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Help Flat Tire

Tamir

Speeding Up
Aug 19, 2011
56
0
Don't worry, I'm not asking how to replace an inner tube or tire. That I can do on my own.

I was biking to work this morning, and less than 1km from work I let my guard down and ran over something hard and metallic (probably an empty can:mad:), resulting in a big clunk and a hissing sound.:eek: My tire was completely flat within a minute. Closer inspection revealed a nice big gouge in the tire as well. I walked my bike the rest of the way and parked it.

What I want to know is, does anyone know of any good bike shops near Hamamatsucho?
Or, lacking a new tire and tube, any tips for bringing my bike home (aside from walking 7-8km)?
I often hear people say to just pop it into a garbage bag; where can these mythical large black garbage bags be found?

Thanks in advance.
 
Large garbage bags (you will need, i think, a 40L bag to fit your wheel) can be found in almost any conbini. You might also need to buy a roll of sticky tape there to keep the bags and wheels in place. Remove the front wheel put it in the bag, tape it to the frame. Cover the rear wheel chain and derailleurs with another bag, or two, tape it to the frame to keep it in place. Et voila! You can take it to the train now.
Also, you'll have 7-8 garbage bags for your home needs, and a new roll of tape (I have 3 or 4 now :))
 
Google Maps has a couple which look promising

hamamatsu.jpg


As for the "pauper's bike bag" - one garbage bag is rarely enough. Grab a pack of bags and a roll of tape from a convenience store or supermarket, or from the cleaners' cupboard at work, and fabricate something. Take off the front wheel, tie it to the frame, and cover everything the best you can.

Bubble wrap would also work. Or several large sheets of paper, depending on your origami skills. (Take a photo for us if you do this!)
 
Thanks for the help, guys.

I'll go take a peek at those two bike shops near Hamamatsucho first, and if I can't get what I need I'll wrap up my bike and take it on the Yamanote line during rush hour on a Friday. :eek:
 

LOL... there's a review for that shop A saying;
"店主の対応が、横柄で大変不愉快だった。 店内も汚い。"
(The owner was arrogant and very unpleasant. The shop was messy too.)

Tamir, if you'll try that shop, any feedback would be much appreciated because I also pass by Hamamatsucho on my occasional commute. Thanks.

Eugen
 
Haha, I hadn't looked at the review.

Well, beggars can't be choosers. I'll go check out both stores and give my own reviews.:D
 
Haha! WHAT bike shop in Tokyo does NOT feature an ARROGANT and VERY UNPLEASANT owner?? This seems to be the crux of the Bicycle Shop Certification Exam. Which goes as follows:

Q. How do you greet a customer arriving in your shop?

A. - Irraishamise! And smile warmly.
B. - Look the other way and pretend they are a ghost.
C. - Mumble something like 'What are YOU doing here' and toss the One Cup at them.

If you answered 'C' - then congrats! You are now licensed as a BIKE SHOP OWNER and STAFF!

LOL... there's a review for that shop A saying;
"店主の対応が、横柄で大変不愉快だった。 店内も汚い。"
(The owner was arrogant and very unpleasant. The shop was messy too.)

Tamir, if you'll try that shop, any feedback would be much appreciated because I also pass by Hamamatsucho on my occasional commute. Thanks.

Eugen
 
C. - Mumble something like 'What are YOU doing here' and toss the One Cup at them.

If you answered 'C' - then congrats! You are now licensed as a BIKE SHOP OWNER and STAFF!
Oooh I love multiple-choice quizzes.

I was recently stuck with a double-flat in Choshi. Found a bike shop near the station that did have some 700C tubes. Owner was almost too friendly and chatty, and I could barely get on with fixing my bike (in front of his shop, in the rain). Better than the grumpy type, I suppose.

("What brand is your bike?" "It's a GS Astuto 'Kyoso'. Not a brand; it's a 'movement'." "What brands do your friends ride?" "There are a lot of Cannondales and Treks." "Ah - difficult for me to deal with them as they require even a small shop to buy so many and I might sell four or five racing bikes a year." "Talk to the hand, mate.") etc.
 
LOL... there's a review for that shop A saying;
"店主の対応が、横柄で大変不愉快だった。 店内も汚い。"
(The owner was arrogant and very unpleasant. The shop was messy too.)

Ha! I've been to that shop marked "A" and I can confirm the above review. The place was a mess and the guy behind the counter didn't even acknowlege me. That was the first and last time I went there.

It's a small cramped place, and most of the goodies are behind glass, but they'll have what you need; the shop at "B" looks like a sporting goods store specializing in golf.
 
The shop at B does not exist; there is a golf store there instead. :rolleyes:

Shimizu Cycle was quite small and a bit grungy (more from age and use than anything). There were some complete bikes and frames on display and lots of parts behind glass (some looked like collectors items or something, with price tags to match).

The owner was not very outgoing, but he wasn't cold or rude and he knew what he was doing. He basically chatted the whole time with the other customer who was there. They both commented to each other how good my Japanese was, but not directly to me. :confused:
He patched up my front inner tube, inspected the tire and had me on my way 10 minutes (and 1500 yen :eek:) later.

I'm just glad I was able to find somewhere near my work, get patched up and bike home.
 
The owner was not very outgoing, but he wasn't cold or rude and he knew what he was doing. He basically chatted the whole time with the other customer who was there. They both commented to each other how good my Japanese was, but not directly to me.

I'm sure next time you go back you'll get more interaction. Glad to hear you were on your way again. 1500 yen is not cheap however. For a new tube maybe but for a 100 yen patch?
 
It's called a "DIYFS" charge, basically anyone who owns a bicycle should able to fix a flat tire.

He charged you ¥10 for the patch and glue and then ¥1,490 for the privilege of having a pro fix your flats.

In future I suggest buying a ¥100 yen puncture repair kit and a ¥1000 yen pump and repair your own in future.

Oh and consider yourself lucky, many bike shops will require you to leave it for a day, put a new tube in and charge you ¥3000 yen for the privilege.
 
It's called a "DIYFS" charge, basically anyone who owns a bicycle should able to fix a flat tire.

He charged you ¥10 for the patch and glue and then ¥1,490 for the privilege of having a pro fix your flats.

In future I suggest buying a ¥100 yen puncture repair kit and a ¥1000 yen pump and repair your own in future.

Oh and consider yourself lucky, many bike shops will require you to leave it for a day, put a new tube in and charge you ¥3000 yen for the privilege.

You're probably right. If I could have done it myself, I would have. I'll invest in the puncture kit and pump for the future.
 
new tubes are 500円~1000円. unless you get multiple flats on a regular basis switching out a busted tube for a new one is the easiest fix.
 
new tubes are 500円~1000円. unless you get multiple flats on a regular basis switching out a busted tube for a new one is the easiest fix.

That is what I always do, it is fastest way to get back on the road, unless you get multiple flats, then the patch kit comes out. When I get home I take the punctured tube and repair it at my leisure on my workbench. Generally I will keep a tube with four repaired punctures, on the fifth puncture I retire it, and turn it into rubber bands :D If the punctures are just that, if it is a tear or a big hole, it gets retired right away. How many puncture repairs will you guys have on one tube before you retire the tube?
 
Thanks Tamir for the info. 1,500JPY for a patch repair is not cheap, but it's always good to know there's such an option in case of emergency. If I need to use that shop in the future, I'll try to speak as Gaijin-like as possible, because usually I speak perfect native japanese.

I've never tried, but the last repair option before riding without air would be this. You still need a pump though :p
 
Thanks Tamir for the info. 1,500JPY for a patch repair is not cheap, but it's always good to know there's such an option in case of emergency. If I need to use that shop in the future, I'll try to speak as Gaijin-like as possible, because usually I speak perfect native japanese.

I've never tried, but the last repair option before riding without air would be this. You still need a pump though :p
I guess that would work, but I wonder if it would work on a road tube? Here is to NOT having to find out! :eek:
 
I guess that would work, but I wonder if it would work on a road tube? Here is to NOT having to find out! :eek:
"Cut the tube at the puncture and tie the two ends in a knot." Eeek indeed. I might try it just for kicks. If I do, I'll be sure to post my findings.

One of my flats on 11 Nov netted four holes at the same spot, each about 8mm long - a Double Snake Bite™. In the comfort of my living room, two patches took care of the four holes. Pumped up for testing, it looked like a constricted bowel. But it held.

Virtually any kōban (police box) will have a floor pump for use by stricken cyclists. But they only fit on mamachari-style eishiki (variously English, Woods, Dunlop) valves. That's why no bike of mine is complete without one of these:
valveadapter.jpg

...a Presta-to-Woods valve stem adapter. Less than 200 yen from all good (and even some rubbish) bike shops. I just leave it on the rear valve all the time. Only need one per bike!
 
If I didn't have the stuff, sure, but, if I've already got a CO2 bomb (or two), plus a pump on the side, why do I need one of those adaptors?
 
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