Discussion: One tire lever

I hope you can manage to do whatever is required to deserve a second one. I remember once having to change a flat with no levers, just an adjustable wrench and a nickel. Having three is a game-changer.

I used a relatively smooth key on my keychain to hold the lifted tire while I used the lever to expand the section off the rim. I have found a twonie toonie perfect as a placeholder, but yeah, I should buy more tire levers.

I second this. In fact, I'd thought that tire levers came in sets of three for a reason.

I think we need to focus on the fact that this is my first flat in at least 3736 km this year.

Re toonie - good thing you live in Canada!

Rather than the distance you've cycled without a flat, I would focus on the distance you might have to walk with one!

I’m also curious as to how you managed to only have one tire lever, especially since it doesn’t seem like you’ve had much opportunity to lose the other two.

Wait. There are supposed to be three? I somehow only have two. Maybe they're Ian's...

I remember the first time I saw someone fix a flat on a mtb by taking one tire lever and just whizzing it around the whole tire in one go. It completely blew my mind, especially compared to the effort it takes to fix a flat with Armadillo road tires.

I hear that tubeless is all the rage these days. I nominate Ian to give it a try and report back.

I have tubeless on my mountain bike. I have yet to repair a flat. The plan, should it ever happen, is to temporarilty toss a tube in there.

I am amused that the way to fix a flat with tubeless tires is by adding a tube.

I think the main issue is that you can't realistically carry anything that can deliver air fast enough to reseat the bead. It is possible to bring plugs to patch a hole. But flats are less common because you can't get pinch flats, there being no tube to pinch.