Oru Cup Coffee

Yesterday I fixed my bicycle flat tire. Much to the amazement of my bicyclist friends, I've not had a flat tire since 1996. Not that the bike was unused, but I've clocked few thousand miles over these years. Mostly on paved trails and roads, but sometimes on rugged terrains. Like, half way up Mt. Diablo on fire trail. But no flat tire. Which is very strange when my fellow riders average a flat tire almost once a month. I was counting on this continuous no-flat-tire path and unexpectedly, even for those who get a flat tire a month it is unexpected every time it occurs, my tire went flat. Well, I did not rush to fix it though I'd all the tools. I did not know how to do it. After seeking some advice, I went on to fix it yesterday. Wow, the tools were so simple and amazing. I wish those poor "Vulcanization" specialists on the side walks of Chennai had it this simple. I had anticipated this flat tire in 1996, when I bought my bike, and I got a spare tube. This tube did not work as it had developed crack on one of its many folds. So, I had patch, quick self adhesive ones and it was exactly that way - quick and adhesive.

This may not be as big a challenge to Mohan, my friend in Chennai, who I've seen more often with his bike taken apart than together and riding. He would polish every sprocket, spoke and grease every movable part, almost every weekend. I could not understand why he did this then, but I do now after my successful flat-tire mission. It is a great sense of accomplishment one could feel out of such a simple job. And I did not use a bucket of water, bench vise, glue, nor did my hands have a spot of grease after the job was done. Not that I was so good, but the tools make it so good.