The Bon Ton Roulet A Festival on Wheels through the Finger Lakes Bike Tour Survival Guide – #3 in a series
by Dr. Kurt Grabfelder on December 16, 2013 in Adventure Cycling, Dr. Kurt Grabfelder
I arrived in Cortland, NY, mid-afternoon on Saturday, July 27th, for the start of the Bon Ton Roulet, a week-long biking adventure around the Finger Lakes. With more than 500 participants arriving and settling in, the managed chaos of the first night’s campgrounds was both daunting and exciting. There were already plenty of cyclists setting up their tents at the Cortland Fairgrounds, with no apparent method to the madness. I made contact with a friend who had a few pointers on how to choose the best location to set up the tent.
Setting-Up Camp
You want to be close to the portable toilets, but not too close, and not down wind.
Try not to be in a high traffic area so that people aren’t walking near your tent all night long, while you are trying to sleep.
Water runs downhill, which means when it rains you don’t want to be in a low area.
In addition to camping in your own tent, there were some other accommodation options available at an additional cost. Bikers could choose to stay in motels each night, a college dorm room, when available, or use the camping vendor who rented and set up a tent for campers each night. Other tours may have other options, so you need to check with the event’s organizers.
Sunday was the first day for riding. After a buffet breakfast served in one of the fairground buildings, 540 cyclists from 38 states, Australia, and Canada gathered for a short program before the first and only mass start. We started slowly, because of all the riders, but soon we were pedaling at our own comfortable pace, and we were on our way for a week of riding, camping and camaraderie.
Survival Kit
There are many challenges that can pop up on a ride, so here is what I carry in my bike’s survival kit:
A twenty dollar bill for emergencies
Snacks
Multipurpose bike tool with hex wrenches and a chain tool
Emergency chain connecting link
Valve adapter for a Schrader pump
Tire boot to put inside a tire that has a cut
A length of cord to tie my jacket under the seat
Band-aides
Zip ties
Salt packets to help prevent bonking on a hot day
A tire patch kit, in case of a second flat
If I’m on a longer ride, I usually take another spare tube and maybe even a spare tire
Flat Tires
Bikes and tire flats go together, so it pays to be prepared. The first flat I saw was a half block down the road from Sunday’s start, and the second flat was less than a mile into the ride. During the week, I heard a tire blow while the bike was leaning against a wall. A couple of cyclists blew their tires while using a floor pump at the start of the day. The third day was a poor start for me; I found my front tire flat before even getting on the bike. The fourth day was just not my day–by nine o’clock I was on my third tube and my second front tire. As I said, bikes and flats go together, so be prepared.
This is what I carry in my under-the-saddle bike bag to fix flats:
A spare tube
Tire pump
Tire levers
To fix a flat on the road, most riders remove the old tube and put in the new tube; it is faster and safer than trying to patch a tube. Some folks will patch the tube at home where they have more time to test the patch, and then use the tube again. Others take the old tube home and throw it away.
Changing a Tire Tube
Before you have a tire problem on the road, it is a good idea to practice at home with someone knowledgeable in changing a tube. Every cyclist has their own way of changing a tube; this is the way I do it.
Open the brake calipers then loosen the quick release lever to remove the wheel from the bike.
Use a tire lever to pry the tire over the rim and hook the lever to a spoke.
A few inches away from the first lever, use the second lever to pry the tire over the rim. Do this again if you have a third lever.
With the second or third lever under the tire and over the rim, slide the lever around the rim removing the tire bead (edge) from the rim.
Pull the tube from under the tire and off the rim.
Visually, and also by feel, check the outside and inside of the tire for the cause of the flat and check the integrity of the tire.
Pump the new tube a bit to make sure it will hold air, then remove most of the air from the tube, a little air will help get the tube on the rim and keep it from twisting.
Put one side of the tire on the rim so that the tire label is centered by the valve hole. This is a good way to orient the tube and tire when looking for the cause of the next flat.
Lay the wheel flat, put the tube’s valve through the valve hole in the rim and push the tube under the tire and on to the rim.
Starting at the valve, move your hands in both directions around the wheel putting the tire bead on to the rim. This should be easy until the last six inches.
Some cyclists can use their thumbs to push the tire on to the rim while others turn the wheel around and pull with their fingers or hands. With either method, work from the part of the tire that is on the rim toward the part that still needs to be put on the rim.
If you can’t get the tire on manually, very carefully use the tire lever to help. Be careful not to pinch the new tube with the lever or you will cause a flat in the new tube.
Check to be sure that the tire is seated properly and that the tube is not pinched between the rim and tire; pump the tire to the recommended pressure.
Re-install the wheel, being sure it is centered between the brake pads and that it doesn’t wiggle or rub when you spin it. Tighten the brake caliper lever.
Any day you can out of bed in the morning is a good day. If you can get back in bed at night, it is a great day; and if you can ride your bike in between, it is an exceptional day. Get out and ride!