Bad luck for me but good for someone else!

[skrx]

How do you lot find the puncture hole in the open? I can never find the hole without use of bucket or sink full of water, so I just carry a couple of spare tubes.

I've only had one so far, but I found where it was by finding the shard of glass in the tyre before I took the tube out.

I don't have any spare inner tubes (not needed to buy one yet). How do I know which one to buy?

 

[Bman]

I've only had one so far, but I found where it was by finding the shard of glass in the tyre before I took the tube out.

I don't have any spare inner tubes (not needed to buy one yet). How do I know which one to buy?

IME it's usually written on the tyre.

 

[Greenbank]

How do you lot find the puncture hole in the open? I can never find the hole without use of bucket or sink full of water, so I just carry a couple of spare tubes.

Use tyre lever to remove one side of the tyre from the rim.
Pull out inner tube (but not completely, leave the value in the rim).
Put a bit of air in the tyre with a pump, listen closely for hissing (the more air you put in the louder it should be, but don't do too much as the tyre doesn't like being stretched unconstrained by a tyre).
Close in on hissing sound by running fingers lightly over the tyre, the hiss sound will change pitch and loudness when pass over the hole.
A bit of saliva, or water from bidon, can be used to confirm (but then you'll only have to dry the area before you patch it so I rarely bother.)

When you've found out where the hole is, put the inner tube up against the tyre to see where the cause of the puncture should be located and check that general area (a good 3" either side too) for glass/thorn/flint/etc.
If the hole(s) is on the inside of the tube then check the rim tape hasn't come away exposing a spoke.

Also, there's a chance that the hole will be right next to the valve, so if you still can't find it after searching for a while, try removing the tube completely and checking there.

Obviously, listening for a gentle hiss next to roaring traffic is nigh on impossible. Either move away from the traffic or just try and find it by putting the air in and feeling for a thin jet of air on your fingers as you search round the tyre.

If it's been throwing it down with rain then you can often find a puddle and resort to the old water method.

 

[grhm]

I've also been told (on here somewhere) that a very close visual inspection can help - the eye is very sensitive to the air flow coming out of the hole. I've however not (yet) tested this theory myself.

 

[Bman]

I've also been told (on here somewhere) that a very close visual inspection can help - the eye is very sensitive to the air flow coming out of the hole. I've however not (yet) tested this theory myself.

That reminds me of going to the optitians.

 

[Maz]

I've also been told (on here somewhere) that a very close visual inspection can help - the eye is very sensitive to the air flow coming out of the hole. I've however not (yet) tested this theory myself.

You can feel for air coming out of the hole with moist lips. Your lips go all cold when you find the hole...the hole may not be so apparent with a visual inspection.

...or just carry a spare inner!

 

[buggi]

reminds me of a time i stopped to make a phone call. whilst sitting on the fence and whole bunch of male cyclists from the local club rode past. next thing, they were all coming back to check i was ok. Awww (and phwaor!!!!) ha ha.

i was on the phone to my mate at the time and she was like "what's going on?" and i was like "o nothing much, just 30 fit blokes in lycra checking to see if i am ok"

Hmmm.... tell me again why i love cycling?

 

[Maz]

More bad luck today - another p*ncture on the roadie. This time came prepared with a spare inner...but the valve wasn't quite long enough to attach to the pump!

The allez rims are much deeper than on the sirrus!

aghhhh!

 

[Bodhbh]

But from now on I will carry 2 innertubes!

I don't bother carrying 2 on the commute but it probably won't hurt in anycase. The last time I got a puncture (!!) the spare had a small scratch in it over the 6months it'd been carried about and as soon as it hit 30psi promptly blebbed up and burst.

That was a frigging 6 inch nail I ran over down a main road, how do 6 inch nails get in the road anyhow? :/

 

[CotterPin]

Use tyre lever to remove one side of the tyre from the rim. ... lots of useful advice ....
If it's been throwing it down with rain then you can often find a puddle and resort to the old water method.

Thanks for this, Greenbank. The number of times I have p*nctured and spent ages trying to find the cause on the inside of the tyre. This usually involved running a finger round - which makes me wonder what would happen if there was a jagged bit of glass in there

If (when ) I puncture I'll try this technique out.

 

[Banjo]

I have had two p#######s in a week one front one back both splits next to the valve stem.Is this common? Luckilly on different days as I carry one spare tube.