Moped Army

Okay, so I pick up this nice new 16 x 2.5 Pirelli Pro from 1977 and a tube to replace my old worn OEM 15 x 2.25 Pirelli all-weather on the rear. I put it all together the way I think and ride it around. This morning I get to work and as I'm driving around the back, I notice the tail has that very loose feeling...I'm going slow, so I roll to a stop and check. ANOTHER BLEEDIN FLAT!!!

I walk her back to my lab and inspect the tire...no obvious punctures or anything. A co-worker (Tomos rider) helps me pull the tire off and inspect everything. We find this odd little oval partial cut out on the tube. It looked so perfect I thought it was a part of manufacturing.



It was the source of the leak, but Tom found something else that had it all making sense. A round wear mark on the bottom of the tire!



Turns out the small washer that goes over the tube stem and spaces the stem away from the rim fell off the stem while I was putting the tube in. It settled at the bottom of the tire and was slowly wearing a cut-out shape in the tube! Talk about a beginners mistake. At least it's an easy patch to get back on the road again. Man, I just have the strangest luck...

- Dopp