Just when you think…

Rewinding again to Friday the 13th, I was way too confident thinking I had solved my mechanical problems and added new tires. I’ll repeat that that the shop All Keys Cycles said that the new Continental Plus Contact Travel 700X35c tires were built to take rough street roads. Really, the issue is whether there’s enough tough tread to avoid a puncture. This was the latest model with Kevlar.

After I finished the 7-mile bridge I was feeling a little heady and maybe too optimistic. I had a 50 mile ride on Friday and had finished about 20 miles when my rear wheel flatted, with one fo the new tires. The good news – it did not happen on the 7-Mile Bridge. The bad new was I needed to fix a flat on rims that were a problem. But the shop said it should be easier on these new wider tires.

Wrong. The tire was still incredibly hard to roll on to the rim. After 1/2 hour of trying, I saw a construction workers nearby and challenged him to help. It was good to know my wimpness would be shared. So we both tried to figure a way to stretch the tire over the rim, trying to avoid roughing up the tube and destroying a new tube in the process. Finally, both of us forcing the tire it went over the rim and pumped up fine. I’m looking good again.

But, I have to say to myself how do I handle this the next time? I watched the bike repair guy pretty easily put on the tire. It looked like a piece of cake. There are little minute tricks to doing this. But mostly I’d just rather not have to think about the next time. Which I do. This is the new reality.

This is Sunday and I’ve ridden the bike at least 50 miles and all looks good. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and believe in the indestructibility of good new tires. And, maybe the good nature of others to help…if I need it.

Author: paulkiczek

Avid cyclist and walker. Interested in writing about life's observations, retirement, pushing yourself in your later years and living a healthy lifestyle. View all posts by paulkiczek