My first puncture

[Deleted member 26715]

but then he complains to the owner that he'd only bought it from the shop last week and this sort of thing shouldn't happen on a new bike!

When I bought my bike from LBS because of work/weather I didn't get an opportunity to use it for about a month, but the day I went to use it the front tyre was completely flat & would not inflate, inspection found that the valve stem had torn from the tube, so I did take it back & was informed the nut had been overtightened. No amount of discussion would they accept it was their fault & I had to buy a new tube even though I had not touched the bike since buying it.

Alan...

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Chain breaker tool
Quick link

Clearly going to show my complete naivety here, but why are these needed for repairing punctures,

Alan...

 

[jonny jeez]

Mananged to fix the puncture this evening which took me an hour and a half, first puncture ive had to do in about 10 years! Glad I sorted it myself though!

At the risk of sounding like some dusty old timer...( I'm not old I promise) I recall the first puncture I picked up on the commute. It felt like a total disaster and I considered all the alternative options from getting a taxi, to just calling the Mrs before resigning myself to just getting on with it.

Now, thousands of commutes later, I don't bat an eyelid at swapping tubes, fixing punctures, swapping spokes, adjusting errant brakes and gears all at the roadside, with full confidence. I tend to jump in when riding with mates and have it all sorted before they get their kit out, which probably doesn't help improve their skills but they seem to appreciate it!

I even had some tourists filming me "doing my thing" in Westminster square the other week while I calmly laid out my tools and fettled away. They were most impressed with the CO2 inflation kit with delighted coos and looks of amazement.

Unfortunately, practice makes perfect.

That said, I noticed yesterday that I'd adjusted my brakes last weekend without closing the quick release lock...so was riding all this week with "open" brakes.

Perhaps I should have said, practice makes better, not perfect

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Clearly daring to venture out for a mile ride without any provisions, with my destination being a bike shop, makes me a mong.

Didn't say you were a mong, I said my local was full of 'em.
Your destination being a bike shop, is this the same bikeshop that you mention not being able to fix or replace the tube?
I cycle 1.5 miles to work, I carry a spare tube, patches, multitool and a pump etc for when I get a puncture (like I did the other week) or as happens if some one else needs help.

 

[Sandra6]

Touche.
I wouldn't stop and do anything more than put a chain back on at the side of the road on the way to work. I wouldn't have time to change a tube, I'd just walk the bike in, so don't feel the need to carry a kit bag.
I do think I should be more prepared for "just in cases" when I ride at a weekend though.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Touche.

Turtle

 

[SquareDaff]

Touche.
I wouldn't stop and do anything more than put a chain back on at the side of the road on the way to work. I wouldn't have time to change a tube, I'd just walk the bike in, so don't feel the need to carry a kit bag.
I do think I should be more prepared for "just in cases" when I ride at a weekend though.

A little off topic - but my Boardman Hybrid Pro has developed a problem with it's rear axle - mainly with badly worn cones and decimated dust covers. Could you ask one of your mechanic colleagues where they get their "spares" from please? I can fix it myself if I know where to get the parts. Seems to be a major failing with these bikes!

 

[Sandra6]

We generally order through head office, special orders come direct from various suppliers. Can your local Halfords not get the part in for you? I will ask tomorrow for a specific answer though.

And now - to puncture number 2!!! Seriously!!
Half way to work, thinking "hmm, is that the wet making my tyre slip?" "No, it's definitely a flat"
grrr.
off the bike, whip out the pump thinking it's either just gone down or I'll atleast be able to pump and dash.
Kindly chap pops out of the magnet warehouse and offers me use of his tyre inflater. We can both hear the hiss as the air escapes as quickly as it's going in.
Now I did have patches in my pocket - take note all ye nay sayers!!! - but decided it was quicker just to limp in to work, where my kindly mechanic found a huge lump of glass stuck in the wheel.
I'm actually just relieved it wasn't my handiwork being, well, not so handy. lol.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Sandra, I know what you mean, my commute is only 5 miles, by the time I fix a puncture I might as well find an alternative means of transport, seems quicker.
Alas, it is more expensive too, unless I have enough time to walk to work.
I suppose that if we get into the habit of just doing the repair there and then, eventually we will become fast at it.

 

[Tynan]

We generally order through head office, special orders come direct from various suppliers. Can your local Halfords not get the part in for you? I will ask tomorrow for a specific answer though.

And now - to puncture number 2!!! Seriously!!
Half way to work, thinking "hmm, is that the wet making my tyre slip?" "No, it's definitely a flat"
grrr.
off the bike, whip out the pump thinking it's either just gone down or I'll atleast be able to pump and dash.
Kindly chap pops out of the magnet warehouse and offers me use of his tyre inflater. We can both hear the hiss as the air escapes as quickly as it's going in.
Now I did have patches in my pocket - take note all ye nay sayers!!! - but decided it was quicker just to limp in to work, where my kindly mechanic found a huge lump of glass stuck in the wheel.
I'm actually just relieved it wasn't my handiwork being, well, not so handy. lol.

oh go on then, what tyres do you have?

one/two tubes for me, levers, patches etc and a breaker although a broken chain is a rare thing, and a spoke key? goof lord, I have broken spokes, three one time but it was still rideable

and a tyre boot

I'm amazed when people ask to borrow a pump to 'pump it up again' without the makings or intention of repairing the puncture

oh well, everyone starts somewhere I suppose

 

[RWright]

Sandra, I know what you mean, my commute is only 5 miles, by the time I fix a puncture I might as well find an alternative means of transport, seems quicker.
Alas, it is more expensive too, unless I have enough time to walk to work.
I suppose that if we get into the habit of just doing the repair there and then, eventually we will become fast at it.

A few weeks ago I got five punctures in one week. I got a lot of tube changing practice in. I can now change a tube in about 10 to 15 minutes working at a leisurely pace. I did get an Innovations Air Chuck Elite for my road bike with high pressure tires. It is very compact and inflates the tire in less than five seconds. For the lower pressure tires on my Townie I still carry a pump but will probably buy another Air Chuck Elite for it too because it and a couple of the bottles of CO2 are more compact and work so much quicker.

I also carry a couple of steel core tire levers, two tubes and a small multi tool on each bike. I think I could get a tube changed in under 10 minutes now if I tried. Just be sure to check inside the tire and try to find the cause of the puncture before you put in the new tube and make sure the tube is not twisted and that none of the tube is still outside the tire bead before you inflate it.

 

[Tynan]

changed a tube on the rear on London Bridge today and regretfully replaced the rear tyre when I got home, a venerable conti super sport plus that I put on about 18 months ago and after an early flat has been good as gold until May when I fixed it and realised I'd worn the rubber through to the breaker belt all the way round and ordered a fresh one, I thought I'd try and squeeze a bit more value out of it, two flats in the last month, today I realised the tyre was barely there, it was literally half the weight of it's replacement

I've put it out to pasture on the patio in light of good service (and to show to the next door neighbour who races so he can look stunned too

I'm looking forward to riding on a round tyre tomorrow

 

[Sandra6]

Once I found all the bits I needed, it only took me about 15mins to fix the puncture and get the tyre back on, no need for tools, just the patches and pump.
Now it's dry I'm back on my specialized with the anti-puncture tyres anyway.

 

[SquareDaff]

Once I found all the bits I needed, it only took me about 15mins to fix the puncture and get the tyre back on, no need for tools, just the patches and pump.
Now it's dry I'm back on my specialized with the anti-puncture tyres anyway.

A few more punctures and that time will be down to 5 mins

 

[Tynan]

getting a tyre on and off is more to do with the tyre and the rim as having steel fingers