Vulcanizing - fixing my bike-

Within 6 months, I experienced flat tire twice. 

My husband optimistically said flat tire was caused by rough road. 

It is true that road is rough, in addition there are some wholes. But I argued it cannot be the main cause of flat tire because I tried to avoid these wholes and not good condition parts.

And, first flat tire happened just 2 weeks after I bought it. It happen before my bike experienced going through these rough roads.

Then, what? 

It is about quality of exterior. In fact, once I changed back of exterior, no more flat tire and there are some cracks on exterior. Bike shop admitted that quality of tires originally placed was not good because it is made in XXXX(name of country). Shop clerk even said new exterior is made in Philippines so it will be fine and he smiled with  thumb up. I will see the quality of made in Philippines.

My point in the conversation with bike shop owner was that they could have given me an option to chose better tire when I purchased it because it is wasting money and resources at the end.

They explained these removed "old" tire will be recycled but I argued that the process of recycle, energy will be used.

This kind of "friendly conversation" tend to be endless. Then, I stopped saying anymore. It was great learning for me check thoroughly quality of this kind of stuff. In fact, old exterior had crack soon after I bought. How bad it quality was! 

Proverb says penny-wise and pound-foolish, But nowadays I think it should be added wasting resources. 

Then again, I went to vulcanizing.

Even though, I was not happy with flat tire, I enjoyed seeing the process of vulcanizing. 

Vulcanizing is scientific term. First, I checked this word in dictionary.

By the way, in the Philippines people learn math and science in English. Then, they are familiar with what it mean. Me? No!
After checking this word in English dictionary, finally I got what it is.

The show is sort of small family business. Last and this time, (maybe) sons of this family fixed my bike.

Both of them were amazingly quiet but did good job.  

Process
Pictures I posted show its process. 

1) to hung my bicycle against fence.

2) to remove interior 
* not to remove exterior

3) to inflate interior and detect whole(s)  by soaking tire into a bowl of water.
* He found 2 wholes this time and showed attrite exterior to me.

4) to cut rubber into small pieces covering these wholes

5) to rub interior with a file and to place a piece of rubber and cover whole

6) to press a rubber by using small equipment.  When the equipment presses rubber,  fire is needed to make rubber stick to the tire. 

7) to wait for few minutes

He placed tire back to wheel. Then, it had done...It took about 15 minutes and costed 30 pesos to cover two small wholes.



It was very interesting process to see because in Japan, we just use kind of sticker to cover whole either change interior. Besides, I am the one who do this most of the time. 
 Materials for fixing tire is very accessible. 

Here,  there are many professions to make your life bit convenient at the same time possibly makes you bit lazy to do such a daily stuff by yourself. 

Is it good? 
Some people may say yes. But for me, not so...there are many consideration why I said no. First, I like to do such stuffs instead of asking someone to do. I grew up doing such things by myself.

Second, I sort of concern people has only one simple skill. In fact, I observed a person has only one (simple) skill asking  the house owner to let him do his job on the house.   

Anyway, this kind of phenomenon is nothing new. Being competitive is observed in everywhere. It is not my business as well but I am still wondering how these people can survive in monetary society if their skills are not needed by people anymore. 

Hummmmmm...

For now, I simply hope I won't experience flat tire soon.