The Chainlink

Anybody get a flat from a small, nail-like tack (called cross tacks) recently?

Took my bike in to fix a flat just now, pulled out a small metal tack from the tire, called a cross tack (see pic), repairman mentioned he had seen three flats caused by the same type of tack in the last three days, which according to him was unusual. Wondering if anyone else has recently hit one. My flat occurred on the Kinzie protected bike lane in front of Gilt.

 

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on July 27, 2011 at 5:50pm

Thanks for the post. Will stay weary on new track.

 

I would not put it past some hateful people to do that. They will get their Karma back!

Permalink Reply by Bernard Joseph Hannigan on July 27, 2011 at 6:24pm
Could be from carpet pulled out of flooded basements.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 27, 2011 at 8:17pm

I've had one of those exact little tacks once before in the spring of last year. Happened on Green Street.

 

Probably just a fluke.  If someone wanted to cause real problems they could make caltrops.

 

Whatever.  It takes 4-5 minutes to fix a flat.  I like working on bikes and I'm never in that much of a hurry (the beauty of being terminally unemployed) so if that's what it takes to make someone happy to mess with other people I'll let the rule of 3 bite them in the end. It's not my place.   So mote it be...

 

 

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on July 27, 2011 at 10:10pm

 

caltrops...arent those things they used in the days of old to slow down camels and elephants?



James BlackHeron said:

I've had one of those exact little tacks once before in the spring of last year. Happened on Green Street.

 

Probably just a fluke.  If someone wanted to cause real problems they could make caltrops.

 

Whatever.  It takes 4-5 minutes to fix a flat.  I like working on bikes and I'm never in that much of a hurry (the beauty of being terminally unemployed) so if that's what it takes to make someone happy to mess with other people I'll let the rule of 3 bite them in the end. It's not my place.   So mote it be...

 

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 27, 2011 at 10:30pm

Yup, those are the things -nasty little buggers.  

 

 

Permalink Reply by S on July 27, 2011 at 10:45pm
Horses and people as well.  They've been used fairly recently to disable vehicles with pneumatic wheels. 

chixieonfixie said:

 

caltrops...arent those things they used in the days of old to slow down camels and elephants?



James BlackHeron said:

I've had one of those exact little tacks once before in the spring of last year. Happened on Green Street.

 

Probably just a fluke.  If someone wanted to cause real problems they could make caltrops.

 

Whatever.  It takes 4-5 minutes to fix a flat.  I like working on bikes and I'm never in that much of a hurry (the beauty of being terminally unemployed) so if that's what it takes to make someone happy to mess with other people I'll let the rule of 3 bite them in the end. It's not my place.   So mote it be...

 

 

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on July 28, 2011 at 8:33am

Zach - thanks for posting this.

 

This week alone I have had two flats and I use the new protected bike lane.  Both wheels.  While I have not seen anything like the tack you posted in either tire it is very odd to me that just this week I started rolling over the bridge with the ramp which they just recently installed.  Formerly I would use the sidewalk going across the bridge as I dont like to cross over grated bridges (too many friends with broken collar bones).

 

Even more odd the only two times Ive rolled across that bridge over the protected ramp (Monday night and Wednesdsay night of this week) I woke up to a flat in the morning - a slow leak. 

 

I am going to discontinue using it and go over the bridge on the sidewalk still as Ive been doing for years, a menace to peds, I realize, but I go very slowly and stay behind them for the most part. 

 

Maybe ATA could look into this - it seems very suspect...

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 28, 2011 at 9:24am

Chixieonfixie,

 

Are you getting a pinch flat or a puncture?  

 

I haven't been over the new bridge plates yet, is there a big bump with a sharp edge getting onto the plates?

Permalink Reply by Jamie Elenbaas on July 28, 2011 at 1:12pm
Slight change of subject, but this summer some jerk spread those little beauties over 5 miles of the 10,000 participant Seattle to Portland (aka STP) organized ride.  Many, many flats resulted.  Great sense of humor, don't you think?
Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 28, 2011 at 1:40pm

That's why you don't want to leave early on these multi-day events.


A few years back (2008?) the same thing happened on Ragbrai. Our friends, who left a little after 5:30am got 3 flats riding through a mine field of thumb tacks. We left around 8am and had no problems at all.

 

Here is to sleeping in on multi-day rides!


Jamie Elenbaas said:

Slight change of subject, but this summer some jerk spread those little beauties over 5 miles of the 10,000 participant Seattle to Portland (aka STP) organized ride.  Many, many flats resulted.  Great sense of humor, don't you think?
Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on July 28, 2011 at 1:52pm
nope.
Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on July 28, 2011 at 10:36pm

Plain old fashioned punctures no snakebites.  I keep my tires inflated and I ain't overweight so no pinchflats for me :)

 

Its probably just a fluke but it is extremely odd I got two slow leaks right after taking that bridge.  I didnt take it this morning or evening - hopefully no more flats tomorrow morning!

James BlackHeron said:

Yup, those are the things -nasty little buggers.  

 

 

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