Summer Time Living

Blogging has been a little slack around here, I know. Truth is that I just haven't had the urge lately. I'd rather be out riding than talking about riding. I've actually got a few blog posts percolating in the background; its just a matter of sitting down and churning them out--which is the problem. Who wants to sit down when you have the outdoors calling your name?

So I can't and won't promise that blogging will be more regular from here on out until winter. Because it won't be.

Took my first trip on the W&OD trail 2 weekends ago. I set out to ride the entire thing (there & back again would have made about 100 miles total) but I started rather late in the day. When I got to the Ashburn area, I realized I would need to turn back or else I was going to get stuck in the dark. I don't mind riding in the dark, but I didn't have sufficient lights & the W&OD closes at dark. So, I turned back and still made it a decent 60-ish mile day. I will ride the whole thing soon, but I have to admit its not my favorite trail.  The trail runs along four-lane highways & major power lines for most of it. I wouldn't describe it as particularly scenic. It's pretty boring, actually. I do like the towns it passes through. I would love to take some time and explore some of the shops & restaurants I saw along the way. I even met up with a friend along the way-he lives in Herndon and runs along the trail. Still, I prefer the Mt. Vernon or canal towpath over the W&OD any day.

My favorite sight along the way--Herndon, VA.

The W&OD. It pretty much looks exactly like this the entire way. Power lines.

Last weekend I spent some time in Massachusetts. I even saw the Hubway bikes in Boston. I didn't have time to try them out though. They are the same model as BikeShare in DC, except the ones in Boston were corporate sponsored (they were sporting New Balance logos). I'm glad that ours aren't "decorated" with corporate crap. I also saw quite a few bike lanes, even in the smaller towns. Lots of beach cruisers, too. I was fairly multi-modal on my trip. Flew to Boston from BWI (never, ever using SouthWest again, by the way). Then took the commuter ferry from the Boston Harbor to Hingham (boats!) to meet up with The Boy's family. On the way back, we took the commuter rail from Cohasset back to Boston (trains!). It was fun, but I wish I had a chance to ride a bit.

That's Boston Harbor in the far background

I like being on boats.

It's maintenance time for most of my bikes. I've (stupidly) been putting it off so that now ALL of them need major tune-ups at the same time. Ugh. I took Kermit in to BicycleSpace because he not only needed a tune-up from all the riding I've been doing on him, but also because next weekend we will be riding the Total 200, so he needs to be in top shape. Also, the lights for the dynamo hub came in, so those needed to be installed too (testing them out tonight, in fact). Then, poor Betty was making all sorts of horrible creaking and groaning noises and I knew I had put off taking her in for a check-up for too long. I took her to the Daily Rider on H St. NE and dropped her off while I borrowed one of their Bobbins for the group ride to the outdoor movie (Goonies!) at Yards Park.  Thank goodness I had dropped Betty off when I did because her bottom bracket was in horrible shape. It's not good when bearings & metal shavings come pouring out when its opened up, yikes. But I knew she was in good hands. When I got back from the movie, Betty was looking & feeling brand-new again. She even got a free streamer fluffing ;-)

Calibrating the streamers for maximum fluffiness.

Goonies at Yards Park

Thank you to both the Daily Rider & BicycleSpace for the excellent and prompt service!

Now, I just need to get the Jamis & the Boy's bike in for tune-ups, and we'll be all set.


Why yes, I did mention that I am riding the Total 200, didn't I. It's this Saturday. Mir & I signed up last month after we got back from the Unity Tour. We were probably delusional from all that riding. We are doing the 200K option (125 miles). This should be interesting. I haven't done any serious training for it. I plan to do my best and enjoy the ride. We'll see....

#30daysofbiking: Day 20, 21 & 22

Sorry for the delay, it's been a busy week here.

Day 20 of 30 days of biking included Friday Coffee Club. I got up early and headed out. I rode Kermit the Hulk because I also wanted to get a few laps around Hains Point afterward.

I had a slight mechanical issue when my chain jumped off the cogs while I was crossing an intersection. I'm not sure what caused it because I wasn't shifting at the time. All I know is that suddenly I couldn't turn the cranks. I turned Kermit over to get a better look, and discovered that my chain had gotten caught between the front derailleur & the chainring. It had actually doubled up and that's why the cranks couldn't budge an inch. The chain was jammed pretty tight. After about 5 minutes, I finally figured out how to get the chain unjammed and was on my way again (with chain grease covered hands-I really need to bring a rag with me).

I was already running late, so when I got to the coffee shop everybody was just starting to head out. Oops! I said hello & bye and finished my coffee.

Then I rode to Hains Point and rode around in circles until my GPS said I had hit 20 miles (I already had ridden 5 to get there). I like Hains Point, but I do get bored with riding around it after awhile. There weren't very many people there, but those who were also riding around complimented Kermit as they went by.

My back was really bothering me and no amount of seat height adjustment was helping. I figured the stem would have to be raised a tad too. I made a note to stop by the shop soon because I don't know how to do that.

Shadow on Hains Point




Sitting along the riverside at Hains Point.




I stopped at the Juice Joint and had a wrap and carrot & spinach juice. Then went home.

Miles: 24.66
Bike grime consumed with the wrap: ugh
Protesters observed along the way: 5


Day 21 was much more mundane. I rode Kermit down to BicycleSPACE to drop him off to get everything straightened out with my chain issue & also to get the stem raised a bit. I also picked up a few essentials (bike degreaser, lube, honey stinger waffles & BikeSnobNYC's new book). Bike shop impulse buys can be dangerous. I almost walked out with a Brompton.

I used Capital Bikeshare to get back home. I'm really glad that DC has that system.

Miles: 6
Honey stinger waffles eaten: 1
Number of times I attempted the "Barnes Dance" at Chinatown: 0 (I don't understand it and just walked around the perimeter of the intersection like a doofus)


Day 22 is very much like yesterday, except I did it in the cold & pouring rain. I wore my Showers Pass rain gear & managed to stay perfectly dry from my neck down. Unfortunately I had nothing for my head and I soon got tired of the rain dripping into my face.

This was starting to seem like an attractive option: (source unknown)




I took Capitol Bikeshare downtown to the bike shop (Sunday churchers + Caps fans = traffic chaos) and retrieved Kermit. I managed to leave the shop without any impulse purchases but I knew I was forgetting something. Of course I didn't remember what it was until I got back home (a coffee cup holder for the work bike).

Miles: 6
Amount of rain in my helmet: 2 inches

#30daysofbiking: Day 18

Another quick post-work ride. The weather was pretty gloomy this morning so I opted to stay in bed instead. It was still chilly & rainy when I got home, so I just rode the work-horse around the block. Lame, I know. But it still counts.

Instead, I decided to make this a bike maintenance night instead. Kermit desperately needed all the gunk from yesterday's ride cleaned off, and the Work-Horse really needed a drivetrain cleaning.

I live in an apartment, so washing a bike can be a little tricky.

Into the bathtub you go...



I used the shower head attachment to rinse off the dust & dirt, and then just wiped the frame down with a rag. That got about 90% of the grime off (and into my tub. Ugh. Now I have to clean that too).

Then I put Kermit up on the bike stand and worked on the drivetrain a bit more thoroughly. I degreased & scrubbed the cassette & chain, let it dry and lubed the chain. All done!

Kermit went from this:





To this:




(soon he'll have his own parking spot on the wall)

Then it was the Work- Horse's turn. I didn't worry about scrubbing the frame or anything because I can hose it down at work (it does need it though). I focused on the drivetrain which was getting quite grimy. Wasn't too bad though because it cleaned up fairly quickly.

Then I topped off the tires of both bikes with air and voila. Clean(ish) bikes. I really should do this more regularly.


For the record, I used White Lightning Easy Clean spray degreaser(no idea where I picked it up); which uses some sort of voodoo to melt off grime instantly. It's soooo easy that it must use some sort of terrible environment-destroying chemical compound. Normally I use a diluted form of a degreaser like Simple Green with my chain cleaning tool, but I was out of that. The White Lightning worked perfectly...but I can see it getting expensive because I went through an entire can with just two bikes. Then I use Triflow to lube the chain.

Miles: .5
Movie watched while cleaning bikes: Flash Gordon
What does Flash Gordon do now? Professional hostage extractor. Seriously.

#30DaysofBiking: Day 14 & 15

I was so tired after work on Saturday that I couldn't muster the energy for a blog post about my ride. I got off work a little early, and had planned on riding to the Titanic Memorial to catch the last bit of the 100 year commemoration ceremony. Instead, I got a phone call from a friend with a minor emergency and ended up riding to see him instead. It turned out to be nothing, and I was in the Columbia Heights area so I stopped to check out a few places I haven't been to in awhile. (Wonderland Ballroom & Meridian Pint)

I didn't miss much.

Miles: 3

Yesterday was the Charity Bike Wash. I rode Betty out to the shop and got ready for 4 hours of filthy bike washing. It was a success. Folks started rolling in around 12:30 and we had a steady stream of bikes all the way to the end. We didn't even get a break. But it was a lot of fun, and we raised over $200 for the Unity Tour so that's awesome. That's about 20 bikes that we scrubbed. Next time, I will get more volunteers and bring along some music. Thank you to everyone that stopped by, and a big thank you to The Daily Rider for hosting us, and Finish Line for donating all of our bike scrubbing needs.

Our first customer:





Yikes.






Mir, hard at work.





Here I am (the back of me, anyway) working on a Raleigh. I have no idea why I have so many rags in my pockets.







People lining up:



(photos stolen from various sources)


Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a celebratory dinner at the Queen Vic, which is just down the street.

I found this:



And loved it. And drank a few more :-)

Then it was time to turn towards home.

Miles: 6ish. My iPhone died on the way home, so I'm not sure...
Yorkshire puddings consumed: 1
Number of times I had to shower to get all the bike grime off: 2

Bike Wash this weekend! Photo contest!

I hope you guys are ready for the Big Bike Wash this Sunday! I am super excited because it looks like its going to be a lot of fun. For those that might not know about it:

Bring your bikes to The Daily Rider (1108 H St NE) this Sunday from Noon until 4pm for a thorough scrubbing. $10 per bike will get you a wash & lube (including chain). The money is to support The Police Unity Tour, which myself & my friend Mir, are riding in May. The Police Unity Tour raises money for the Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. We will be riding from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC from May 10th-May 12th.

Finish Line Products (they make all sorts of bike maintenance goodies) is helping to sponsor the Bike Wash. And that means...prizes!

First up is this nifty Bike Bucket:




Tweet or email me a photo of your "filthy" bike by 11:59pm (EST) Saturday. Include the hashtag #bikefilthy. The person with the "filthiest" bike will win this bucket! (please keep photos safe for work).

We've got some other stuff too, but I haven't figured out a good contest for it yet.

Anyway, you will definitely want to be at this event! What if you don't have a bike to wash, or you want a wash but don't have the cash? You can always volunteer to help us wash them! Shoot me an email if you want to help out!

Note: it will be a lot easier if you bring your bikes directly to the rear of the shop, rather than through the front door. There is alley access off of 11th St. We will have banners and signs up, so don't worry.

Also, we will be having a #BikeDC happy hour (yes I know there's no happy hours on Sundays. We do our own thing) after the wash. It will most likely be at Lil Miss Whiskey's since its right next door. So make sure you stick around for that!

#30 Days of Biking: Day 10

I had planned on doing a 60 mile trip today, but gave up on the idea when I realized that merely wearing my bike clothes wasn't doing any good if I was just going to wear them on the couch. I was feeling out of sorts anyway. My days off were shifted around, and I have a super early training class tomorrow for work. So I decided to make today another Errands-by-Bike day.

I set off around the evening rush hour, but I was going in the opposite direction of most folks. I only needed to go about 10 blocks, but in that 10 blocks I managed to witness the most obnoxious bike behavior ever.

-I understand the light timing on the 15th St cycle track is terrible. I've often pulled an Idaho stop with them myself (IMO, bike infrastructure should also be convenient, not just safe. Stopping & waiting at every single intersection is not convenient.) However, rush hour IS NOT THE TIME FOR IT. It is saner & safer to simply wait. In case you didn't realize (and this goes for peds & drivers too): you will not get to where you are going any faster by disregarding traffic laws. Really. You won't. You are only increasing your chances of getting hurt or hurting others.

-See those painted white lines at every intersection (and sometimes between them)? Those are called CROSSWALKS. They are for PEDESTRIANS. They are not a spot to creep your bike in while you try to play frogger with cross traffic because you can't wait 45 seconds for the light to change. Pedestrians shouldn't have to dodge or walk around you.

-Speaking of pedestrians: you need to yield the right of way, especially if you are blowing a light. That doesn't mean weaving around between them. That doesn't mean crossing within inches of them. That means stopping (put your damn foot down) and waiting.

-it also means LOOKING for them. Just as many drivers suffer from "bike blindness", don't develop "pedestrian blindness". (it can go the other way too. Today, a jaywalking pedestrian was looking right at me as he was about to step in my path, but it was clear he didn't SEE me. He was looking right through me, looking for cars). Don't get tunnel vision. Make sure you are actually SEEING your surroundings. Other cyclists, pedestrians, dogs, children...don't look through them just to watch out for cars.

-Pass on the left. Pass on the left. PASS ON THE LEFT.

-If you are going to pass, make sure it's safe. Attempting to pass when there is oncoming traffic is unsafe & obnoxious.

-signal your intentions. Sudden turns without warning can be dangerous...

-and that brings me to this: do NOT pass someone at an intersection!! If the cyclist you are trying to pass decides to turn left, you will collide.

That's enough ranting for today.

I rode to a local bike shop was slightly annoyed by the sparse bike parking. Yet their front patio had ample room for a few racks. Instead they had a bench. I don't know about you, but when I go to a bike shop, its usually not to sit in the front of it.


Nice bench. I'll just put my bike on it.

It was odd because the building next door to the shop actually had quite a few bike racks in their front patio. Oh well.

My reason for stopping by the shop was to pick up some nutrition products to try on the bike. I'm terrible at properly hydrating & fueling on long rides. I tend to ride myself in the ground before I drink or eat, and by then I've lost my appetite and can't keep anything down. I need to practice and find what works for me before the 3-day ride in May.





These are a few of the products I picked up.

Do you guys have any hints or tips? What's your typical nutrition routine on long rides (4+ hours)?

After the bike shop, I stopped at Whole Foods to pick up dinner from the hot bar. I always forget what a zoo that place is. Then I rode home. The end.

Miles: 3.37
Cookies consumed on the ride: 2

Great News! Bike Wash & 30 Days of Biking

It appears Spring has sprung around here, judging from my itchy, watery eyes. The cherry blossoms have bloomed, and the trees are are getting greener by the day. This can mean only one thing: bike season has begun!

To kick it off, I'm starting with 30 Days of Biking tomorrow. This year I'm not counting work-related cycling, so I won't have an excuse not to get some "fun" riding in. This will be my 3rd year of participating. I love challenges like these, because it forces me to get creative with my bike trips and I always end up learning about something new & interesting to do. I'm going to make it a goal to blog everyday during this.

First up: planning tomorrow's ride. I think I'll head towards the SW area. I don't get over there very much, and my brief commute through the area this morning reminded me of how interesting that quadrant of the city really is. Of course, I will have to do a lot of tourist dodging...but meh. It will still be awesome. I'll be taking Betty, since its going to be more of a ramble than a ride.

Even more exciting is the Bike Wash I'm organizing on April 15th. If you're like me and ride your bike all year long, your bike might be overdue for a little TLC after all the cold, muddy rides this winter. If you are doing 30 Days of Biking, you'll need a shiny, clean bike after all that riding. Plus apartment living can make it difficult to keep your bike clean if you don't have the room & equipment to wash your bike. Let me (and some other volunteers) do it for you! And it's all for a good cause. 100% of the proceeds will go to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, via the Police Unity Tour.

The Daily Rider, a brand new awesome bike shop that recently opened on the H St. NE Corridor has agreed to let us have the Bike Wash in the rear of the shop. How awesome is that?! Don't have a bike to wash? You can buy one there! (just kidding. Maybe. The bikes are gorgeous. Don't say I didn't warn you about temptation.)

The Daily Rider at 1108 H St. NE

The best news of all? Finish Line has offered to help out and donate some products for the Bike Wash! That might mean not only will your bike be super clean & shiny, but you might walk away with some pretty nice swag too.

And the cleaner your bike gets, the dirtier I get*. So..there's that.

The details are as follows:

What? Bike Wash Fundraiser! Get your bike shiny & clean. I'll even get that nasty crud off of your chain.
Where? The Daily Rider: 1108 H St. NE
When? Sunday, April 15th from 12pm-4pm
Why? Fundraiser for the Police Unity Tour
How much? $10 per bike gets you a full wash.


And remember, 100% of the proceeds will go to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund and will help me meet my goal of raising $1700 by the end of this month.

Afterwards, there might be a #BikeDC "happy hour" at a nearby establishment so it might be worth your while!

Speaking of fundraising, it is time to ramp up my efforts. I'd like to raise at least $1,000 by the end of April. I am thinking of having a contest soon, where the winner that donates the most amount of money in a certain amount of time will win a prize from me. What do you think? Any other ideas?


*That's literally, not euphemistically.


Don't have a bike, but still want to participate? Volunteer to help me wash bikes! I will repay your efforts in beer. Just shoot me an email if you want to help out.

Two Things Tuesday

1. I kept noticing people riding around with very low pressure in their tires today, which reminds me that I need to check the air in all my bikes. I know my work bike definitely needs some air. Checking air pressure is something I need to make a better habit of. Along with cleaning my drivetrain. And lubing my chain. And...oh hell. I'm never going to do any of that on a regular basis. I should though. But. AIR. yes, I need some.

2. The awesome folks at BicycleSPACE answered my call for suggestions for a new bike--I'd like to get a touring bike for longer trips--and they pointed me to Velo Orange. I think I'm in love.....come mid-September I think one of those babies will be mine....

Oh No! A Flat Tire!

A commenter mentioned in a previous blog that one of the reasons women may not feel comfortable using a bicycle as a means of transportation is mechanical failure: what happens if you get a flat far from civilization?

Having the luck of the Irish on my side (my right side, actually) I have been extremely lucky to never have suffered a flat on any of my commuting or pleasure rides. I did have a few flats at work, but they are very rare. However, those times that I have flatted, the situation was easily remedied. (I am absolutely positive that I have jinxed myself and will have no less than 8 flat tires this week.)

Fixing a flat is fairly easy, but its one of those things that you don't realize HOW easy it is until you actually do it yourself, and that's the problem. I remember when I was in a bike shop last year (I am not going to mention the name),  a young woman came in and asked if someone could show her how to fix a flat tire. She didn't have a flat tire, she was just trying to take the initiative and learn how to do it herself in case she did end up with a flat tire in the future, and I could sense that she was a little intimidated. The shop refused and instead pointed her to a bicycle maintenance course that she could pay for.  This was a fairly busy bike shop (although, I think I was the only other customer there at the time), and I understand they don't have the time to demonstrate a flat tire fix to every customer, and that they make money on the courses they offer. However, she just wanted help with one particular task, and I could see the frustration in her eyes. I wouldn't doubt that she never returned to that particular shop. It makes me wonder how many other women out there go through the same thing. The only reason I know how to fix a flat tire is because I was lucky enough to have a knowledgable cyclist take the time and show me (and lot of trial and error on my part).

Bicycles are pretty simple, yet fascinating, machines. Keeping them in good working order is also fairly simple, and I hope to outline a few basic mechanical stuff that may come in handy. Today's topic will be flat tires.

Tools:
It's a good idea to keep a few simple tools with you so you can make basic repairs while you're on the go. My little bike kit contains:
-Multitool (Betty is a nuts & bolt bike and doesn't have any quick releases, so this is a must)
-Patch kit
-Extra tube
-tire levers
-small handpump
-small flashlight
-small penknife
-sharpie (for marking leaky holes!)
-a few zip-ties
-band-aids and alcohol wipes for boo-boos.

Here is a hastily taken photo of my my portable bike kit.

All of these items can fit into a small bag (I just use a ziplock bag) that you can carry with you. Bike shops also sell small bags that you can attach to your bike (usually under your saddle) so its unobtrusive.

At home, I have a small tool collection that I add to whenever the occasion calls for it. Right now it contains:
-A bike stand (this is a little pricey, but it makes doing home repairs sooooo much easier)
-Floor pump
-Extra tubes
-Pedal wrench (I had to change a broken pedal on one of my bikes, this made my life so much easier)
-Pliers
-zip-ties in various sizes and colors
-WD-40
-extra hex wrenches
-more tire levers
-bike grease
-solvent
-chain lube (wet & dry)
-drivetrain cleaner (sooooo worth the money. I will explain what this is in a future post)
-extra rags
-various extra parts that I've collected along the way

Do you need to buy all of these things immediately? No. I collected these over time depending on which repair I had to make. I do recommend at least picking up tire levers and a few extra tubes for your tires. Very few of those tools I listed are for fixing flats. At the very least I suggest getting tire levers (they are cheap!), a patch kit (also cheap!) and an air pump (depends on what kind you get).

Books I recommend:

-The Chainbreaker: A Rough Guide to Bicycle Maintenance. Besides being a pretty good how-to book, there are also some really interesting stories as well. I love this book.

-ParkTool's Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair: Basically the Bible when it comes to bicycle repair and maintenance.

I also recommend The Bicycle Tutor website for good basic tutorial videos!

Flat Tires

I recommend getting a cyclist friend to show you in person if you happen to have someone handy. Nothing beats learning how to do it than actually doing it, though. So if you happen to be bored one evening and have a little time on your hands, practice! I find a beer or two to be immensely helpful as well. You won't break anything, I promise. And if you do manage to mess it up, you can always patronize your local bike shop and they can show you how to fix a flat while they do it for you. They appreciate your business :)

First, a clarification on terms: Tire refers to the rubber thing that actually touches the road. Tube refers to the inner tube that is between the tire and the wheel, which you inflate with air. Wheel refers to the metal round thing that the tire sits on, and the Rim is the side of the wheel. Got it? Good. Oh, let's not forget the valve either. It's that little metal thing that you attach an air pump to get air in.

Step one: Flip your bike over (or mount it in a bike stand if you have one handy). Slowly rotate the flat tire and examine it. If you can see what caused the flat (i.e. nail, glass, etc) is still in the tire, see if you can carefully remove it.

Step Two: Let out the remaining air. If your tire still has some air in it, go ahead and empty it out. Usually you can just press on the valve (that little metal tube that sticks out of the inside of the wheel where the air goes in) and the air will come out.

Step Three: Remove your wheel. This is probably the trickiest part. If it's your front wheel  than it should be fairly easy. If it's the rear, you just gotta maneuver around the rear derailleur a bit. This is where practice makes perfect. Most bikes use quick release skewers rather than nuts & bolts nowadays. This video is pretty instructive if you have no idea what I'm talking about. Sometimes you may have to also unhook the brakes to get the wheel out. This is pretty easy depending on what type of brake you have. I've found that as long as I let all the air out of the tire, it will slide out without having to unhook the brakes. Folks with disc brakes don't need to worry about this.


Step Four: Loosen the tire from the wheel. This is where your tire levers come in handy. Basically you insert one lever between the tire and the rim, lifting the tire lip over the rim (giving you a bit of an opening). Then you can slide another lever in that opening, and then slide it along the entire rim, lifting the rest of the tire lip over the rim.  You don't have to actually remove the tire, just make it so you can get to the tube inside.

Step Five: Grab the tube and pull it out. Mind the valve! It will come out with the tube.

Step Six: I call this the "Blood Test". If you didn't find what caused the flat the first time you visually examined the tire, you need to make sure that whatever it was isn't still inside the tire. If you've left the tire on the wheel, you can do this by feel. Simply (and slowly) run your fingers along the inside of your tire to feel for any pieces of glass or other sharp objects. If you're fingers come back bloody, then you know you found your culprit. HA! Seriously, be careful (this is what the band-aids are for!). You want to make sure that whatever caused your flat in the first place won't cause another one when you fix your tube!

The rest of the steps depend on whether you are going to fix that particular tube or just replace it with a new tube. For purposes of this post, I'll assume you are going to fix it. There are times when simply replacing a tube is just easier (i.e. its dark/rainy out, you just don't have the time or the tear is not fixable).

Step Six: "Over"-inflate the tube. (You did remember to bring a pump or CO2 canister with you, right?) This will make it easier to locate where the leak is, because you can hear the air leaking out. If you can't locate the leak by ear, you can submerge the tube in water and find the leak by where the bubbles are coming out. Once you've located your leak, mark it with your marker (you remembered to bring that too, right?) so you'll know where to place your patch. Let the air out of the tube again.

Step Seven: Use your patch kit (you did pick one up, right?) These come with directions, but in case you lost yours: use the little piece of sandpaper to scrub the area around the leak (this helps the patch to stick).  Then apply the glue to your tube around the leak. WAIT. You need the glue to dry before you slap on the patch. This takes about five minutes. Remove the patch from the backing (the clear plastic stays with the patch for now). Apply the patch over your leak. Press really hard on it. Standing on it is even better. Hold it for at least a minute. Now you should be able to peel off the clear plastic from the patch. If the patch comes off with the plastic, you did something wrong. Try again, but better! Re-inflate the tube to make sure its no longer leaking air. Voila! You have patched your very first flat.

Step Eight: Oh wait. You need to get that tube back in the tire. So go ahead and let out the air from the tube. Not all of it though. It makes it easier to maneuver the tube back under the tire if there is at least a little bit of air in it. Put the valve stem through the hole in the rim, then tuck the rest of the tube back between the tire and wheel.

Step Nine: Using your fingers, work the tire lip back under the rim. This can be a real pain in the ass, especially towards the end. You can use your tire levers to help you out, but be careful that you don't pinch the tube between the tire and the rim.

Step Ten: Put your wheel back on. Remember what you did to get it off? Do that, only backwards. Make sure your quick release is secure! If you unhooked your brakes, make sure you rehook them!

Step Eleven: Inflate your tire.

Step Twelve: Take a step back and admire your handiwork. And your grease covered hands/clothes. You did it!

I know that sounds like a lot of work, but with practice it will become second nature.

Of course the best course of action is to prevent getting a flat in the first place! A combination of careful riding and good tires can help. First, watch out for glass and other debris in the road.  Slow down around potholes and bumps.  You can also buy special tires (like Armadillo tires) that are puncture resistant. I have these on my work tires, and I'm always riding around in crappy alleys and rarely get a flat. They contain kevlar, so it makes the tires a bit stiffer to work with when it comes to changing them, but I like them. You can also purchase tire liners as well.

Always check your tires before you ride. Riding at the correct tire pressure will not only make your ride easier and smoother, but prevent you from getting pinch-flats or doing damage to your wheels. Tires naturally lose air over time. Just give your tires a squeeze before you hop on. The walls of your tire should be pretty stiff with very little "give" to them.

And that's that, when it comes to flats.

Next time, I'll go over some basic preventative maintenance stuff (like chain cleaning/lubing).

P.S. I really wish this post had more pictures.