Flat tire blues cured with a little help...

I got flagged down by an older rider on the side of the trail the other day.

“Got a tire pump we can use?” he asked. His buddy, a taller, even older man, needed air in his slow leaking front tire on his road bike.

“Sure, but how about an air cartridge?” I asked. “Easier than pumping.”

“That’s why I get ‘em,” said the old guy with the low tire. “I ran out.”

I fished an air cartridge out of my saddlebag and tried to hand it to the old guy. But he was busy fussing with his tire, his hands trembled.

The other guy saw this and reached out to take the cartridge. The old guy then got out his air release inflation tool and snapped in the new air cartridge.  

“I only have an empty one to give you for this,” he said.

“No worries, consider it a donation to a fellow rider in need,” I said.

He placed the loaded inflator on the tire stem, and I cautioned him to keep his hand clear, since the released carbon dioxide is ice cold when it releases into the tire.

He pulled the trigger and, pop, the tire inflated instantly. We could see the tire valve stem was frosted white. The guy gingerly tightened up the icy Presta valve.

Fortunately they only had a couple miles to ride to get to their car, they told me, so they were good to go. They thanked me, and I zipped up my saddlebag.

“No problem,” I said. “Just pass it forward to any rider that needs help. I’m just sorry you weren’t a 23-year-old hot babe.”

“I’m 83,” said the old guy.

Wow.

As I rode away, I was heartened. Dude was 83 out riding his road bike. That’s impressive, any way you slice it. Just shows, if you keep fit, you can keep riding well into old personhood. Something good to keep in mind.

My time with the two guys dealing with a flat reminded me of when I got bailed out on the trail a few years ago. I’d gotten a front tire flat from a thistle, and found out, after gnashing about with my air pump, that both of my spare tubes leaked. It was sunny and hot, and I was irritated at the layers of frustration as stinging sweat rolled off my forehead and into my eyes.

So I did the only thing I could do. I hiked the bike over my shoulder and started to walk in my cleats, to the nearest street, so I could call a fellow rider to pick me up.

As I walked, two guys rode by in the other direction.

“You need help?” asked the first guy.

“Need a tube,” I said.

They pulled up and the first guy promptly shook out a spare tube from his saddlebag. I popped off my front tire and started to pry off the tire and the flat tube. I got them off, and the second guy took the wheel and aligned the new tube inside the wheel, blowing a little air into it to give it a little stability, a very smart thing to do. He then grabbed the tire and slotted its two beads into the wheel over the tube, and with the sheer strength of his hands and fingers, pushed the last part of the tire over the rim in no time. I need a lever to that. He saw the valve stem was slanted in the rim hole when the other guy was about to air it up with his own cartridge.

“Wait, it has to be straight,” he said. He took the wheel and again, with hand strength that was amazing, twisted and pulled the tire until the stem was straight up. “OK, good to go,” he said.

The other guy had his cartridge valve loaded and held steady while he popped in the air. His hand was near the valve and he got a shot of ice-cold air on his hand. His hand flew back as he winced and shook off the pain.

I was blown away by these guys. They totally took over to help me, gave me a new tube, did the hardest part in reinstalling the tube and tire, used their cartridge to air it up, and one of them got mini frostbite in the bargain.

“Hey man, I can’t thank you guys enough,” I said. “I was looking at a long walk carrying my bike.”

“Hey, you’re American aren’t you?” scoffed the cartridge guy.

“I’ll pass it forward,” I said.

We parted ways, with me vowing to, A) get air cartridges and a cartridge valve tool, B) make sure to test my two spare tubes for leaks C) to keep a hand pump strapped to the bike as a back up to air cartridges and D) to stop and help any stranded rider I happen upon in the future.

After all, we all love to ride, and we need to help each other keep the rubber side down, and back on the bike after a flat.

Oh, there was one other takeaway from my flat tire helper/riders: Keep the hands away from the valve when airing up a tire with a cartridge. Even a little bit of frostbite, after all, hurts like a mofo.

Here’s a good video on the different types of cartridges, threaded and unthreaded. I use the unthreaded with an inflator tool. Check it out…

Humm, no mention of the ice storm around the valve that will freeze the fingers. Good on all other counts, tho.

Til next time, remember to strap on a helmet every time you get on the bike. Then keep the rubber side down, ride safely and have a great ride.

-- Mark Eric Larson