...which is one of the great benefits of early morning workouts - you're half done with your workout before you ever really wake up.
Something else I want to be able to do in my sleep is change a flat. There is nothing worse than being cold and wet on a rainy ride and finding yourself with a flat (or in MY case, flats have been known to come in pairs...Boo. Hiss.)
I've decided since Mondays are my official rest day, they will now turn over from Monday Morning Dance Party in the a.m. to Doing It In My Sleep Tire Changing Time Trial in the p.m.
I race against myself and tonight I set the bar at 4:02 minutes.
You'll notice I have all the necessary ingredients:
The very dirty bike that I now remember I didn't wash after my ride on Saturday ~
You can see that aerobars are still useful even if you don't use them in the normal type of aerodynamic way - - my cue sheet for the ride fit perfectly across them...
And here are the final necessities for the actual changing of my flat...
...and of course the final piece of equipment would be my finger which is used for the bloody finger test. I felt pretty good about 4:02 and we'll see what improvement I can make next Monday. Any guesses on how much time I can shave off next week?
Do you know how to change a flat? Have you ever had to change one during a race?
29 comments:
Ah, now I know why I only bike in spin class. I learned how to change a car tire, once, but don't ask me to do it now!
haha....oh I love that 1st picture and your comment on morning workouts:)
My swims in the pool at 6am!...I'm lucky I don't drown;)
Nope- do not know how to change a flat...BUT...am picking up my new race bike next week and am not leaving the store til they teach me:)
I am totally going to use your idea about the "Doing it in my sleep tire changing TT." I suck at changing tires, and it's definitely something I need to practice more!!
@Kim - I totally could NOT change a car tire. Guess I should learn that next!
@Dawn - It's really not that hard. Especially with practice. I've stopped with people on rides before for moral support and sometimes it takes 15 or 20 minutes. I'm not willing to give up that much time in a race...
or to spend that much time out of my seat on a cold rainy day.
@Aimee - I can't wait to hear how it goes for you. Practice Practice Practice :D
I went out for my first long bike ride on Sunday and I was so afraid I'd get a flat and be stuck somewhere. It is a MUST-DO to learn how to change a tire...I will get a tube at least before my next outing. Thanks for the reminder!!
Jill - I was out of tubes the first month of training this year so I kept doing the same 5 mile close to home loop over and over in case i got a flat. I finally went and bought two tubes and then found 4 in my closet. Guess I'm prepared now! I better not get 6 flats this year!!
I *refuse* to answer that question. :-/
Which one...The race question? REALLY? I wanna know the story!
Too funny! Can't wait to see your attempts. I've never had a flat... and am actually going to my first maintenance class tonight! Wonder how long it'll take me?
I can't believe it when people tell me they've never had a flat. I guess I was just riding in really sad old torn up tires for way too long.
I barely know how to ride a bike, think that leaves me exempt from changing tires.... ha ha.
Don't know how I wasn't following you before now. You're always so good to leave such nice comments for me. Hope your sickies are on the mend soon. :)
The only flat I've had was in my driveway. And the hubby was there to fix it. I'd be in real trouble if I was out and about. Guess I better get my rear in gear and learn. You are my idol. 4:02 is pretty dang fast!
4:02....you are speedy, it would probably take me all day!! I have only gotten one flat and it was right in front of a bike store and I took it in and they changed it ha, good thing I always take a credit card with me!! Girl, you are GORGEOUS even in the early morning!
Jen - I would totally let my husband do it if I could :D
Janae - they made a cute girl like you pay for the flat fix? That is surprising! Do you remember how much it cost you for that 2 minutes of work??
LOVE IT!
I've changed front tires but not back....I'm afraid...it's my goal in the next couple weeks to get to my LBS for one of the training classes. :)
I could change a flat when I rode...yearssssss ago. I wonder if I could still do it. But then again, I'd have to buy an actual bike.
Back tires are really just as easy. There is a quick trick, though. Before you dismount, if you realize it is your back tire that has gone flat, get into your smallest gear. The chain goes back into place much easier this way!
Ha, Ha!! I wish I could work out in my sleep! But actually that's why I have to workout in the afternoons after work, if I go in the morning I'm not awake until it's over so it would end up being trash miles. I have had to change a flat in a race and it was embarassing.... It was just a sprint and it took me over 2 hours to finish and even with the swim being at the end I still managed to come out of the pool with bike grease all over my face and hands!
Oh man! I can totally picture you swimming with grease all over you. You must have been completely water proofed :D
This is my worst fear - having to change a tire in a race. I'm pretty sure my race would just be done unless I was close enough to walk my bike in. I've seen it done, but never actually tried it. I need to learn. Great job!
u need one of those water bottles that has a straw that pokes up between the handle bars. i was always a camelbak kinda gal. i don't see how folks can lean over, get a bottle, drink out of it, and put it back while staying upright. talent. pure. talent.
I DO have an aero bottle :-)
...but it needs to be cleaned...or burned. I'm pretty sure it still has gatorade in it from last year. Better than the mold I found in my camelbak. I ROCK at keeping my stuff in good shape don't I????
Ugh. I'm a disaster at changing tires. Mine got a flat last year so I went back inside and plopped down on the couch. Five minutes later Ryan's dragging me outside to see that he fixed it. I tend to get dramatic about things that are broken/need fixed. I'm just not *handy* lol
Changing tires... the bane of my existence...
I've gotten better (at least at front tires - the backs still elude me), but I got a flat during the bike of an ironman and then discovered that I had the wrong tube with me - took more than an hour to get someone to stop and loan me a new tube. Still haunts me.
Abby, did you cry? I would have cried.
More importantly, did you blog about your ironman experience ?? I would love the link!
I have no clue how to change a tire, and that's one of my biggest fears!
LOL I love what you said about early morning rides - that they are half over before you are really awake. So true!!
Love the furry one helping you with your bike.
I personally think that it should be mandatory for people to know how to change a flat (on the rear tire, as the front one is easier) before they ride a bike any distance. Not to sound like a hard a$$ or anything, but that is just how I feel. It is going to happen (as you know!), you need to know how to deal with it (as you do!) Everyone starts out not knowing how, but with YouTube you can learn. That is how I learned.
I flatted once so far in a race, it stinks. I was doing really well too, online for a PR then...psst. I was PSST. But after I threw a fit (only a little one) I changed it and moved on. I practice changing my rear tire now and then, not enough, I am not super fast at it yet and also wish I could do that in my sleep.
Never have had a flat...but don't ride on the road much. I should probably get a spare tube and ride with it.
You have some great skills now!
Can you teach me at the Tyee meetup =D ?
Love the first pic and the comment. Hahaha!!
Cgirl - you are SO RIGHT! I love Team in Training doesn't let you get away with not knowing. Sometimes they'll stop us in the middle of a ride and let the air out of one tire. Gotta learn!
Raina - you're on! A Tyee tire changing clinic!
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