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fudgedog

Active Member
Location
Perth
Out yesterday 2 punctures xx( No probs thought I new inner tube will get me on my way. 1st time I've tried out my mini pump (Aldi's i think) for every pump stroke in it sucked it out with the reverse ;). Out in the Abernyte area no phone signal 15 miles from home long way to walk in cycle shoes. 5 mins later woman comes cycling along saves the day she has a pump BIG THANKS TO YOU. 4 miles later 2nd puncture I must have left something in tyre. Cycled home on flat not reccommended so don't give me a row but you try walking 10 miles in cycle shoes. Met another girl on Look bike she had gas canister but to no avail but THANKS. Moral of the story check out your gear, don't assume everything is just going to work.
 
Its a bit too late this time but I carry a small p'ture repair kit in addition to a spare tube. Touch wood, I've never had to use it but its there.
 
This is why, despite already having two pumps I'm going to get a Topeak Turbo Morph when I get me new bike as my mini pump is doing the same as yours and my mini foot pump always makes me think it'll break when I'm using it.
 
C

chillyuk

Guest
alecstilleyedye said:
check your rim tape. a club colleague of mine had that fail with the result of four punctures in one ride. velox is best.

I can second that. I had three punctures within 7 miles, all on the inside of the tube where it contacts the wheel. I bought a couple of rolls of velox off ebay and not had a puncture for months.

I shouldn't have said that.....;)
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
it's a good idea to check a new pump by letting the tyres down and getting back up to pressure at home. when i acquired a vintage bike with no bosses for mounting a pump so i tried out all the various mini pumps and found that the least likely looking mini which fits in a saddle bag did the best job, whereas the more promising crank bros one was no use at all. oddly, it works fine on the clincher tyres, but not the tubs.
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
I've been caught out with, rubber solution that has gone off so now if it has been opened I replace it after a short while with a new tube and use the old at home. Also recently I was not too impressed with my Blackburn airstick, it was good till the day I punctured out on the road a couple of times and it took ages to pump my tyre up, a little while ago I stripped it down but found first that it was only inflating on the in stroke but sucking on the out stroke, when I stripped it down it was full of water on the handle side, now it works great again.

Also check your tyre levers, the latest lightweight plastic ones may not be up to the job of removing your tyres, I use the yellow mitchelin ones, but to remove and fit Marathon +, they would bend double and only just manage it at a struggle.
 
zacklaws said:
I've been caught out with, rubber solution that has gone off so now if it has been opened I replace it after a short while with a new tube and use the old at home.
I read a similar thing on here or the old C+ site and since I've been doing the same.
 

monnet

Guru
alecstilleyedye said:
it's a good idea to check a new pump by letting the tyres down and getting back up to pressure at home. when i acquired a vintage bike with no bosses for mounting a pump so i tried out all the various mini pumps and found that the least likely looking mini which fits in a saddle bag did the best job, whereas the more promising crank bros one was no use at all. oddly, it works fine on the clincher tyres, but not the tubs.

Why didn't you just get a frame fit pump?

They're just about retro enough not to spoil the overall image of the bike and they work much better than mini pumps (which have only really become popular with the advent of compact frames).
 

Manonabike

Über Member
fudgedog said:
Out yesterday 2 punctures :smile: No probs thought I new inner tube will get me on my way. 1st time I've tried out my mini pump (Aldi's i think) for every pump stroke in it sucked it out with the reverse ;). Out in the Abernyte area no phone signal 15 miles from home long way to walk in cycle shoes. 5 mins later woman comes cycling along saves the day she has a pump BIG THANKS TO YOU. 4 miles later 2nd puncture I must have left something in tyre. Cycled home on flat not reccommended so don't give me a row but you try walking 10 miles in cycle shoes. Met another girl on Look bike she had gas canister but to no avail but THANKS. Moral of the story check out your gear, don't assume everything is just going to work.

I had a similar experience and I guess your pump came from Lidl, as mine did ;) - fortunately I was only a mile away from home, however it was an experience to remember. I bought a mini pump (planet X) that also takes CO2 canisters - I haven't had the need to use a canister yet and the pump has performed reasonably well in test.

Before I did buy my planet x mini pump I did an extensive research on mini pumps and there was no mini pump that I could completely trust, at least I didn't find any.
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
monnet said:
Why didn't you just get a frame fit pump?

They're just about retro enough not to spoil the overall image of the bike and they work much better than mini pumps (which have only really become popular with the advent of compact frames).

i don't want to scratch the paint on a 1950s bike. and modern pumps would look wrong. because the bike is a bit special (and tubs can be ridden flat), i'm prepared to compromise.

i do have a frame fit pump (topeak master blaster) for my other two bikes and would never leave without it.
 

Fnaar

Smutmaster General
Location
Thumberland
Browser said:
This is why, despite already having two pumps I'm going to get a Topeak Turbo Morph

I bought one of theose last year... I tried it out at home and it's really good... strangely, I haven't had a p*n*t*re since, so haven't had to use it out on the road yet! ;)
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I'd always recommend using your carry with you tools once in a while to make sure they do the job. Little things like finding you can't adjust the end stop screws on your front mech with your multi-tool can be very important (why I replaced the end stop screws with allen bolts & carry an allen key in my saddle bag)
 

Dilbert

Active Member
Location
Blackpool
zacklaws said:
Also check your tyre levers, the latest lightweight plastic ones may not be up to the job of removing your tyres, I use the yellow mitchelin ones, but to remove and fit Marathon +, they would bend double and only just manage it at a struggle.

+1 I've got some of these, which are plastic with a metal core and are great. I also need a decent pump.
 
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