Puncture - what a bummer!!

[SquareDaff]

Got a puncture this morning on the ride into work. Only just got the bike so had a distinct lack of spare inner tubes (something I'll be correcting over the weekend). I do carry a repair kit - but couldn't for the life of me see any damage.

Anyway - got the bike to the nearby railway station where I know the company bus picks people up and got a ride in from there. In the air conditioned office (rather than the rain) I manage to locate the leak (felt the air on my cheek - the facial one!!). Repair applied and the inner tube is inflated on a spare desk. If it stays at the same pressure until lunch I'll put it back on the wheel.

I've felt all round the rim and inside the tyre and can't find any sharp edges so I'm presuming whatever caused the puncture was pulled back out again after I'd ridden over it.

Are there any more suggestions for other checks I could make?

 

[Friz]

take the tube into the toilet (or canteen) and partially fill the sink with water. Then submerge part of the tube and rotate it around looking for air bubbles. That's always handiest for me.

 

[HLaB]

Do you carry a spare tube, its a lot less faff in the cold/wet just check the tyre for sharp objects (be careful though) and swap it in, fix the old tube at your convenience and in the warm/dry.

Wrt to the p'ture its probably too complicated now but its worth identifying where it has occurred in relation to the tyre to zone in on any potential foreign object/ tyre damage. Its also worth noting where the p'ture is and its form, if it occurs on the inside it may be one of your spokes rather than a foreign object is the culprit, if so check your rim tape. If it is two small holes, its probably a snake bite (aka pinch p'ture), the tube has momentarily became trapped between the rim and the tyre and again the p'ture won't have been caused by a foreign object, check your tyres are up to pressure to avoid a repeat.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Got a puncture this morning on the ride into work. Only just got the bike so had a distinct lack of spare inner tubes (something I'll be correcting over the weekend). I do carry a repair kit - but couldn't for the life of me see any damage.

Anyway - got the bike to the nearby railway station where I know the company bus picks people up and got a ride in from there. In the air conditioned office (rather than the rain) I manage to locate the leak (felt the air on my cheek - the facial one!!). Repair applied and the inner tube is inflated on a spare desk. If it stays at the same pressure until lunch I'll put it back on the wheel.

I've felt all round the rim and inside the tyre and can't find any sharp edges so I'm presuming whatever caused the puncture was pulled back out again after I'd ridden over it.

Are there any more suggestions for other checks I could make?

You found the puncture. You have shown it was the only one by pumping it up. A visual and physical inspection of the tyre has shown nothing. Sounds like you have done all you can.

You can if you wish mark the tyre and valve alignment so when the puncture is found you know where on the tyre to look. A puncture on the outside of the inner tube tells you the tyre was / is pierced. A puncture on the inside tells you the rim is to blame. Cuts on both sides of the inner tube (called a snakebite are usually reserved for MTB style impacts with the ground and are not (IMHO worth fixing).

 

[jonny jeez]

You can if you wish mark the tyre and valve alignment so when the puncture is found you know where on the tyre to look. A puncture on the outside of the inner tube tells you the tyre was / is pierced. A puncture on the inside tells you the rim is to blame. Cuts on both sides of the inner tube (called a snakebite are usually reserved for MTB style impacts with the ground and are not (IMHO worth fixing).

Good advice...rim and tyre need checking, using the valve to locate the right spot helps (be aware the tube can go in two ways round so the damage will be in two potential spots)

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Good advice...rim and tyre need checking, using the valve to locate the right spot helps (be aware the tube can go in two ways round so the damage will be in two potential spots)

 

[SquareDaff]

Thanks for the advice - tyre has deflated over the last hour so obviously another leak somewhere. Fortunately someone else in the office is going into town this lunchtime so will get a lift to buy two new tubes. Will then put one in and keep the other as a spare.

 

[MGBLemonrider]

My helpful suggestions

spare tube in at roadside

repair in comfort and swap back into wheel - tyre helps keep patch on so won't lift when folded up over time if kept as your spare.
track pumps at work & home helps easily get back to max pressure

I've taken to using 700c x25 Marathon plus during winter months - no punctures, did have a small split/cut in one so will fit new one next winter, and 700c x 23 Durano plus - very few punctures but collect cuts so new pair after each winter. Tyre weight isn't an issue when compared to the convenience of fixing a flat on a cold wet road side. Year round 11 mile each way shift worker.

 

[SquareDaff]

Two new tubes purchased from Halfrauds! (I know they have dodgy reviews but it was that or walk home). New tube fitted and pumped up to "rock hard". Spare tube now in panniers. Other tube packed and ready for a bath tonight!

Hopefully will get an uneventful ride home!

 

[stowie]

Managed to get a puncture last night as well. Thankfully just as I was turning into my road, as I hadn't bothered replacing the spare from a couple of months ago when I got my last one. Strangely, both times it was the rear wheel, and both were big nails stuck in the tyre.

I have patched up the original to use as a spare, and got myself another tube. I do really dislike changing the inner tube. It is one of those jobs I always imagine is easier than it actually is, and I end up covered in dirt from the cycle. Taking off the tyre is easy, but sometimes I end up just "chasing" the tyre around the rim when putting it back on. And then I realise that the tyre "rotation arrow" is then round the wrong way. Frankly, I don't know what this does, and leave it as it is - hasn't caused a problem as far as I know!

As an aside, what ever happened to the Air-B pink inner-tubes? Had them on my cycle for years, the rear one only gave up when a six-inch nail went right through the tyre and out the other side.

 

[SquareDaff]

On inspecting the tyre looked like mine was caused by something that went "in and out" as I found a very small slash in the tyre. ALso dug out two pieces of glass that didn't look like they'd gone through.

The tyre stayed up when I inflated it so am assuming I got everything.

Let's hope so....it's p'ing it down outside

 

[leemo]

also new bikes tend to come with bottom of the range tyres. I have gone from about 1 puncture per month to 0 punctures per month by upgrading. Seems a shame to throw away the original tyres if they are not well worn I know, but they might not be worth much anyway.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

You found the puncture. You have shown it was the only one by pumping it up. A visual and physical inspection of the tyre has shown nothing. Sounds like you have done all you can.

You can if you wish mark the tyre and valve alignment so when the puncture is found you know where on the tyre to look. A puncture on the outside of the inner tube tells you the tyre was / is pierced. A puncture on the inside tells you the rim is to blame. Cuts on both sides of the inner tube (called a snakebite are usually reserved for MTB style impacts with the ground and are not (IMHO worth fixing).

I always line up the name written on the side of the tyre with the valve so I can work out where to look.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I always line up the name written on the side of the tyre with the valve so I can work out where to look.

As good a technique as any

 

[HLaB]

I always line up the name written on the side of the tyre with the valve so I can work out where to look.

I used to think that was just pedantic fashion until I tried it and found it quite useful