Changing Tires

Last nights lecture for the Tri Stars was tire changing………………..sigh.

Yup tire changing, my most dreaded thing when I started drag racing. For the entire first year I refused to change tires. Ideally when racing a street class car you drive to the track and change out your back tires when you get there to slicks. I'll admit I hated changing tires. 

I tried pretty much every angle to get around it. Dual purpose tires, hauling the car there on the trailer with tires already swapped and begging my husband to do it for me. Finally I realized I had to learn it on my own, I mean really how hard can it be I see guys doing it every race. 

Well for a small woman it's hard! My husband showed me how he does it and me attempting it his way resulted in smashed fingers, tires flipped over on me like a turtle, tire bars to the knee's and many bonked heads to the bumper. It occurred to me that women race, there must be an easier way.

I found a FB group called Sisters In Speed and asked about changing tires. Loe and behold they did it totally differently than I'd been shown, and attempting it their way resulted in success! I'm still not a big fan of the tire change but I can do it myself now.

So when our bike lecture for last night was tire change my initial thought was "OH GREAT here we go again another struggle" and begrudgingly went to class.

One of the Tri Star members (Jan) gave a great demo on changing out your bike tire and allowed us to try it ourselves. There are a lot more "parts" to work around on a bike you really do have to pay attention. It's something I'm going to have to practice. It was nice to see someone who knew what they are doing show it and she even gave us a how too sheet so I can practice it at home. YES I will practice it.

So while I'd like to be Christmas Abbott (picture below) one of the first women to make it to a pit crew changing tires, the woman can dead lift more than double her weight, I'll practice till I can do it without cussing.