I thought I'd share this story with you as it should provide a laugh or two. This happened to me this last weekend.
A little history: I used to ride dirtbikes 20+ years ago and always did my own maintenance, tire changes, tune ups, and stuff. I was pretty sure I could fix a flat on my own.......
Had a ride with some friends scheduled for Monday, Went out Sunday to finish off the last of the knobs on the rear tire and was going to change it that night and be ready for Monday. I used to do this all the time and figured it would be no problem. I bought some tire spoons and was able to get the new rear tire on without any problem. Sweet! I give my bike a once over before bed and am ready to go riding with my friends on my (new to me) KX500 beast.
8:00am, jump up out of bed and start gathering all my gear and munchies for a killer day of dirt riding and friends. Get my truck all packed and ready and just to be sure, give my bike a quick once over....The FRONT tire is flat! drats...ok, call my buds and tell them I'll be a little late.
No problem, I just bought tire spoons and I have a patch kit, how hard could this be? I should be on the road in 30 minutes. WRONG!
Pull the front wheel off and and get the tube out and it turns out to be a hole right next to the valve stem. Not gonna be able to patch this one...drats.....Head to the local Cycle Gear to get another tube, this adds another 45 minutes to my timeframe.
Get home with the new tube and start to install it, and I noticed the duct tape in the spoke well is trashed so I have to clean it all out and put new tape in there......Cant find my roll of duct tape.....drats....have to run to the hardware store to get more. Add 30 more minutes.
Got the rim all taped up and the tire half on and the tube installed, start to put the other half of the tire on and realized the rim lock is sitting on the driveway next to me....drats....take the tire back off and install the rim lock. Add 20 minutes.
Got the rimlock on, tube installed and tire mounted....finally. Turn on the air compressor and start to fill the tire. Can hear air blowing out of it and of course it wont hold air. Must have pinched the tube with the tire spoons....drats....Gonna have to patch the brand new tube. Add 30 minutes.
Take it all back apart and yes, I really pinched the tube and left 2 huge holes in it. Got my patch kit and patched up the holes and got the wheel all back together and it is still leaking air.....drats.....I must have pinched it again or missed the second hole the first time around. Gonna have to patch it again. Add another 30 minutes
Take the tire back off and found the second hole, by this time I'm getting pretty frustrated and my buds are out having fun in the dirt without me. Patched the second set of holes but I kinda missed with the patch so it was leaking a little so I tried to put on another patch overlapping the first one and of course that did not work....drats... Very pissed now and just went back to Cycle Gear for another new tube. Add 45 minutes.
Took my time and finally got it all back together and it's holding air! I spent the whole day fixing a flat and never got to ride. Drats.
Moral of the story? Take your time when spooning on a tire, or, better yet, pay a professional to do it. I spent about 20 dollars in gas, 40 dollars in tubes to save myself a 25 dollar tire install charge.
Drats.......
