A lurker coming out - help !!!

[CPD]

I have been reading this forum for quite some time, have taken all the advice and ended up buying a 2008 Merida S'Presso 300D off of ebay as a first serious bike, and I'm loving it. Well I would have been, if I hadn't had a chest infection (together with asthma is no fun) and been like the rest of us frozen to bits recenttly. This morning I set off for my first longish ride (12 miles) to work, and picked up a puncture about half way. Got back, spoke to LBS who this very afternoon will be fitting a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Plus (+ new tubes - will keep the oldies as spares). So I will be in operation again this evening.

A few questions however for the more experienced :

1. Do you regularly take a spare tube with you for punctures ?.
2. I am 15.5 stone - is weight a cause of punctures or have I just been unlucky ?.
3. What is the max pressure that tyres should be inflated to ?. From my youth, I tend to blow em up as hard as I can get them - is that right ?.

Finally, I have been looking forward to today for a good while and indeed swore, well, quite a bit, when I realised what had happened and resigned myself to getting on ebay and losing a few days whilst I sorted the problem out. The LBS had 2 700x35 Schwalbe marathon plus's in stock for literally a few quid more than available on ebay and they are 3 miles down the road. They have gained a happy customer.

Thanks for the help all .

 

[ianrauk]

Hi and welcome

1. Do you regularly take a spare tube with you for punctures ?.
Yes, then take punctured one home to repair
2. I am 15.5 stone - is weight a cause of punctures or have I just been unlucky ?. No & Yes
3. What is the max pressure that tyres should be inflated to ?. From my youth, I tend to blow em up as hard as I can get them - is that right ?.
It will say on the sidewall of the tyres the max and minimum PSI that you should inflate to.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

<snip>
A few questions however for the more experienced :

1. Do you regularly take a spare tube with you for punctures ?.
I do. And a few patches and glue as well, just in case like.
2. I am 15.5 stone - is weight a cause of punctures or have I just been unlucky ?.
Unlikely to be your weight, unless your tyres were a bit under-inflated and you got a pinch flat. You'd spot that by the "snake bite" marks on the tube.
3. What is the max pressure that tyres should be inflated to ?. From my youth, I tend to blow em up as hard as I can get them - is that right ?.
They normally have a min and max pressure stamped on the sidewall. Harder rolls better and is less likely to puncture (see above), but softer is more comfortable. Experiment (starting up near the tope end) and find a pressure that suits you.
Finally, I have been looking forward to today for a good while and indeed swore, well, quite a bit, when I realised what had happened and resigned myself to getting on ebay and losing a few days whilst I sorted the problem out. The LBS had 2 700x35 Schwalbe marathon plus's in stock for literally a few quid more than available on ebay and they are 3 miles down the road. They have gained a happy customer.

Thanks for the help all .

For the LBS thing, I generally buy stuff from my LBS unless it's a LOT cheaper / easier to get it online (the likes of Wiggle, Cycle Express, et al). I also take the bike there for maintenance stuff that I can't do myself: I figure it's worth keeping them there and keeping a good relationship with them 'cos, just as you found, they can save your bacon at times.

 

[ASC1951]

3. What is the max pressure that tyres should be inflated to ?. From my youth, I tend to blow em up as hard as I can get them - is that right ?..

It's worth getting a track pump. They don't need to be expensive nor is a gauge essential with a bit of practice - mine is a generic plastic thing which cost a tenner.

It's very difficult to get tyres up to 100psi with a standard frame pump and correct pressure is the biggest factor with punctures.

 

[Soltydog]

2. I am 15.5 stone - is weight a cause of punctures or have I just been unlucky ?.

I'm over 15.5 stone & ride on marathon plus tyres & don't have issues with punctures, so keep them inflated at correct pressure & you'll be fine.

Paul

PS welcome aboard

 

[CPD]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Really pleased to say that collecting the wheels from LBS this afternoon (having new inners fitted too so I know exactly what I have) and so shall be out for a spin this evening. Very .

 

[Bill Gates]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Really pleased to say that collecting the wheels from LBS this afternoon (having new inners fitted too so I know exactly what I have) and so shall be out for a spin this evening. Very .

If you puncture on the road then it's worth spending a couple of minutes running your finger along the outside of the tyre and even the inside as well. Any offending sharp piece of glass, grit, or thorn may still be embedded. If it is and you leave it in then standby for another puncture. I take three spare inner tubes with me on a ride having had to use two for punctures on a previous occasion.

 

[Randochap]

It's worth taking at least one tube and a patch kit.

See the "fix a flat" page under VeloGarage, incl, video. There's also this handy tyre pressure graph linked there, as well. As you can see, there is no set pressure. Inflate according to weight (though at 15.5 st. you will need to inflate to max) and conditions -- slightly less pressure for uneven surfaces, but beware of pinch flats.

 

[Banjo]

Theres a few things that can cause tyre deflations as well as the obvious sharp thing penetrating the rubber .

I had a run of tubes getting a hole near the valve stem on a bike i dont have now.It turned out the stem was jamming in the hole in the rim by a bit of loose rim tape.This holds the tube away from the rim allowing a bubble to form and eventually burst.

Discovered this after several wasted tubes and much frustration.Allways check your valve stem is free to move up and down,also this checks you havent pinched the tube near the valve.

Other thing can be spoke ends wearing against the inner part of the tube because of poor quality rim tape.This also did my head in until I realised the cause and bought new rim tapes.

 

[Tynan]

spare tube, even the most zealous will get flats when they really don;t want to be messing about fixing it, the cold mostly

defo track pump at home, top the tyres on a Monday morning as hard as you dare, 100psi or more

M+ have a rep for being bomb proof but alos very hard to remove and reseat, try it with the tyre levers you have, at home

they also have a rep for being relatively slow and lifeless

35 is a fat tyre for a road bike