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When the mechanical gods are against you


charliechitlins
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Packed up the van to take my 11-year-old for a ride.

It's an involve process as I keep all my band equipment in the van.

We get out to our little local spot and after about 15 minutes, he gets a flat front tire.

Do you think I remembered to bring a patch kit?

Of course not.

We pack up both bikes and go home.

I fix the tube and am too lazy to get some soapy water to make everything nice and slippery so I pinch the tube.

Totally beginner mistake...so I'm p****d off.

Take it apart and patch the hole I made.

Put it back together and pump it up.

The kid doesn't want to go back out riding.

I walk past the bike a little later...tire is flat.

I lose it and start kicking stuff.

Walk away.

Go back later, take the wheel off for the 3rd time, take the tube out and pump it up.

No hole to be found.

Fill a bucket and dunk it in.

No bubbles.

Check it this morning before work...still plenty of air in it.

WTF

Sometimes ya just can't get it right even when you get it right!

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I managed to pinch 2 different tubes a number of times at national level trial last year, even managed it again when I got home 3 hours later. Some days it doesn't pay to get out of the motel bed

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Packed up the van to take my 11-year-old for a ride.

It's an involve process as I keep all my band equipment in the van.

We get out to our little local spot and after about 15 minutes, he gets a flat front tire.

Do you think I remembered to bring a patch kit?

Of course not.

We pack up both bikes and go home.

I fix the tube and am too lazy to get some soapy water to make everything nice and slippery so I pinch the tube.

Totally beginner mistake...so I'm p****d off.

Take it apart and patch the hole I made.

Put it back together and pump it up.

The kid doesn't want to go back out riding.

I walk past the bike a little later...tire is flat.

I lose it and start kicking stuff.

Walk away.

Go back later, take the wheel off for the 3rd time, take the tube out and pump it up.

No hole to be found.

Fill a bucket and dunk it in.

No bubbles.

Check it this morning before work...still plenty of air in it.

WTF

Sometimes ya just can't get it right even when you get it right!

You didn't spit test the valve when you blew it up the first time did ye?

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I too have done similar, had a hole in my front tube, knew local dealer guy would be at event. I needed a spare anyways so I would buy a patch kit later to fix the tube with a hole in it. Purchase tube all happy as a clam. Install tube, pump it up. Find out I pinched it, go over to dealer guy and after he finishes laughing I purchase a patch kit. Redo the entire process, but a little slower so I don't pinch it again. Now I have 2 tubes with patches.

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Hah pinched a new tube last week so Saturday replaced tube and tire and fork seal. While the front tire was off I did what I've warned others not to do i.e. grab the front brake without thinking. DOH! Then I promptly dropped the fork slider into the pan full of used oil, splash up the pant leg and shoe. Bled the brake and checked the clutch reservoir since I had the bottle of brake fluid in my hand. No fluid. Well some, just the thinnest layer on top of the pickup hole. This comedy of errors did nothing for my self-esteem as a mechanic.

Fortunately it

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You guys are funny! Trust me, it gets a lot worse when you do this kinda stuff for a living. Yet at the same time, after being snakebit enough times, one starts to realize what those snakes look like!

You outta try out some of these low profile car tires on the big rims nowadays!!!!! Holy Jesus, what a ball buster! And then if you toutch the rim the dick that owns it wants you to buy him a new one. Of course, they want it done for nothing.

Needless to say, I am selective, and some are told to go elsewhere to those that charge big money with specialized equipment to do them. $40-50 per tire is not uncommon, what I hear. They can have it and the drivers to go with it!

Lot of pricks!

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You guys are funny! Trust me, it gets a lot worse when you do this kinda stuff for a living. Yet at the same time, after being snakebit enough times, one starts to realize what those snakes look like!

You outta try out some of these low profile car tires on the big rims nowadays!!!!! Holy Jesus, what a ball buster! And then if you toutch the rim the dick that owns it wants you to buy him a new one. Of course, they want it done for nothing.

Needless to say, I am selective, and some are told to go elsewhere to those that charge big money with specialized equipment to do them. $40-50 per tire is not uncommon, what I hear. They can have it and the drivers to go with it!

Lot of pricks!

I thought everything was supposed to be big in Texas....

Jon

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I know that any time I change a tyre I will pinch the tube.So I used to wimp out and go to my local bike tyre fitting place.But given that I need to change 4 tyres on my Ural I decided I would get one of those tyre changing arms that you see on the interweb.

After turning my work mate into a wheel holder I can now say that I can change tyres with no problems.In fact I have changed 4 tyres this week and not one pinched tube.Result.

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I know that any time I change a tyre I will pinch the tube.So I used to wimp out and go to my local bike tyre fitting place.But given that I need to change 4 tyres on my Ural I decided I would get one of those tyre changing arms that you see on the interweb.

After turning my work mate into a wheel holder I can now say that I can change tyres with no problems.In fact I have changed 4 tyres this week and not one pinched tube.Result.

Is your work mate male or female? I cannae get the wifey to hold anything tire related! :rolleyes:

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