Pumping it Up!

When I first started riding, I thought all there was to it was to get on, pedal forward and remember to brake with my hands instead of pedaling backwards. Yeah, that's the kind of bike I learned to ride on in the dark ages. The term 'maintenance' never crossed my mind.

So one day I notice that it is taking all my energy to pedal and I'm really not getting very far. I turned to an expert (my biker daughter) for advice. It came glibly...have you checked the tires? Well, I knew they were still there...what did she mean. Mom! You have to put air in the tires...they leak!

And so they do. Bike tires leak even when you aren't riding them. I mean, think about it. They are very small and don't hold a lot of air so it doesn't take much leaking out to make a difference. You can even get a 'pinch' flat if they get low. Not something you want to do when out on a backroad by yourself.

I immediately bought a bicycle pump (seems that's why they are called that) and checked the sidewall of the tire for the correct pressure then pumped away. Now, I pump it up before every ride.

You know, biking pumps up my life, much like I do my tires. And when I don't get a chance to bike...my life gets flat...hmm...