Tandem Tires Wearing Thin

Dave & I have been a tandem couple for just three years, but we've gone though a whole lot of tires! In fact, I'm pretty sure we get new bicycle tires far more frequently than we buy tires for our vehicles.

A fellow cyclist pointed out the condition of our back tire a couple of weekends ago. The overall wear was clearly evident, and it had actually worn through on spots. Ever-fearful of accidents or even having a breakdown being far away from our home or vehicle, I carried a sense of awareness about it over every bump in the road. However, once safely on our way home in our Dodge Caravan, the bicycle tire's condition was unfortunately, quickly forgotten... Busy with work and kids, we hadn't taken the time to get the tire replaced. We actually rode on it two more times, and we were lucky it lasted. As I recall, that tire was brand new this year and it was quite pricey!

Now, our rear wheel is again at a bicycle shop.

Earlier this year, we experienced a stretch of time where we were constantly popping spokes. Since the Spring, we've naturally dropped a few pounds, and that issue eventually resolved itself.

Come to think of it, it seems that issues we've had to deal with regarding the functionality and smooth operation of our tandem bicycle seems to hit us in cycles.

For a while last year, we experienced difficulties with our chain. Broken links, dropping while shifting, etc. On one memorable ride, we were caught in a rain storm climbing a steep hill when the chain let go. Not fun.

Then for a series of rides we experienced a series of flats. In fact, there was one particular ride from home on our own when we flatted out 4 times in a row!! That 30-mile route was shortened to about 15 miles and it took us almost 4 hours to complete with all the time spent on the side of the road.

Let's hope that our new tire is good and strong and holds us well. We plan to ride tomorrow for an early morning Thanksgiving Day group ride from Niantic Bay Bicycles!