My Brompton folding bike had a flat back tire. My assistant, Rooney, was ready to spring into action.
It’s a beautiful bicycle that I’ve had for many years.
The chain has a spring-loaded device on it to maintain tension.
A close up of the tension device.
Strong springs inside keep tension on the chain, so it never sags.
A pillbug, no doubt an escapee from one of my son’s terrariums!
Life with a five-year-old boy: To get to my toolbox, I had to clear away his seashore treasures, which were all airing out in the sunshine.
The carapace of a Dungeness Crab, Cancer magister.
My tools in my toolbox. But something vital was missing!
My tire levers — an essential tool for changing a flat — were gone! Kieran likes to steal them because they make great spaceships. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find them, so I had to go to the bike shop and buy more!
Rooney was ready to do his part.
I got the wheel and the tension device off carefully.
Rooney immediately flopped down on the wheel to help keep it from rolling away.
Using my new tire levers, I eased the tire off the rim and got the tube out.
It was an old tube that I’d patched in the past.
I got my patch kit ready — it has glue, sandpaper, chalk to mark the spot where the hole is, and patches.
Preparing to put on the patch.
Once the patch is on …
… you have to wait for five minutes.
Easing the tire back onto the rim with my fingers only — this is to avoid piercing it again with a tool.
At last, it was back in and the tire was seated on the rim.
Using a wrench to put the wheel back on. The tension device comes after this.
Getting the tension device back on is tricky.
All done, and time to clean up!
That was rough! Time for a nap!
Steven E. F. Brown 