Off-Topic

1. what kind of tire pressure do you suggest for a bianchi vigorelli? old school steel road bike, but I put a little wider tires on it so I can handle some easy gravel/dirt trails when I need to.

2. I biked to work for the first time yesterday - about 15 miles each way. Surprisingly easy trip. But reading this thread makes me think I need some extra tubes, roadpumps, etc. Is that REALLY needed? If I were to get a flat somewhere on the W&OD trail I'd probably just walk to the nearest bike shop. How common are they? What minor tools should I always have with me when taking trips of that lenghth?

Bad news. I was riding tonight and noticed the handlebars got a little loose. I went to break, and immediately they dropped. My instinct was to put my feet down to stop myself. My momentum carried me forward a bit but I stayed on my feet. I had to push the bike home, which sucked because I was about 2 miles away. I asked a few bikers on the path of they had a multi tool, and of course no one did.

That prompted me to go to REI to get one, along with a floor pump. I'll keep the tool in my pouch from now on. It turns out the bolt that adjusts the angle of the handlebars got loose, and that's what caused them to drop. I tightened it up and they appear to be fine.

Here's my question. Should I be concerned with this? I'm chalking it up as the bike shop didn't tighten the bolt all the way, but two of my friends said that this should never happen. Shold I contact the shop, or she how things play out in the next few days?

Thanks. I figured so, but with this investment I want to make sure the bike is taken care of.

The floor pump is awesome (I got a joeblow pump, it's yellow and black and got great reviews on amazon). The small pump got me to about 80psi. I've already had to use it on my friends bike when we were riding. It's definitely a good backup.

I think I have everything I could possibly e we need now. This is an expensive hobby, but worth it. I'm still tired from yesterday's ride (90 minutes), and my knee feels great.

do you guys all carry tire repair kits? how often do you REALLY get flat tires, especially if you have tires a bit thicker than racing style?

Went down a hill high 30s and hit the lip of a concrete bridge. Bam! Both pich flatted immediately. Used my one tube and two patches on the other. Of course I didn't realize the front was flat until I tried to take off after fixing the rear. That sucked. Luckily I had my pump that day as I usually just carry one CO2. During the TdC ride last week I saw three people repairing flats on a two mile stretch of bumpy road.

Oh...the double flat was using about the toughest tire out there...Gator Skins. Pinch flats don't care. I have wider wheels now which should reduce the possibility. Nothing with them...yet.

700 x 23. They're the cheap Bontrager (Trek) Race wheels. Yeah, they call them "race", but they're heavy. It's less the tire size and more the shape of the tube in the wheel. Those narrow wheels make the tube the shape of a light bulb with lots of pressure on the edges of the rim. I recently got a set of Zipp 101's. Still running 700 x 23, but the wheels are a lot wider so the tube is more of an oval now. Tire shape went from a C to a U. Bonus is I can run less pressure because there is less risk of a pinch flat. I was running 115, now 110. I might go 25's next time. Cross tires could help if the pressure is relatively high.

Forgot... Most road bikes can't handle 'cross tires. Not enough clearance for brakes, etc... An old bike with cantilevers might.

why is it bad to point the stem up like in that photo? Not as aerodynamic (or as fast), but much more comfortable for old geezers with bad backs ...