Two Pumps are Better Than One
There's nothing like the convenience of CO2 for a quick way to pump up your tire after repairing a flat. But, there's also nothing like the reliability of a good old fashioned hand pump.
I carry both to get the best of both world's, as Hanna Montanna would say. I've twice had CO2 cartridges fail on me. And, if you're out riding alone, finding a ride to the nearest bike shop can be a challenge. And phoning home for a ride can be a very time consuming recovery method. Better to be prepared.
I picked up the Topeak Master Blaster (affiliate link) last season and it's worked out great. It's a small, lightweight carbon fiber pump that mounts right next to the water bottle cage. I wouldn't want to pump my tires with it all the time, but it'll definitely do the job in a pinch. It's a small price to pay in terms of weight in order to avoid getting stuck by the side of the road for something silly like a simple flat tire.
Looking for a good bike shop? Don’t forget about Yelp.
There are a lot of resources at your disposal when hunting for a good local bike shop. You can ask friends and other riders, memebers of your club, or maybe a coworker who is also a rider. There's another great resource worth checking - Yelp.com.
I've found Yelp to be a great resource for restaurant reviews, it's main claim to fame. But, dig a little deeper and you'll find reviews for lots of other types of businesses - including bike shops.
There is a category called "Bikes" under "Sporting Goods," but you can also just type in "Bike shop near Boston, MA" in their search box and find lots of resources quickly. There are many active reviewers, and they seem to be pretty open about sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly about bike shops in the area. Just like on Amazon or other sites that have ratings, entries range from "Why can't all bike shops be like this place?" to "I had another bad experience which tipped the scale: I won't be coming again," and you'll have to weigh it all to form your own opinion. But it's nice to have some real reviews from real people to consider when shopping around.
Change Flat Tires Quickly & Easily
This YouTube video shows a good technique for dealing with flat tires. It shows the back wheel as an example, which is good because there's a couple more steps involved in changing a tire on the back versus the front.
If you're not familiar with flat tire changing, watch the video and you'll see how easy it is if you follow the right steps. I disagree with one portion of the video, though. It advises putting your tire back on using tire levers. More often than not, this is going to cause a pinch flat. You're better off to get the tire on "by hand." This can be difficult with some tires, but it is worth the extra time and effort.
Working without levers may require that you stretch the tire a bit in order to get the last part of the bead over the rim. To do that, place both hands on the side of the wheel closest to you and pull on the tire in both directions all the way around the rim as you slide your hands around to the far end. Then use your thumbs to wrestle the bead into place.
Make Yourself A Better Bike Mechanic
You've probably made a bunch of New Year's resolutions for 2010. Ride more. Workout more regularly. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Well, here's one more to add to the list: be a better mechanic.
Learning your own repairs is pretty essential in cycling. A little knowledge can go a long way, particularly when things break down out on the road. Of course, the best way to minimize breakdowns out on the road is to keep your bike well-maintained. Learn how to do both with this book.
Over the years, I've found Lennard Zinn's book invaluable - it's one of the most important tools in my toolbox. It seems that no matter what project I'm trying to tackle, he's got detailed how-to information about it in his book Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance
Zinn provides detailed explanations, clear pictures, and an accurate difficulty rating for each task. There are also listings of exactly the tools you will need for the different repairs or maintenance tasks. I've always found the book to cover all the equipment I have, from the oldest to the newest. And now, it's just been updated again. The third edition was released on June 1, 2009.
So, get byond just flat tire changing in 2010. You'll be glad you did.
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