Late in the afternoon we decided to take the trikes for a quick 20 mile or so round trip ride. I had no idea I'd be using the basic repair skills I learned just last week at my local bike shop.
I thought we were fully prepared. We travel with tools, spare tubes, patch kit & pump. So when we had the first trike I summoned my new skills to remove the rib, remove the tire, check for what caused the puncture and reached for the new tube. OOPS! The type for the 20" rim was the wrong type and the valve stem wouldn't fit the rim. Still no problem, I used my still fresh tube patching skills to patch the tube and put everything back together. Well almost, my old bicycle pump decided to break apart and even after repairing it I couldn't get enough pressure to fill the tire completely. "Oh thank heaven for 7-11." A block away was a 7-11 with an air pump, for a fee of course. Now 75 cents later and at least 80 PSI in the tire we continued on our ride.
About 3 more miles down the trail and one of the other trikes got a flat! No use reaching for the tubes so out with the patch kit again. Enough air to ride, definitely not permanent but back on the road and heading back to our new favorite 7-11. Another quick 75 cent pump use and it was at least ridable.
Now it was getting late and we were about 7 miles from home with darkness quickly approaching. We pushed each other hard and made pretty good time getting home just before it was unsafe to be riding but it was close.
Now I have two rims sitting in the garage to take back to my local bike shop for new tubes. And, of course, exchanging the other tubes so I have viable spares.
I guess I'll be getting a new portable bike pump and some of those fancy CO2 cartridge things for my birthday.
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