Grr - p*ncture

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benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
Was just checking my tyres last night before bed ready for my journey to work this morning in the lovely sunshine.

The front one was as flat as a pancake.

Took the wheel off, got the inner out, partially inflated it, and located the hole.
I patched it, and reinflated, and it seemed fine. This morning - flat again.

I guess I didn't patch it well enough. Really annoying as I had to drive instead.

The patches I'm using are "glueless": you just peel them off and press firmly for 30s. Do you think they're not up to the task?
 

Matthames

Über Member
Location
East Sussex
Did you try and locate the cause? When ever I get a flat and locate the hole, I try to find where in relation to the wheel it is. With a bit of detective work you can find the root cause and fix that before fixing the flat. My last one I had was the result of over-length spokes and a damaged rim tape.

I use those "glue-less" patches and never really had any problem with them.
 
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benb

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
Good one - I didn't check the inside of the tyre. Possibly there's a pin or something poking through, I'll check tonight.

BTW, here's the repair kit I'm using.
Lezyne Metal Patch Kit
 
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benb

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
Yeah, picking my new bike up tomorrow or Wednesday, so I'll have a spare then.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
benb said:
Yeah, picking my new bike up tomorrow or Wednesday, so I'll have a spare then.

Cheaper to buy x10 tubes instead. Rather an expensive solution to the problem of a puncture. So what happens when your spare bike gets a puncture? You'll need a spare bike for that?
 

dondare

Über Member
Location
London
Problem with having spare innertubes is that you end up with a load of tubes with just one hole in them. Perhaps buy one repair kit and do them all on a wet weekend.
My solution is to use SCHWALBE MARATHON PLUS tyres and not get punctures. At all or ever.
 
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benb

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
I'm not getting a new bike just to have a spare. I'm getting the new bike as it's more suited to my commute, but I'm keeping my existing MTB, which I can use as a backup if required.

You own more than one pair of pants I assume? ;)
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
dondare said:
Problem with having spare innertubes is that you end up with a load of tubes with just one hole in them. Perhaps buy one repair kit and do them all on a wet weekend.
My solution is to use SCHWALBE MARATHON PLUS tyres and not get punctures. At all or ever.

They are flippin' heavy, 650g heavy IIRC and are not totally 100% puncture proof. I know some who have had punctures with them. Plus if your tyre does happen to suffer a puncture then they are a ba$tard to take off and put back on.

I would just keep your eyes open and not ride through glass, thorns or rubbish. There are alternative much much lighter and just as puncture resistant tyres available.

No you don't end up with tubes with just one hole in them, as you repair them at your leisure at home as and when they are punctured. You should always carry a couple of spare inners rather than trying to mend a puncture at the side of the road or when you have to go out somewhere. Changing a tube only takes 5 minutes or less.
 

Debian

New Member
Location
West Midlands
benb said:
Good one - I didn't check the inside of the tyre. Possibly there's a pin or something poking through, I'll check tonight.

BTW, here's the repair kit I'm using.
Lezyne Metal Patch Kit

Always check around the inside of the tyre for things sticking through. Be careful though, you could cut yourself. Maybe run a rag around the inside first and see if it snags on anything, if not then carefully run your fingers round to see if you can feel anything. If you find anything then remove it before refitting otherwise you'll have a flat again.
 
Crankarm said:
Cheaper to buy x10 tubes instead. Rather an expensive solution to the problem of a puncture. So what happens when your spare bike gets a puncture? You'll need a spare bike for that?

Bit quicker to just jump on the other bike in the morning rather than phaffing around "last minute". ;)

And as you said yourself... you repair it (your first bike, after returning home on your spare) at your own leisure :biggrin:
 

dondare

Über Member
Location
London
Crankarm said:
They are flippin' heavy, 650g heavy IIRC and are not totally 100% puncture proof. I know some who have had punctures with them. Plus if your tyre does happen to suffer a puncture then they are a ba$tard to take off and put back on.

They are heavy and need a shoehorn rather than a tyre lever but they roll well and I really have never had a single puncture in years since I started using them.

Crankarm said:
I would just keep your eyes open and not ride through glass, thorns or rubbish. There are alternative much much lighter and just as puncture resistant tyres available.

No you don't end up with tubes with just one hole in them, as you repair them at your leisure at home as and when they are punctured. You should always carry a couple of spare inners rather than trying to mend a puncture at the side of the road or when you have to go out somewhere. Changing a tube only takes 5 minutes or less.

Another school of thought is to mend the puncture at the roadside if you can and hold your spare in reserve for that time when it's dark/wet/late.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
dondare said:
They are heavy and need a shoehorn rather than a tyre lever but they roll well and I really have never had a single puncture in years since I started using them.



Another school of thought is to mend the puncture at the roadside if you can and hold your spare in reserve for that time when it's dark/wet/late.

Not a main stream school then ;)? What if you are not going to encounter darkness, wetness or lateness, would you still save your tube in case of a freak storm :biggrin:?
 
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