D’Arcy’s bike commuter tip #32: Always, no matter how early it is on a Monday, and no matter how tired you are, always check your tire pressure before starting a ride.
D’Arcy’s bike commuter tip #33: It is actually possible to ride for 10km on a nearly flat front tire, after discovering that it was nearly flat after riding on it for 4km, by putting all of your weight on the rear tire and unlocking the front suspension fork. Surprisingly, once you get the hang of it, you can actually go nearly full speed on an almost flat front tire if you’re careful about braking and bumps.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
…Of course these tips do you little good if, like me this morning, you pull the bike out the front door just to discover that your rear tire is inexplicably, completely flat.
doh. must be something in the air. my front tube has a verrrrry slow leak. I think it’ll get me home, but I need to get a replacement asap (but the local bike shop is closed today…) gotta stock up on some spares
(and a new armadillo crossroads tire…)
Do you find you need different tire pressure when the temperatures change? My ride just hasn’t been as smooth since things started getting colder, but my wheels don’t seem to be flat…
I haven’t found low pressure a problem because of the temps – when it drops to -30˚C maybe, but it’s only been down to -10˚C once, and I haven’t seen any cold-weather issues there. I do try to check the tire pressure as much as I can remember, and even a 10 psi drop is noticeable. I try to keep mine at 70psi, and it’s definitely noticeable when they drop below 60 or so. Slow leaks, I suppose…