Notes
Well this didn't go well...first night commute and it was dark! I was fiddling with my light early on in the ride home and hit a hump in the road and pshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...the unmistakeable sound of a flat tire. Oh great, and on the rear too. I found a streetlight and went to work changing my tube out. I haven't done this in the dark before which made it a lot more difficult. Got my new tube out and did a quick check to make sure it held air. It wasn't holding but it seemed it was leaking out the presta valve so I went ahead and put it in the rim and gave it a few pumps from my hand pump. It still wasn't holding...hmmm. I decided since I had 2 CO2 cartridges that I could risk one so I went for it and it leaked out just about as fast as I could fill it. Awesome. Took the tube back out and examined it. I figured it would be in better shape than the one I just blew out on the hump from impact...it was, but there were 2 separate leaks (this one had been in my saddle bag a while). I usually carry a patch kit for emergency repairs and decided to give it a go patching both leaks. It worked ok and I got the tire but back on the rim and used my last CO2 cartridge and prayed it would hold. It held and I was on my way. I called Rach just to give her a heads up of what was going on and she wanted to come pick me up. I told her after all the on the road repair work I just did I had to at least try and get home on my own, otherwise it would have been wasted!
I'm back on my bike now and enjoying the peaceful night, but still riding with a bit of a pucker factor knowing that rear tube could give out. Also, my helmet light hasn't been used in over a year and it is acting up (probably should have gone through a few charge cycles before I tried it out) and my handlebar light is just a cheap LED light that "makes me seen but isn't good to see with". After 2-3 miles my helmet light died and I was left with only my handlebar light to light the pitch black bike path I was on. I slowed to maybe 10mph or so and just took it easy being careful not to hit any pavement irregularities. I was about a mile from my house and back on the streets now when I rounded a corner and heard a slow pshhh....pshhh....pshhh....with each revolution of my rear wheel. Bummer. I thought about walking it home but in bike cleats decided against it. I also promised Rach I'd call her if I had another problem, so I made that call of shame and she picked me up.
I'll have to re-evaluate lights and give it another go. I'll take a couple days off from bike commuting since Rach doesn't need the car Tue/Wed and hopefully get back to it on Thur. Need to pick up another patch kit and some more tubes though.
WOW, rough day for me with bike mechanicals...broke a chain on the MTB this AM and now double flatted on my roadie/commuter. On the bright side, I didn't get hit!!! With enough lights my route will be a SWEET night commute home.