nearly had a long walk home yesterday

[al78]

Coming back from work heading along a very dark B road, felt the back wheel bumping along the ground. Oh bugger, a puncture. Had to walk about a hundred yards further along the road to find a safe place to deal with it. Got the wheel off, got the tyre off then - oops - I seem to have left the spare tube at home. My only option is to find the hole and apply a self-adhesive patch. Fortunately I did have the headtorch with me so I could at least see what I was doing, unfortunately the hole was big enough that when I tried to inflate the tube it went down before I could properly feel for escaping air. Spent several minutes frantically trying to pump as much air into the tube as possible desperately trying to find the leak. Eventually found it and managed to put a patch on, then had to be really careful to get the tube back in and the tyre on without introducing any grit and dirt that was all over the road. Can only get the tyre up to about 40 psi with my small pump but it was at least rideable and my fear of it going down a mile further along the road did not come to pass and I made it home without further problems.

If I hadn't managed to repair the tube I would have had a two hour walk home.

In future, I'll make sure I check I have the correct spare tube for the bike I am using.

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm ... I always carry at least 2 spare tubes. And a puncture kit. And a pump that can manage at least 80-90 psi!

I once met an old man pushing a mountain bike on the hills near Halifax. He'd got a puncture and hadn't managed to fix it so he was walking home with the bike. It turned out that he still had 3 or 4 miles to go. He didn't want to put me out, would be okay and so on, but I insisted that he let me help him. It only took about 10 minutes to sort him out.

You've just reminded me ... I used to have a headtorch but I haven't seen it for a couple of years. I remember putting it in an obvious place after nearly falling downstairs in a powercut. (I put it somewhere that would be easy to find in the dark but now I can't even find it in the light!)

 

[biggs682]

just think of the exercise

 

[Kies]

@Colinj ..... It's on your head

 

[Kies]

@al78 - tube,patches,levers and a pump that can get your tyre up to around 80 psi (min) are essential sir

 

[al78]

@al78 - tube,patches,levers and a pump that can get your tyre up to around 80 psi (min) are essential sir

Any suggestions for such a pump? I find the limiting factor in getting the tyre up to pressure is my upper body strength.

I do normally carry a spare tube but this time I had removed it because I had used the folder last week so had the spare tube for that bike, not the road bike.

 

[HovR]

Any suggestions for such a pump? I find the limiting factor in getting the tyre up to pressure is my upper body strength.

The Topeak Road Morph pump. It's slightly larger than other pumps, but comes with a nice frame mount bracket and will get you back up to 100psi. It also has a small inline gauge which is useful.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Any suggestions for such a pump? I find the limiting factor in getting the tyre up to pressure is my upper body strength.

I do normally carry a spare tube but this time I had removed it because I had used the folder last week so had the spare tube for that bike, not the road bike.

I find my lezyne road drive pump allows me to get the tyres to around 80-100psi despite having a bad arm & wrist.

 

[steve52]

I carry patches tube and mini pump, plus and this is a cool thin a small addapertr so when i ride pass a garage i can nip in and intlate back too 100 psi,except of course when its raining dark and im 3 miles from home ! doh

 

[fossyant]

These are down to £4.99. I paid £6 a couple of weeks ago.

Bargain

http://www.probikekit.com/uk/tools-.../blackburn-airstik-anyvalve-bicycle-pump.html

 

[steve52]

I carry patches tube and mini pump, plus and this is a cool thin a small addapertr so when i ride pass a garage i can nip in and intlate back too 100 psi,except of course when its raining dark and im 3 miles from home ! doh

 

[Beebo]

I find my lezyne road drive pump allows me to get the tyres to around 80-100psi despite having a bad arm & wrist.

I have a lezyne with the flexible hose, it allows you to get amuch better angle, it's well worth the investment. It was expensive but priceless on a cold wet night. I have spent too many times trying to fix punctures with cheapo mini pumps that dont have the hose fitting.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have a lezyne with the flexible hose, it allows you to get amuch better angle, it's well worth the investment. It was expensive but priceless on a cold wet night. I have spent too many times trying to fix punctures with cheapo mini pumps that dont have the hose fitting.

sounds like the one I have V2 in medium I think... flexible hose, mounts to the bike, but without a guage. I just know how many pumps are needed to get my 25mm tyres up to about 80psi if I'm out on the road.
also have the lezyne micro floor drive pump that goes upto 160psi with a guage - that's the pump for home.

 

[subaqua]

topeak mini masterblaster 100psi no probs

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

topeak mini masterblaster 100psi no probs

Yeh - had one of those, could never get more than about 40psi out of it but my OH was fine with it. still works after being run over as well.