Pffffft - it's a puncture

[grhm]

I've got a Topeak saddle bag with mini-pump, PRK, spare tube, tyre levers, rubber gloves, cable ties, multitool, flat multi-spanner-thing and the left overs from a roll of rim tape. I've carried the tape since I stopped and offered assistance to a guy with a puncture that turned out to be due to a spoke poking through the tape - I wasn't convinced the repair would hold.

Eventually it clicked that I had started keeping my keys in the back of the jersey and these were the jingling sound.

When I get home any tube that can be repaired is repaired, the rest get re-used in some other way.

I'd agree with the reusing un-repairable tubes. E.g I've got a small length as an anti-rattle sleeve for the multitool and a similar arrangement for the flat spanner.

Agree that, if I leave the spare inner tube behind, guaranteed p*.

Arggh! I came in today on the wife's trike (playschool run with child seat) and I forgot to move the above saddle bag across from my bike. Am I going to get home!!

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't generally fix inner tubes as
1) Im too lazy and 2) I will almost certainly cock it up.

 

[RedBike]

I had tyre levers, pump, mini tool, patches and a spare tube and I still ended up walking home last night!

See!
http://redbikes.blogspot.com/2009/06/flat-tyre.html

 

[hackbike 666]

...and there I am commuting at 3mph but still I keep going.

Workmate had a p*nct*re on the way to work this week and he was almost in tears,I felt sorry for him.Then again i've done that.I still don't know how peoples get away with using racing tyres all the time anyway.

 

[Radius]

I found a nice LBS in Clapham who replaced the tube for about a tenner.

Apex Cycles?

 

[scouserinlondon]

Apex Cycles?

Yep. Nice fellas and got the job done in a jiffy. Which was good as I'd walked from Stockwell and wasn't in the best of moods.

 

[Radius]

Yeah they're alright in there, it's my local. Charged a fair bit to fit a BB and headset tho. Still they're nice guys (although one of them has been known to make the horizontal dropouts / trackends faux pas )

 

[scouserinlondon]

Yeah they're alright in there, it's my local. Charged a fair bit to fit a BB and headset tho. Still they're nice guys (although one of them has been known to make the horizontal dropouts / trackends faux pas )

Spose it's clapham therefore expensive. Evans wanted £17 for the same job. But I can't afford a tenner every bleedin puncture, yesterday was a treat, I'll fix it meself from now on.

 

[Mr Pig]

Mr P do you carry a spare chain?

No, don't be silly ;0)

In my opinion you need both a spare tube and repair kit. If you get a double puncture, like when you don't clear the debris that caused the first one properly for instance, only having one tube means you're stuck. And a repair kit on its own can let you down because not all punctures are fixable. A large rip or more commonly a tear at the valve stem and your kit's no use.

 

[HJ]

Spare + repair Kit + mini-pump + CO2 inflator (can get enough pressure with the mini-pump alone), but with decent tyres it is very seldom needed...

 

[Tynan]

I always patch and carry a tube, usually, for severe tears, rips etc

train hard fight easy, I once had a bike with old fashioned nuts on the rear that I could never be bothered to take off so always patched, 32 miles day in London then, that tube had 18 plus patches onit before going, patches on patched literally

if the flat is noisy enough the wheel and most of the tyre can stay on

It continually amazes me that people ride without the means to fix a flat

 

[Twanger]

Spare + repair Kit + mini-pump + CO2 inflator (can get enough pressure with the mini-pump alone), but with decent tyres it is very seldom needed...

A timely thread....The p******* fairy struck me tonight for the first time in 20 years (you see, I haven't been cycling for 20 years, and started again a couple of months ago) with her immaculate sense of dramatic irony as I was on my way home from the first free service on my new(ish) Specialized Sirrus.

It took me about 15 minutes to change the inner tube because I had forgotten how to and had to remember. I remembered to check the inside of the tyre for whatever had caused the puncture, but couldn't find anything. So there may be another puncture soon perhaps....

Anyway, my minipump only pumped the tyre up to about 50 PSI which is half of what it should be. Can any recommend a pump with a bit more oomph?

And, more importantly, can anyone recommend hand cleaner that you can carry with you? I had forgotten how dirty changing a tube was.

 

[cyberknight]

Spare tube, levers, repair kit and mini pump

Used to use slime liners but took them out and touch wood been ok so far 1 puncture in nearly a year.

 

[purplepolly]

And, more importantly, can anyone recommend hand cleaner that you can carry with you? I had forgotten how dirty changing a tube was.

I recommend pre-emptive action. Get a box of thin latex gloves and keep a couple with your repair kit.

 

[Twanger]

I recommend pre-emptive action. Get a box of thin latex gloves and keep a couple with your repair kit.

Now that's thinking....