Happened today. Grab the bike that 7 days prior I placed 68 miles on. Barely get on to the street and I feel it right away. Something ain't right. Stop and squeeze the rear tire. Low, very low. 3 choices: add air to the tire and check for a leak, change the tube or swap bikes and deal with it later. I chose the 3rd option.
So after the ride and after I started the grill and placed the entree on said grill I grab a tube, a lever and a pump. Place the bike on the stand and remove the ailing wheel. I pumped it up first and looked and felt for the offender. Nothing, nada, zilch. Tire is holding air. Visual and tactile inspection reveal nothing. Leave as is or replace the tube? Or patch it?
Let all the air out and pump up the tube again although the stem is still in the tire so i can locate the "sharp" object that punctured the tire and tube. Nothing. Finish removing the tube and run my thumb on the inside of the tire hoping that something will rip open my skin. I do this twice and only get a very dirty thumb. Once more pump up the tube and check it again. No leak or hole to be found.
I have no passion for my hatred of those. Microscopic punctures, slow leakers. If I found a hole I could patch it and use it for an emergency spare. But if not found I am left with a problem. Do I dare trust this one again or should I go to the next level? The next level would be to submerse the tube in water and wait for bubbles. Not worth my tire for a 700x25 tube.
So what now? Trash it? Find someone that can make it into something useful? Use it again and hope the hole becomes visible? 99% chance of trashing it.
No comments:
Post a Comment