
• If you're gonna be lazy, don't leave the pumps & spares with the bike that's taking a "vacation."
• If you're gonna be lazy, don't ignore Richard Wharton's ability to teach you to fix a flat without a spare tube, patch kit, or pump.
• If you're gonna be lazy, don't ignore a known cut in the tire casing for a full year.
• If you're gonna be lazy, make sure you know how to use a key as a substitute for a tire iron.
• On the other hand, if you're gonna be lazy, it's best to lose it within a mile of the start of the ride home.
• Besides, Buddy hasn't been ridden in nearly a month. It was time anyway.

Stay tuned for "purely hypothetical" scenarios & photos. By clicking here, you may see that the Cannondale's front tire is fully inflated. First ever "new DFW P-T-P" gear review!