My worst day

Anonymous

Just want to tell everyone about my day, maybe my worst as a cyclist, and thought others could share theirs.

Went out for some endurance miles as per my Strava training plan.

about 40 minutes into the ride: puncture. Change it use 1x CO2 canister and tube. I google maps LBS and use track pump to finish job.

another 20ish minutes down the road, coming round a bend, slight down hill, about 15 Kmph, back wheel slides out and I hit the deck. No damage to me but back tyre has pretty much came off the rim. Check wheel and repair puncture. Use 1x CO2 and tube.

I ride about 10 meters and the tube is flat-I've since noticed the side wall is damaged and tyre is unusable. I use google maps and try find a LBS to rectify problem. Much to my dismay, i've left my Id and bank card at home. I ask the LBS if he can fix issue and I'll ride home get card and come back and pay. I offer to leave Garmin and Iphone. He says no, which is his choice. So I have to get a taxi up the road which sets me back £38. Nightmare.

I'm fine, sore knee but nothing major, worst bit is I had gels in the back pocket and they've burst all over my castelli top.

What's your worst day on the bike?

ugo.santalucia

Try tubeless...

drlodge

Why did you need to google LBS to use their track pump to finish the job? And why were you carrying gels when you're doing endurance miles?

My worst day on the bike is nothing like yours, but then I don't carry gels or need a track pump every time I get a puncture. Hope your future rides are more trouble free!

(Oh and I'm just about to start riding tubeless ;-) )

Anonymous

drlodge wrote:

Why did you need to google LBS to use their track pump to finish the job? And why were you carrying gels when you're doing endurance miles?

I misfired the Co2, before it was correctly attached and lost some pressure, so it was in my mind a sensible choice.

I always have 1 gel in my pocket just incase I bonk. safety net.

keef66

I've cycled since I was a kid. Never had much money and the family didn't have a car so I had to be pretty much self-sufficent when out on the bike. I try to be the same now, some 40+ years on, so I always carry a mini pump of some kind. I have a Lezyne Road drive on the carbon bike and a Topeak Road Morph on the winter bike. Spare tubes and a puncture repair kit, multitool, chain links etc.

Only thing that snookered me recently was a broken rear D/S spoke last year that put the wheel so far out of true it jammed on the chainstay. Annoying cos it was a sunny day and I was off work, just watched the TDF go past, and fancied a ride. Only managed 5 miles; grr!

Worst day on the bike was as a teenager; got pacing and feeding badly wrong and trying to make the last 30 miles home into a headwind while running on empty. Horrible, but a valuable lesson learned.

drlodge

Mini pump...exactly. Why would you not carry a pump? I just bought a small/light weight pump that goes into my rear pocket, weighs under 100g I think.

ademort

Worst day on the bike snow on the ground during the day and totally unprepared. On the racing bike took one and a half hours to get home and then discovered i,d left the keys in the cycle shed lock up at work. Cycle back to work and pick up the keys, never again. Unfortunately i didn,t have a car at the time. I once cycled a hundred miler and did not realise until i was home that i had forgotten to put my saddle bag with tubes etc on the bike having taken it off last time to clean it, bloody lucky i can tell you.

southdownswolf

Cant understand why people ride without a pump, for the exact reason that has happened to OP.
Could the tyre not have been temporarily fixed by using one of the punctured tubes? Just cut a strip off the tube and patch up the tyre before reinflating the new inner tube.

slowmart

I've never had a worst day on the bike

Ok I've crashed on my first climb (off road), injured my left shoulder and then rode for the rest of the day and got back to the car some 8 hours later and couldn't move my arm to change gear in the car. Painful but it was a cracking day out in the boonies.


Off to my brother & sister in laws and we usually get out for a ride. I'm far from fit only to be taken on a 5500ft 30 miler off road. I suffered but again it was a great day out.

Another ride with my B in l and eldest nephew. Another ride in the boonies with a so so slow nephew, poor preparation, no waterproofs, got soaked through, cold and knackered the two phones in the rain. Got back about 3 hours late and missed the family meal.......

Off to CYB, and not having been there for ages I didn't have a sensible plan, enjoy the day, ride within my abilities and have some fun. Nope i was like a teenager with that little pink and moist body part in my vision. As i flew over my handlebars I remember looking at the rock garden i was heading for and thinking "this is how facial reconstruction starts". I tucked my chin on my chest and attempted to relax just before the pain started. I remember groaning, lots of pain and feeling rather foolish as my mates got their phones out for a picture opportunity. Good but painful day.


So roll with it.....and enjoy the journey....and all the above are on my mtb....

veronese68

Only bad days have been as a result of accidents. As others have said always be prepared, I carry a pump, tube, repair kit, multi tool, split link and if off roading a spare mech hanger. I've often got other people going with a split link but not had to use one myself. Not needed a mech hanger yet but have seen people in the back of beyond with a broken hanger and a long walk to look forward to. Never bothered with CO2, pumps are more reliable as you have shown.
Glad the OP didn't hurt himself too much in the fall, you live and learn.

step83

Worst day for me, OTB on the mountain bike cracked a rib as the bike came and gave me a hug. Had to wheeze back the 10+ miles to the car, not fun at all.

leodis75

Probs coming to the realisation that I am looking at six months off the bike, a slow fall caused 3 part fracture of my shoulder leading to 9 pin plate on my humerous. Back 3 months later and Zombie ped walked out whilst at 20mph... A bad day on the bike is when they tell me I can't ride again.

Anonymous

I'd personally count having 2 CO2 cannisters and 2 tubes as being prepared. Nothing to do with weight as the bike I ride is terrible. I have been riding the same tyres (bont hardcase race lites) for 2 years (not the exact same ones) and have had 1 flat in that time (which was a nail going through and damaging the rim) so I was never that concerned.

I've since looked at the tyre and it was worn out and old, needing replaced (the coating in the side wall had come through and was bursting the tubes.

keef66

So are you likely to start taking a mini pump too, or do you count it as such a freak accident that it will never happen again?

I've not had a puncture in quite a while, but always base my kit on what might happen, not what's happened recently. I think years of walking / climbing in the mountainous parts of the UK taught me to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Only once needed the survival bag but I was glad to have it..

I'm especially diligent if I'm heading out on a day when my wife / son aren't around to come and rescue me.

alexul

My worst day was when I met a pack of stray dogs on a country road. And hungry too. I finally outpaced them but they bit me both legs. Used my sock to patch the bleeding wounds. Problem was it was a road on a river bank just after crossing the dam and I had to cross back to return home. Either back on the dam through the dog pack or ride for another 50 km to the nearest bridge. Fortunately the dam was closed and the water was reaching my knees only. Crossed through the water with my bike hoping that they won't open the dam and that my wounds won't get infected from the dirty water.

I always have a mini pump, spare tube and a puncture kit, mini tool, levers, wallet and phone.

KnightOfTheLongTights

drlodge wrote:

Mini pump...exactly. Why would you not carry a pump? I just bought a small/light weight pump that goes into my rear pocket, weighs under 100g I think.

You could forget it (edit: although I now see that is not the case here, so pointless comment really). :oops:

step83

The little Lezyne pump i have came wit ha mount that goes under the usual bottle cage mount no real excuse not to be able to carry a pump to be honest.
OK its obviously slower and less convinent but it will get you home and if you have a slow flat its easier to just pump it a bit and limp home to fix the puncture at home rather than faff on the side of the road or similar.

ai_1

As others have said: Why would you ride without a pump? This is not a case of bad luck, it's a case of poor planning. Lots of people seem to regard CO2 inflators as a replacement for a pump and a spare tube as a replacement for a puncture repair kit. I don't.
CO2 is fine if you're in a hurry or if you want more pressure than you can get with your mini-pump but you only get a couple of chances unless you carry a whole stack of cartridges. A pump on the other hand can be used all day. A frame mount pump may never get used but it's there if you need it. If you choose to take your chances with just a couple of CO2 canisters and it doesn't work out....well, you kinda deserve it!
I reckon a pump should be regarded as a minimum requirement, CO2 is an optional extra. Just my opinion of course.

Apologies if that seems harsh. On the plus side it was just a few quid and a little frustration. When I saw your thread title I was expecting to read about wrecked bikes, broken bones, perhaps a fatality. You're being a bit melodramatic aren't you?

Anonymous

At the end of the day, I travel with what I thought was acceptable, and has been for the last 2 years. I had a bit of a freak day and will adjust to it. I had enough to get me home, it turns out it was damaged equipment which stopped me (the tyre sidewall). Even if I had a mini pump, I still would have got a taxi as I burst the two tubes I had with me. both of them, so it's not relevant to the story. I travel with a pump (co2) I can't imagine anyone travels with co2 and a mini pump, so if co2 isn't a replacement for a pump what is it then?

In terms of being melodramatic, I don't think so, this is too date my worst (most frustrating) day on a bike so no I'm not being melodramatic. Maybe £40 isn't a lot to some but in the gap I've had in work (self employed) it is to me, so spending it on a taxi was terrible for me. Anyway, it's going to be a month before I'm back on my bike, I head out on tour this week, so no riding for me- except maybe a boris bike on a day off in London.

ai_1

sjmclean wrote:

....I travel with a pump (co2) I can't imagine anyone travels with co2 and a mini pump

Really? What makes it so hard to imagine?
I have a mini-pump which is permanently mounted alongside my seat tube bottlecage. I also have a CO2 inflator and 2 canisters which live in my saddlebag. I almost never need either and have never used the CO2, but if I get caught out in the cold or get a puncture in an event I will. I'm not alone. I reckon a quick pole will tell you many, many people do the same. Why? Because it makes sense.

sjmclean wrote:

so if co2 isn't a replacement for a pump what is it then?

I thought I answered that pretty clearly in my last post, no?
CO2 is an optional extra that will save you some effort, get you back up and moving quicker and probably achieve a higher pressure than you can get with many mini-pumps....[/quote]

drlodge

I always travel with pump (first and foremost) and CO2. Pump is for emergencies as its always available and to get the tyres up to reasonable pressure, then CO2 to get them hard (uses 1/2 a cannister from 60psi so enough for 2 tyres)

Anonymous

Fair enough.

You lot must take some amount of stuff out with you.

drlodge

No not really. I have a small pump that fits in my middle jersey pocket with my phone & debit card. Small sized Leyzene pod caddy (saddle bag) with inner tube, CO2, levers, multi-tool, keys, rescue box (patches, £10 note & spare chain link). Right hand jersey pocket contains money, cleat covers and small lock (if required). Left hand jersery pocket holds food.

I regard all of the above as mandatory otherwise I wouldn't take it!

ai_1

sjmclean wrote:

Fair enough.

You lot must take some amount of stuff out with you.

No. A small saddle bag and a small pump. Pockets contain nothing but my phone and a house key plus food if I need it.
The saddle bag contains 1 spare tube, CO2 inflator, CO2 canister(s), multitool, tiny pack of patches, some money and a disposable glove. I think that's the lot....oh and in winter a couple of spare AAA batteries for my rear light.

Aside from the pump is there anything there you don't carry?

KnightOfTheLongTights

Cut the guy some slack, he just came on to share a crappy day.

For what it's worth: I don't bother with CO2 at all - 2xspare tubes, 2xlevers, good mini-pump and a multi-tool, that's all that is *really* necessary IMHO. (and NO saddlebag )

Anonymous

Ai_1 wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fair enough.

You lot must take some amount of stuff out with you.

No. A small saddle bag and a small pump. Pockets contain nothing but my phone and a house key plus food if I need it.
The saddle bag contains 1 spare tube, CO2 inflator, CO2 canister(s), multitool, tiny pack of patches, some money and a disposable glove. I think that's the lot....oh and in winter a couple of spare AAA batteries for my rear light.

Aside from the pump is there anything there you don't carry?

Gloves and patches really. I take 2 tubes as well.

ai_1

sjmclean wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fair enough.

You lot must take some amount of stuff out with you.

No. A small saddle bag and a small pump. Pockets contain nothing but my phone and a house key plus food if I need it.
The saddle bag contains 1 spare tube, CO2 inflator, CO2 canister(s), multitool, tiny pack of patches, some money and a disposable glove. I think that's the lot....oh and in winter a couple of spare AAA batteries for my rear light.

Aside from the pump is there anything there you don't carry?

Gloves and patches really. I take 2 tubes as well.

Well given the glove and patches only weigh perhaps 3 or 4g combined and pack down to almost nothing as opposed to 60-100g and a fair amount of bulk for a second tube, I actually carry less than you besides the pump. The patches mean a replacement tube shouldn't be needed but it's handier so I use the tube first and would use the patches for any further repairs if necessary. It never has been so far.
A medium Lezyne Road Drive mini pump weighs 96g. I think a Continental Race 28 tube weighs 80g. So by the sounds of it, I don't really carry significantly ore weight or bulk than you do. I just swap the second tube for a pump and a teeny pack of patches the size of a stamp.
Anyway, you are of course entitled to do things any way you choose. And apologies if I was overly harsh previously. I hope your future rides are less troublesome.

cyberknight

At least you were within distance of a LBS and it was at a time when they are open, i once had a double flat mid winter and i only had 1 tube ) i learned from that ) and it was so cold the patch glue did not set .This was about 8 pm on the way to work so i ended up phoning the wife for a pick up .

Anonymous

Ai_1 wrote:

Well given the glove and patches only weigh perhaps 3 or 4g combined

It's nothing to do with weight, I just don't bother with gloves. Bought some Park tools (i think) patches. Out on tour now, so no rides for a few weeks.

ai_1

sjmclean wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

Well given the glove and patches only weigh perhaps 3 or 4g combined

It's nothing to do with weight, I just don't bother with gloves. Bought some Park tools (i think) patches. Out on tour now, so no rides for a few weeks.

The gloves aren't essential, just convenient to avoid dirty hands mid ride if you need to fix a dropped chain or the like. The other items are more important.....unless you have white bar tape

itboffin

invest in a dual co2 handpump, best of both worlds.