Yesterday, I had my third (bicycle) flat tire out on the road, in 17,869 miles. It was a drywall screw, and the tire was flat (700x25)in about a half a second. I live on the edge of town, and I was a little over 3 miles from home. I was finishing up on what would have been a 16 mile ride and was on pace to get it done in around 53 minutes.
Could have walked it, but not so much in cleats. I had a spare tube, levers, and CO2 cartridges on me. I could have replaced the tube along the road... but didn't really want to dive into that. Just wasn't in the mood, if I didn't have to.
Called my next door neighbor, he already had his hands full and couldn't fetch me for about an hour. Unfortunately, he had just driven by exactly where I was standing, only 15 minutes earlier. Couldn't reach other neighbor at all, but he is very hard of hearing... likely didn't even hear the phone. Didn't want to call my sister while she was at work.
So, pulled up the Lyft app on my phone for the first time in my life. I had installed it on my phone for this very reason.
Of course, the app automatically knew where I was, even though I was out in the country and not near a house or anything. Typed in my home address for destination. Chose an "XL" vehicle, and was quoted $16.04, and someone would pick me up in 9 minutes. There's a no-brainer right there. Paid for the ride and relaxed for a while... but wondering if someone would really drive out in the country to pick someone up.
Guy shows up on time in a GMC Yukon SUV. I saw him coming from a mile away. Slid my bicycle in the back and hopped in. And of course, I'm in my full cycling kit (helmet, glasses, gloves, jersey, bibs, and cleats) and not street clothes. Felt a little stupid, but it is what it is. 6 minutes later, and I was back home.
After using Lyft, I'm starting to wonder why I even bother carrying a spare tube, levers, and CO2 cartridges on the bike with me.
First flat was a jagged little scrap of sheet metal that the front tire kicked up, and then it tore into the back tire (tire was ruined), so I was done. Second flat was a single strand of a steel cable. And the third was a drywall screw.
Could have walked it, but not so much in cleats. I had a spare tube, levers, and CO2 cartridges on me. I could have replaced the tube along the road... but didn't really want to dive into that. Just wasn't in the mood, if I didn't have to.
Called my next door neighbor, he already had his hands full and couldn't fetch me for about an hour. Unfortunately, he had just driven by exactly where I was standing, only 15 minutes earlier. Couldn't reach other neighbor at all, but he is very hard of hearing... likely didn't even hear the phone. Didn't want to call my sister while she was at work.
So, pulled up the Lyft app on my phone for the first time in my life. I had installed it on my phone for this very reason.
Of course, the app automatically knew where I was, even though I was out in the country and not near a house or anything. Typed in my home address for destination. Chose an "XL" vehicle, and was quoted $16.04, and someone would pick me up in 9 minutes. There's a no-brainer right there. Paid for the ride and relaxed for a while... but wondering if someone would really drive out in the country to pick someone up.
Guy shows up on time in a GMC Yukon SUV. I saw him coming from a mile away. Slid my bicycle in the back and hopped in. And of course, I'm in my full cycling kit (helmet, glasses, gloves, jersey, bibs, and cleats) and not street clothes. Felt a little stupid, but it is what it is. 6 minutes later, and I was back home.
After using Lyft, I'm starting to wonder why I even bother carrying a spare tube, levers, and CO2 cartridges on the bike with me.
First flat was a jagged little scrap of sheet metal that the front tire kicked up, and then it tore into the back tire (tire was ruined), so I was done. Second flat was a single strand of a steel cable. And the third was a drywall screw.
Last edited:
What I learned was at around 80 miles or so I really didn't like riding bicycles anymore. Finally wised up and quit doing them. Flats on road bikes were pretty rare in NW Pa. 
