Flat tire woes

[ebubar]

Practical Details: I recently starting commuting (since February-ish) on a Trek 7.2 FX hybrid on an ~ 28 mile round trip commute.
Working up to full time commuting, but still pretty new to this whole world.

Wheels:
Formula alloy hubs w/Bontrager 750 32-hole alloy rims
Tires:
Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite w/puncture resistant belt, 700x35c

Last week I rode to work, left the bike in the office, went back to it after a full workday to ride home and found the tire was flat.
The weight of the bike had the tire resting flat on the ground so I had no problems just removing the whole thing from the rim,
removing the tube, putting in a new one, and reseating (I think…) the tire and pumping it back up. I checked both the tube and the tire
and couldn’t find any evidence of a puncture (visually, audibly or touch-ably…). Figured the tube must have a slow leak and I just couldn’t
find it.

Rode the roundtrip Monday-Wednesday without problems (other than weak legs ).

Woke up this morning, and was greeted by the same problem. Tube was completely flat, tire was basically unseated and will
have no problems removing it when I get home. Is this a normal occurrence with flat tires?

When I read about them, it seems I should have more difficulty removing my tire from the rim to replace the tube. It’s really
very easy…no tire levers necessary.

Perhaps the tire itself is damaged in some way? Am I not reseating the bead correctly?
Any tips on what I should do or look for when I get home to change to a new tube tonight?
Am I just unlucky in my recent commuting?

1 flat in 500 miles I can accept. A second flat in just another 80 miles on this one tube seems sketchy to me and I’m thinking user error…

Topic

[KLizotte]

Well the guy at HTO allowed me to swap the tube for another of the same kind and model without any fuss but he did indicate that he thought I was a tad crazy (he was clearly not inclined to test out my story however).

At home I immediately took out the new one to take a measure of it and it is within normal range. The other one was definitely too long. Never seen that before….

[Dickie]

Since you lived in England I hope you told the the salesperson “You’re bending my tubes , right?”… been trying to work that into this thread for a while! Glad the mystery was solved.

[KLizotte]

I’m afraid that the entire time I lived in the Mother Country I never heard “bending my tubes”.

Always loved “taking a mickey” though.

Cheers!

[Dickie]

@KLizotte 56422 wrote:

I’m afraid that the entire time I lived in the Mother Country I never heard “bending my tubes”.

Always loved “taking a mickey” though.

Cheers!

My mum still uses “taking the Mick”, it cracks me up every time… although I am certain the Irish have good reason to object to it’s origins. “Bending my tubes” is used when you think someone is messing with you…. it derives from the old paper tickets for the Underground in London that wouldn’t work in the machines if they got bent. e.g..”When I was asked to hand the plumber a glass hammer I figured he was bending my tubes!”

I also notice you use “pear shaped” often… possibly my favorite Britishism!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Dickie 56429 wrote:

I also notice you use “pear shaped” often… possibly my favorite Britishism!

Since getting hooked on Fresh Meat, I’ve become a fan of “boss-eyed.”

Wife: I was talking to K yesterday…
Me: Who’s that? The chick that’s all boss-eyed?

[KLizotte]

I need tea!

and cider!

and Branston pickle!

For the record, Marmite should be reported to the Geneva Convention for cruel and unusual punishment. Just sayin’….

[dasgeh]

My brother, sister-in-law and their 14, 12 and 8 year olds live in London. I love the kid-related Brit speak (bum, cheeky, faffing, etc). We’ve completely integrated into our child-rearing philosophy.

[Rod Smith]

Got everything you need? Pump? Patch kit?

[Author]

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