150 miles on new bike and puncture time, nooooo

[gillelive]

Still getting used to my new bike, spec crosstrail, I have clocked up 150 miles on my work commute in the past week or so which is over some pretty rough ground, so why when I go out with the wife for a leisurely ride at the weekend (abt 25 miles) over pretty decent ground do I get my first puncture!!!!! Thankfully carried a spare tube so up and running again in quickish time.

I am still new here so a few newbie questions if anyone can help.....

puncture kits, are they all the same or is one make better than another?

I checked the bike again today and the tyre is still good after yesterdays repair, however on closer inspection I did notice a cut in the tyre (centre of the tread) about 2cm long and it looks deep, think it was glass that caused the burst. Is this going to be a problem, will I need a new tyre some time soon?

winter commute - merino base layer, how much are we talking about for a decent top? Am I looking at abt £30?

cheers

 

[iAmiAdam]

winter commute - merino base layer, how much are we talking about for a decent top? Am I looking at abt £30?

Wear jersey and bibs, you'll need to cycle faster to warm up quicker, that'll mean getting to and from work quicker , and you get fitter. You know it makes sense.

 

[HLaB]

Hi Gill,

P'ture kits are much of a muchness but some will have tyre levers, you might not need them. The quality of glue can vary but if you buy out of a lbs it doesn't really matter the brand IME.

Which tyre is it ? if its the front be more cautious if it the rear I would leave it, you'll only need a new tyre if it is a problem and you regularly get p'tures.

Base layer wise I don't use one on my commute and I hate overheating so I can't really advise you there; all I can say is check on line shops to see what the going rates are.

 

[ianrauk]

puncture repair kits are much the muchness. Inner Tubes are so cheap these days that I just replace the tube rather then repair.

Get into the habit of checking your tyres on a very regular basis. If your commute has a lot of grit, glass, flint etc then it would be worth checking your tyres every evening. Get into the habit. Doesn't take long to scan both tyres. All it takes is one small foreign object stuck in the tyre to work it's way in and end up puncturing your tyre. Also make sure you keep the pressure of the tyre near the max as that will help repel foreign objects from the tyre.

 

[guitarpete247]

I got some Slime Skabs but haven't had to use them yet.

They come in a very small pack, about 1" square 1/4" thick. They are self adhesive so no glue to go off. When I have used them I'll let you know how good they are. Anyone else used them, can you tell us if they are any good. I also carry a spare tube and have a normal kit with glue at home.

 

[potsy]

I carry some of the glueless patches too,mainly as an emergency measure as I also carry 2 spare tubes.

Keep an eye on the tyre and if it punctures regularly or the inner tube pokes out of the hole then it may be time for a new one.

I have a Merino baselayer (Endura Baa Baa) and yes it was around £30 last winter but you can pretty much wear it all week without washing so it's decent value,wouldn't go back to a synthetic one now.

 

[punkypossum]

I find the with the glueless patches, the air does go out again after a day or two - especially if the puncture was near the seam, they never seem to stick properly, so I prefer the normal puncture repair kits. However, the glueless ones are good to get you out of the rain and I have used one to patch a small hole in my shorts - it's been on there for over a year now and been through the wash several times, still holding up nicely!

 

[fixedfixer]

Puncture patches, I like the 'feather edge' types as they seem to stick better. The cut tyre may last a while, I'd put it on the back if it is not there already. My experience is that typres pumped up hard get less punctures than soft tyres.

 

[vernon]

I'd shy away from the pre glued patches. They are, at best, a temporary measure. I've used them on three occasions and had them leak air withing a week of them being used.

As for the 2cm cut a picture would help with the diagnosis.

 

[gillelive]

Thanks for the advice, the puncture was on the back and after this mornings ride to work all appears well. I will check the tyres each night, as you say a few mins to give each tyre the once over is not a problem. In terms of tyre pressure the rim states max of 85, this may sound like a daft question but should I get the tube to the max? I tend to keep it around 80.

I always carry a spare tube but tend to repair the old tube just as a back up. As you say tubes are not that expensive so off the lbs at the weekend. The kit I prefer is by Rema, I have tried a few others but not that happy with the results.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BNIB-REMA-TT-..._Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item335efc0590

I will try and get a picture of the tyre posted this evening.