I bought some new wheels. They’re so shiny and clean. I’ve been admiring them for 4 months.
I bought new (matching color) tires to go with them.
And a shiny new casette (who knew that stuff was silver, I thought the entire drivetrain was painted black?!)
And new tubes with extra long stems because my new wheels are so special and semi-aerodynamic. My old wheels are so dirty and look to me like they’re constructed from granite, or iron, with machine tools that could only cut 90-degree angles.
I lovingly put them all together. My bike looks at least 5 mph faster. I don’t need to lose those last 5 lbs any more! I ride around the basement. All systems go!
Two weeks later (tonight), I get ready for an early morning ride. Both tires are flat.
I figure I screwed up the valves on my old inner tubes by using them on these fancy, deeper rims. I throw the new, cleaner/faster/better/fully functional tubes on. I meticulously check for tire pinch.
Both tubes pop as I approach 80 PSI.
4 inner tubes popped in total.
Closer inspection reveals that my fancy new wheels have no rim tape. I can see the dimples on the inner tubes where they expanded into the spoke holes. Each hole is at a spoke hole.
Now I have no new wheels, no new tires, no morning ride. Because I am an idiot.
This is why I don’t trust myself to fix my bike.
GRRRRRRR. I bet Rasmussen snuck in last night and took the rim tape off. Bastard!
Three months ago, I decide that the Tufo tubless tubular clinchers on my 404’s that I had used at Moo 2004 were probably old enough that I needed to change them. So I bought some new Conti tires and changed out the back wheel, because I occasionally used the 404’s on the trainer (I know… stupid). After airing up and popping two tubes, it dawns on me that I didn’t put rim tpe on the wheel (the Tufo’s didn’t need it). So, I buy rim tape and put it on the rear wheel. No problems. I decided to not change out the front yet, because it didn’t want to bother, and I never use the wheel except on the trainer.
Fast forward to my first race of the season, the 5430 Sprint. Night before the race, I realize I need to change out the Tufo on the front. Did I remember to use rim tape? Oh no. I bought it, but didn’t actualy remember to use it. Get to the race at 5:30 the next morning. My front tire is flat. I have one spare. So, I change it out. Still didn’t realize I’d forgotten the rim tape until at about 80 psi… PSSSSSSST!!! The tube pops.
Long story short… I missed the race because I couldn’t find rim tape and a tube, and because i’m a dumbass.
Oh yeah… the epilogue is that the next weekend at Buffalo Springs Lake, I managed to melt the rear 404 rim on the car muffler on my way down to Lubbock. Not a good few weeks for me. A very expensive summer.
…I decide that the Tufo tubless tubular clinchers on my 404’s that I had used at Moo 2004 were probably old enough that I needed to change them. So I bought some new Conti tires…
After revealing those 3 decisions, you could’ve stopped right there…you already qualified for residency
Back in the day, I had just moved to ABQ and didnt realize we had such a goat head problem, I was on a 60 mile ride and had with me 4 tubes (my friend also had 4 tubes). I couldnt figure out why I kept getting flats, i figured it must be the f-ing goat heads. After about 20 C02s and 10 tubes, and 3 patch kits, I finished a 40 mile ride just to come to the realization that my rim tape had a hole in it right above a spoke.
I got you beat. I bought some nice fancy deep dish carbon wheels awhile back. I had some 11mm rim tape and figured that would be fine since it covered the spoke holes (I really needed 17mm). I pump everything up, throw it in the car and am driving to my first TT of the season. In route, there is a sudden explosion from the back seat; I nearly crapped myself then cussed myself as I must have pinched a tube. I get to the race only to discover that when putting the tire on what really happened was that I ended up shoving my skinny rim tape to the side exposing a spoke hole. When I pumped it up, the tube expanded into spoke hole and when it finally blew, it had enough force that it literally split the carbon of the wheel in half. The wheel was completely ruined… Apparently those wheels aren’t designed to withstand forces from the inside out but I still think it was a total fluke that it happened.
“My bike looks at least 5 mph faster. I don’t need to lose those last 5 lbs any more! I ride around the basement. All systems go!”
Uh, wait… you ride around THE BASEMENT?!?
That must be some basement. Where do you live, the Astrodome?
Come on, I know STer’s do this. Take your baby for a little subterranean spin, avoiding random poles and ducts. It’s not like I had the thing up to speed, in the aero position, or was clipped in.
My basement surely isn’t big enough for this… But it’s a finished basement (2 bedrooms, family room, laundry/bathroom, closet…). I don’t think I could get one full crank revolution in any direction before I’d hit a wall, even in a 39/27.
