Not as Easy as It Looks

on May 30, 2009

Two and a half hours later, several blisters, and one popped tube…. I changed both of the tubes and one of the tires on my bike!

I watched this video and I read this article before I started.

Replacing the front tire and tube was really easy (well, it took me about 30 minutes). But… then I had to take the back tire off, which meant I had to mess with the gears. This made me really nervous! I took a picture of it before I dismantled it so I could refer to it later…. It definitely came in handy!

The back tire was a lot harder!

(Concentrating face).

I don’t know what was wrong with me or the tire, but I could NOT get the tire back on the wheel. It was the right size and everything. I tried for AN HOUR to get it onto the tire, and then I accidentally popped the tube!

ARG! That’s when I stopped and ate a snack of yogurt and cereal.

My "dinner" urges were all thrown off by our late lunch.

I eventually decided it might be better to just put my old front tire onto my back tire then to risk popping another second tube. So, I have a new front tire and tube and a new back tube. Whew!

It’s really fun to learn more about how my bike works and how to do my own maintenance. I kind of LIKE being a newbie and figuring stuff out — it’s exciting and challenging!

After the tires were done, I ate an orange:

Tomorrow, I’m going on an awesome 40-mile bike ride with my friend Kelly. I’m so pumped! It’s my last long ride before my Metric Century… whoooo hoooo!

Have a wonderful evening!

Do you consider yourself to be handy? I’m not a natural at this kind of stuff, but I will STICK TO IT until I figure it out!

{ 19 comments }

Oh She Glows May 30, 2009, 6:42 pm
Wow I love your determination! I am the same way- when I set myself out to doing something I stick with it (I’m verrry stubborn at times!). I don’t consider myself too handy though, although I did pick up the use of our ride on fairly quickly! LOL.

Have a great night!
Island Girl Eats May 30, 2009, 6:45 pm
Wow! Good for you. There are some things that I have to figure out myself and others I give to my husband. think that I would have let him change my tires! Otherwise I probably would have had to buy myself a new bike!
http://islandgirleats.blogspot.com
D10 May 30, 2009, 6:46 pm
Good for you! I really need to learn how to change a tire and figure out all the bike stuff too!
HangryPants May 30, 2009, 6:46 pm
You unlocked your trunk with olive oil – you are definitely handy!
Meganerd May 30, 2009, 6:50 pm
I know nothing about bikes! I don’t even know how to put air into tires.

That’s awesome that you are learning all this stuff about your bike, I probably should too! Keep up the determination!
Stacey May 30, 2009, 6:52 pm
Haha..I’ve (several times) accidentaly put my back tire spoke onto my front tire, and my boyfriend has to keep instructing me that it belongs in the back lol

We are doing a 40 mile ride tomorrow too! Hope yours is great!
Matt May 30, 2009, 6:56 pm
Lol I am not handy at all! My dad used to do that kind of stuff, but now that I am on my own, I just figure it out. Eventually it gets done!
Adi (oatonomy.com) May 30, 2009, 6:56 pm
Nope, not handy at all. I leave it to the bike shop people to tune up my bike! I’m nervous that I’ll make a mistake and my brakes won’t work, or I’ll reverse the gears or something else that will somehow leave me in a bike accident with a broken nose…
Recipes For Creativity May 30, 2009, 7:07 pm
I am not handy. I would not want to attempt anything more complicated than opening a beer without someone else present to make sure I don’t poke my own eye out. But way to go!
Melissa May 30, 2009, 7:24 pm
I have that Target bowl (that your yogurt and cereal is in).

Just thought I’d let you know that reading your blog inspired me to go on a long bike ride tomorrow on a trail along the Mississippi River that I’ve been wanting to go on for a long time! Thanks for the inspiration!

http://www.sweetmelissasweets.blogspot.com
Mica May 30, 2009, 7:39 pm
I’ve totally popped the tire on my bike, and I had the HARDEST time getting the back wheel back on. You are certainly not alone in tire-changing difficulties!
spicygranola May 30, 2009, 8:04 pm
Whew that looks like hard work. I think I am going to need a lot of instruction when it comes to things like that for my bike. I love reading your posts about biking because you are experienced compared to me.

I don’t consider myself handy, but I can learn (or try anyway)
have fun on your long ride!
Mara @ What's For Dinner? May 30, 2009, 8:09 pm
I like to think I’m handy, so I try things. Then I end up breaking it, calling my dad in a panic, and he helps me over the phone. He helped me change my tire in the snow via picture message once!!
Amy May 30, 2009, 8:11 pm
Good job! I don’t consider myself too handy but I’m like you and stick to it until I figure it out. I do it a lot with my computer and internet stuff at home. I just keep playing around until I get the desired result. 🙂
Christina May 30, 2009, 8:32 pm
I’m totally the same way. I wouldn’t call myself handy but I have yet to come across something that I wasn’t able to figure out after a certain amount of time and concentration!
haya May 31, 2009, 4:57 am
oh man. the first time i had to change a tube myself (my boyfriend is a HUGE cyclist. cycling to him is like running for me X 100) it took me an hour. i’ve had several tutorials since and my total time has come down to maybe 30-45 minutes, but it’s a pretty frustrating time still! i’m not handy at all so sometimes i will just give in and let jon take care of my bike for me, but i usually give it a good valiant try first.
Niki May 31, 2009, 8:27 am
Wow! Great job! That sounds hard! I wouldn’t consider myself “handy” but I like to figure stuff out and do it on my own!! Good luck on your ride!!
Ashlei July 5, 2010, 5:18 pm
I’m loving your blog for all the cycling stuff! I’m a newb to cycling and it’s really helpful. I just got my bike and will eventually start to do a lot of the work on it myself too. I’m going to check out those links for how to change a tire. When out riding do you use a mini pump or the CO2 cartridges for flats?
- caitlin July 5, 2010, 7:09 pm
  CO2! They are great and easy to use. 😉

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