There are only a few things that you really should never be without when you leave home on the bike. You should have the stuff to fix a flat and you should have some money. Tube, CO2, Tire lever, ten-spot. Money can ultimately serve damn near any purpose, but on the bike it can buy food, water, that wonderfully crisp fountain coke at the grocery store in Bigelow on a hot day, and a bill can be used to boot a cut tire. Twice in the last two weeks, I've seen friends cut a tire and NOT have even one lousy buck to boot it. I've also seen penniless riders show up in dire straits at Cregeen's in need of an emergency beer. A pitiful sight, to be sure.
Refresher course for new rider-readers: If you get a cut in a tire, it needs to be reinforced from the inside or the tube will just burst out of the hole in the tire when inflated. Fold a dollar bill and place it inside the tire over the hole, between the tire and the tube. Remount the tire, check to make sure the tube is inside the tire all around, inflate. Power bar wrappers, gu packs (messy), tape, etc, can also be used.
There is something to be said about the simple elegance of the perfect suitability of a dollar bill for use as a tire patch. There is a lot to be said about the suitability of money in just about any other pinch in which one may find oneself .
And where else can you get a ride home for a dollar.....and still have the dollar!
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