Bike Zen: Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.

I think I am releasing my frustration over flats, not through materials,
tools, or technique, but by enlightenment.

Why do we moan about the tiny thorn or nail that stops us; we know it will
only be a few minutes before we are on our way. Think of it as a gift.
Where else today is there something you can fix yourself, so fast, for so
little, and quickly be back on the road humming along? I wish all the
problems in my life were like flats on my bike.

Why don't we just recognize that the universe will always be imperfect in so
many ways, and our role is to struggle for the worthy causes, not fret the
tiny ones. Why do we spend so many hours cleaning our cars without a
thought as to why can't they make cars that stay clean. That would be
silly. It is equally silly to expect tires to be light and supple yet
immune to the hazards of the road.

Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.

--
Robert Haston
Satellite Beach, FL

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 01:34:03 GMT, "Robert Haston"
wrote:

I think I am releasing my frustration over flats, not through materials,
tools, or technique, but by enlightenment.

Why do we moan about the tiny thorn or nail that stops us; we know it will
only be a few minutes before we are on our way. Think of it as a gift.

[snip]

Dear Robert,

While I can see your point . . .

Last year, I had 17 rear gifts and 12 front gifts.

This year, I would prefer gift certificates.

Carl Fogel

wrote in message
...

Dear Robert,

While I can see your point . . .

Last year, I had 17 rear gifts and 12 front gifts.

This year, I would prefer gift certificates.

Carl Fogel

I would think you'll be enlightened soon. (Or at least maybe you'll switch
tire brands)

Robert Haston wrote:
I think I am releasing my frustration over flats, not through
materials,
tools, or technique, but by enlightenment.

Why do we moan about the tiny thorn or nail that stops us; we know it
will
only be a few minutes before we are on our way. Think of it as a
gift.

Why do we spend so many hours cleaning our cars without a
thought as to why can't they make cars that stay clean.

Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.
--
Robert Haston
Satellite Beach, FL

Robert,

My Zen philosophy- I own a 20yr old Landcruiser. It gets dirty. It
stays dirty. I drive it dirty. It is at one with the dirt.
Effortlessly, I do not wash it. It is a gift not to wash it.

As for flat tires on bicycles... I see you live in sunny FL. Here in
the rainy, blustery, muddy, chilly, Pacific Northwest, a flat it quite
simply a PITA. If there was ever a case for re-gifting, this is it.
BTW... When is your birthday?

"CurbHopper...When you can snatch the patch kit from my hand, it will
be time for you to go."

TR

On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 18:23:48 -0800, "Joselas"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

Dear Robert,

While I can see your point . . .

Last year, I had 17 rear gifts and 12 front gifts.

This year, I would prefer gift certificates.

Carl Fogel

I would think you'll be enlightened soon. (Or at least maybe you'll switch
tire brands)

Dear J.,

Unfortunately, I don't know of any brand of road tire that's
proof against goatheads. They go through Kevlar belt tires
like needles through steel wool, to use the usual example,
but at least the extra thickness stops some of them from
going all the way through.

I had better luck years ago with heavy Xmart 27 & 1/4 inch
tires, thorn-resistant tubes, and Mr. Tuffy plastic tire
liner strips, but switching to 700c and plain or Slime tubes
seemed to make such a difference in rolling resistance that
I didn't go back.

I blush to admit that I once tried two plastic tire liners
per tire for extra protection during a particularly bad
season. A single soggy ride on double liners was enough to
convince me that I'd rather fix flats.

Carl Fogel

"Robert Haston" wrote:

I think I am releasing my frustration over flats, not through materials,
tools, or technique, but by enlightenment.

Why do we moan about the tiny thorn or nail that stops us; we know it will
only be a few minutes before we are on our way. Think of it as a gift.
Where else today is there something you can fix yourself, so fast, for so
little, and quickly be back on the road humming along? I wish all the
problems in my life were like flats on my bike.

Why don't we just recognize that the universe will always be imperfect in so
many ways, and our role is to struggle for the worthy causes, not fret the
tiny ones. Why do we spend so many hours cleaning our cars without a
thought as to why can't they make cars that stay clean. That would be
silly. It is equally silly to expect tires to be light and supple yet
immune to the hazards of the road.

Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.

Yes, but bikes get dirty, too. And cars don't get flats.

Actually they do, but the flat/mile rate is negligibly small compared to
the flat/mile rate experienced by bicycles.

--
Ted Bennett
Portland, OR

In article ,
wrote:

I blush to admit that I once tried two plastic tire liners
per tire for extra protection during a particularly bad
season. A single soggy ride on double liners was enough to
convince me that I'd rather fix flats.

Carl Fogel

Carl, be assured that, after regaling this NG with your numerous
Fury-ous exploits, two liners per tire will hardly do further injury to
your reputation.

luke

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 01:34:03 GMT, "Robert Haston"
wrote:

I think I am releasing my frustration over flats, not through materials,
tools, or technique, but by enlightenment.

Why do we moan about the tiny thorn or nail that stops us; we know it will
only be a few minutes before we are on our way. Think of it as a gift.
Where else today is there something you can fix yourself, so fast, for so
little, and quickly be back on the road humming along? I wish all the
problems in my life were like flats on my bike.

The flat is usually not the problem. The timing is the issue. A flat
in the wrong place, where there is no convenient spot to stop and fix
it, or at the wrong time, when either the flat bag is on the other
bike or the time to attend to even this minial interruption is not
available, is what makes it a disproprotionate annoyance.

Why don't we just recognize that the universe will always be imperfect in so
many ways, and our role is to struggle for the worthy causes, not fret the
tiny ones.

Oh, dear. The seed of Yet Another Religion is planted.

Why do we spend so many hours cleaning our cars without a
thought as to why can't they make cars that stay clean.

Umm, well, it takes not terribly much research to discover that for
every known form of dirt-repelling surface treatment, there exists
either a form of dirt that is not repelled by it, or an environmental
condition that degrades the coating...or else the coating is more
unsightly than the dirt.

That would be
silly. It is equally silly to expect tires to be light and supple yet
immune to the hazards of the road.

Ah, now I see where you're going. Yes, that's basically true.

Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.

You have done well, grass...erm, no, excuse me, I won't say that.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On 5 Jan 2005 18:24:40 -0800, wrote:

Robert,

My Zen philosophy- I own a 20yr old Landcruiser. It gets dirty. It
stays dirty. I drive it dirty. It is at one with the dirt.
Effortlessly, I do not wash it. It is a gift not to wash it.

As for flat tires on bicycles... I see you live in sunny FL. Here in
the rainy, blustery, muddy, chilly, Pacific Northwest, a flat it quite
simply a PITA. If there was ever a case for re-gifting, this is it.
BTW... When is your birthday?

"CurbHopper...When you can snatch the patch kit from my hand, it will
be time for you to go."

TR

Ahh, now there's an answer I can appreciate.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 02:38:17 GMT, Ted
wrote:

"Robert Haston" wrote:

Cars get dirty, bikes get flats, it is the way.

Yes, but bikes get dirty, too. And cars don't get flats.

Actually they do, but the flat/mile rate is negligibly small compared to
the flat/mile rate experienced by bicycles.

Generally true in most locales, but not always.

In the southern half of the Miami area, there was a period of about a
year after Hurricane Andrew when flats became a very common experience
on cars. The roofing nails that fell from construction debris
trailers onto the street were sometimes more plentiful than the
customary bits of collision detritus and small rocks combined.

I suspect that this phenomenon is now being repeated in several more
areas of Florida.

While that problem lasted, it was not uncommon for the tire stores to
run across tires that already had a half-dozen (or more) plugs and
patches in place...and which had experienced yet another puncture.


--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.