More Hot Air

Here is today's Hot Air Words Of Wisdom: You have to inflate your bicycle tires before you ride. Really. Perfectly new inner tubes will loose around 5 lbs. of pressure every day.

Last week a nice family brought all of their bicycles to the shop. As usual, most of the bikes were not worth fixing. "I'll just make 'em run, and not put too much into them, OK? All of your tires look like they need new tubes," I said. "But you put in new tubes last year," they said. "Have you pumped up the tires since then," I said. "No," they said.

It was true. My tubes were in there. All the valve stems were leaning over, a sure sign of riding under inflated tires, two of the valve stems were cut off from leaning so far over. I started inflating. Every tube with an intact valve stem held air. Repairs done.

You have to inflate your bicycle tires before you ride. Really.