Discussion: flat

Going off a curb can damage a tube and cause a flat, known as a pinch flat or a snakebite. And pumping it back up can result in it holding air, for a while at least, but it could go flat again suddenly. Spreading the skill of repairing flat bicycle tires was my father's mission in life, or so it seemed at times, so I'm well versed in that, and would be happy to give you pointers at the Crooked Compass in a few weeks.

Thanks, J-J. Will need to pick your brain, because I inflated the tube, but I can not see where the leak is. Shouldn't I feel air coming out? Also, my repair method, besides not doing it myself, involves throwing the old away and inserting new...may need to rethink that.

CC - March 18 - looking forward to seeing you!

To find the leak in a tube, inflate it and then put it in the sink.

And, putting it into the sink tells me what? Ok, sink with water maybe? :)

Went to inflate it again and valve came apart, so, perhaps not a tube issue, but a value issue.

Yeah sink with water, and you look for bubbles, sometimes a stream of them, sometimes just one expanding bubble. But it sounds like you found your problem. Don't know how the curb would have caused that, maybe a coincidence.

Valve screwed back together. Seam was split. More believable since weight was forward so impact off curb was pretty strong. New tire put on successfully, I hope. :)

Who needs tires and tubes and knowing how to fix flats? I thought we were hiking our bikes. ;-)

I practiced that too!