campbell.robin•10d agoMost Upvoted

My back tire blew out at 7:45 AM on a Monday

Hit a nasty pothole on Elm Street last week and my rear tube exploded like a firecracker. Had to walk my bike three blocks to the bus stop covered in sweat. Anybody else keep an extra tube in their bag after a similar screw up?

3 comments

3 Comments

laurabennett10d ago

Honestly, I get why people stockpile tubes, but I think carrying two is overkill. I just carry a patch kit and a mini pump, and I've never felt stranded. Unless you're somehow popping three tubes a week, one backup should get you to a shop.

faithg2610d ago

My buddy Mark got a flat on his way to a 6 AM shift last winter. He was running late and his back tire just went totally flat in the middle of a busy intersection. He had to push his bike two miles to the nearest bike shop, but they weren't even open yet. Ended up calling his girlfriend to pick him up and she was super annoyed because she had to leave early for her own job. Now he keeps two tubes in his bag and a mini pump strapped under his seat.

jake_walker10d ago

Wait, TWO MILES in the dark with a flat tire in the middle of winter? That must have been brutal. I would have just left the bike chained to a signpost and grabbed an Uber or something. His girlfriend probably still gives him crap about that morning. I keep a spare tube in my bag at all times now too, plus a patch kit just in case a second one blows. One thing I always wonder though - how do you guys carry your mini pumps? Mine keeps falling out from under my seat.