Check your rubber solution

[Sharky]

The other day I had a puncture in the rear tyre. So off came the wheel and I located the hole in the tube, but alas, when I got the tube of rubber solution out of the bag, I found it had dried up completely and was unable to stick a patch on.

So had to walk back home.

Fortunately though I'd been on the turbo in the garage, so was a very short walk, but a good warning to check that the rubber solution is still in the tube before a ride.

 

[PpPete]

Or, buy tubes in bulk when you see a good offer, always take at least one with you, keep all the punctured ones until you have enough to use up a whole tube of rubber solution in once go.

 

[alicat]

Not sure I will live that long, tbh.

 

[Rooster1]

I only carry spare inner tubes and patches (no glue required). However, I have now collected about 12 punctured inner tubes which I plan to resurrect one evening soon - I just bought a big puncture repair kit. I used to bun old inner tubes but seems like such a waste.

 

[Crackle]

I nearly exclusively use self-adhesive patches these days. I still carry a traditional kit just in case but it remains unopened.

 

[rrarider]

Don't check it by opening a tube for the first time, it's the air getting in that makes it go off. Always carry an unopened tiny tube on the bike. Once a tube has been opened, keep it at home for fixing punctures at your leisure.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Puncture
Find safe place. Consider donning nitrile gloves.
Remove wheel
Remove tyre bead one side
Pump tube a bit and establish (hissing sound) where puncture is, relative to valve, and don't 'forget'
Remove tube, pump a bit and check where the hole is ie tread side or rim side and whether one or two (snake bite). Lips are the most sensitive way of 'feeling' escaping air if this is difficult (ie if very small hole). This helps inform next step.
Examine the tyre (or the rim/rim tape) particularly at the site of the puncture to determine and remove what caused puncture. I carry a safety pin to prise out the tiniest, shortest bits of wire which are very difficult to find and similarly difficult to remove.
(For the OP) Replace tube with (one of) the spare(s) you're carrying (as @PpPete suggests), remount tyre and inflate
Squeeze air out of and fold punctured tube and stow (care if hands dirty and cycle top rear pocket is place it's going).
Ride
Repair inner at home
NB If mega-unlucky (or you didn't find and remove offending puncturing item from tyre) and the rider punctures a second time, in addition to process above, repair at least one tube, with self-adhesive (@Crackle @Rooster1 ) patches (using little square of sandpaper first).

 

[Sharky]

Puncture
Find safe place. Consider donning nitrile gloves.
Remove wheel
Remove tyre bead one side
Pump tube a bit and establish (hissing sound) where puncture is, relative to valve, and don't 'forget'
Remove tube, pump a bit and check where the hole is ie tread side or rim side and whether one or two (snake bite). Lips are the most sensitive way of 'feeling' escaping air if this is difficult (ie if very small hole). This helps inform next step.
Examine the tyre (or the rim/rim tape) particularly at the site of the puncture to determine and remove what caused puncture. I carry a safety pin to prise out the tiniest, shortest bits of wire which are very difficult to find and similarly difficult to remove.
(For the OP) Replace tube with (one of) the spare(s) you're carrying (as @PpPete suggests), remount tyre and inflate
Squeeze air out of and fold punctured tube and stow (care if hands dirty and cycle top rear pocket is place it's going).
Ride
Repair inner at home
NB If mega-unlucky (or you didn't find and remove offending puncturing item from tyre) and the rider punctures a second time, in addition to process above, repair at least one tube, with self-adhesive (@Crackle @Rooster1 ) patches (using little square of sandpaper first).

was this meant for the other thread in the beginner's section?

 

[Ajax Bay]

So had to walk back home.

the beginner's section?

 

[Sharky]

Was a very short walk. About 5ft from the garage.

 

[ianrauk]

Self adhesive patches for me. Nice and simple.

 

[Blue Hills]

OP - you should carry two spare tubes and as others have said make your repairs, unless hit by multiple on-ride punctures, at your leisure at home. It was always recommended on the all the rides I used to lead. Other leaders did the same. You aren't one of the super minimalist crowd are you?

Trust you have learned the lesson from this.

oh, and at the risk of taking you for a beginner, before setting off for a long ride check the tyres for embedded debris - flints, bits of glass etc etc.

 

[rrarider]

I always have an unopened tiny tube of Weldtite rubber solution on the bike. I found the cheapest way of getting this tiny tube is in the Wilko basic repair kit which has now shot up in price to £1.25 from £1.00! Rather than write off every partly used tube, I squeeze the tube once used until the glue comes out, put a small piece of clingfilm over the end and screw the cap back on tightly. I carry that on the bike too, so it's my first choice. Usually it's OK, sometimes not, if it's been a long time since first use, hence the unopened tube as a guaranteed OK solution

 

[Sharky]

OP - you should carry two spare tubes and as others have said make your repairs, unless hit by multiple on-ride punctures, at your leisure at home. It was always recommended on the all the rides I used to lead. Other leaders did the same. You aren't one of the super minimalist crowd are you?

Trust you have learned the lesson from this.

oh, and at the risk of taking you for a beginner, before setting off for a long ride check the tyres for embedded debris - flints, bits of glass etc etc.

I think some of you may have miss-read my post.
It was a bit tongue in cheek, but with a serious point to make that rubber solution quickly dries up.

To clarify, I was on the turbo in the garage and my rear tyre went flat and when I came to repair it I found that the solution I had been carrying was useless and I just fitted another tube.

I always carry one or two spare tubes along with the repair kit, but will always repair by the roadside if I can spot the hole when checking for the cause. In days of old, when I used "tubs", I used to carry two spares + needle & thread and a razor blade and on a couple of occasions actually repaired a tub by the roadside.

Wish I was a beginner and re-wind the clock back 60 years or so.

 

[MontyVeda]

patches for me too... they're quick, easy and tiny compared to a traditional kit. I do carry a spare tube too, just in case.