Utter disgrace to you all

[Red Light]

I think somebody that cycles in cycling shoes should be able to mend his tyre on the go

Yeah, pull a stoppie or a wheelie all the way home using the one good tyre. Simples

 

[Red Light]

Pat I couldn't agree more. I looked like a really, really obsessive cyclist who has no idea how to ride a bike on the way home

No, a really really obsessive cyclist would have his domestique mend it for him.

 

[Red Light]

Now if you had been cycling in my area I would have stopped to help you, I help everybody.

Whenever I see a cyclist at the side of the road with a mechanical/puncture I slow and ask if they need any help. Not once have I been taken up on the offer

 

[Mugshot]

Cry . Somebody will stop if you cry. Don't go too far with it, no rolling around wailing and beating your fists on the ground, people will give you a very wide berth then, just sit on the floor next to your bike with your elbows resting on your knees and your head in your hands, sniff a little and wipe your eyes every now and then, it works every time

 

[Sittingduck]

You need to look more needy and distressed, in order to get busy commuters to stop and offer aid. They most probably assumed you were ok.

 

[caimg]

Sooo I'm not out of the woods yet...

It seems that whilst getting home, the hole for the valve has become...inaccessible. The white inside lining of the wheel has moved and the hole to put the valve through is misaligned from the valve hole on the spokes side of the wheel. Any ideas?

 

[subaqua]

Whenever I see a cyclist at the side of the road with a mechanical/puncture I slow and ask if they need any help. Not once have I been taken up on the offer

i have done this several times with about 50/50 hit rate. one old guy was pleased as his pump had broken just as he put it on the valve, and he could use mine.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Do I get some points for having managed to lever the tyre off, discard the old tube and then utterly fail with my pocket rocket?

Yes, more so because it was raining!

 

[ColinJ]

Sooo I'm not out of the woods yet...

It seems that whilst getting home, the hole for the valve has become...inaccessible. The white inside lining of the wheel has moved and the hole to put the valve through is misaligned from the valve hole on the spokes side of the wheel. Any ideas?

Your rim tape has moved! It protects the tube from the sharp edges of the holes through which the spokes are fitted. Normally the tapes are pretty tight so they don't tend to move much, but yours has so drag it back to where it should be. Just make sure that it still covers all the spoke holes properly or you will start getting punctures from them.

 

[roadrash]

Sooo I'm not out of the woods yet...

It seems that whilst getting home, the hole for the valve has become...inaccessible. The white inside lining of the wheel has moved and the hole to put the valve through is misaligned from the valve hole on the spokes side of the wheel. Any ideas?

just slide it round or take it off and replace in position

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Whenever I see a cyclist at the side of the road with a mechanical/puncture I slow and ask if they need any help. Not once have I been taken up on the offer

I always stop for women. Not always for guys, sometimes the gear intimidates me (silly, I know). So far I rescued a guy that needed an allen key, kept a girl company while she was walking her bike out of the park at night. We could not fix her puncture, as I carry shraeder tubes, she had a road bike.

 

[potsy]

I had a colleague tonight ask to borrow my pump just as we were leaving work, always amazed at how many people don't carry the necessary gear to get themselves going again
He was only pumping it up in an attempt to get home on a slow puncture, bloomin MTB'ers

As for the OP, sounds like you've got all the advice you need, at least you will be better prepared next time

 

[Crackle]

To get help, I recommend you go all cross eyed (practise with a camera), take off your shoes and approach people open armed with a tube draped over one. People will either stop or speed up but you won't be ignored.

 

[Andrew_P]

I offered to swap one of my new spare tubes for someone elses punctured one, he looked at me as if I was mad, and said he would walk the mile home. I had stopped a fast run and turned around because he looked like he didn't have anything with him (he didn't) and looked like he didn't have a clue.

 

[caimg]

Well I think I deserve some kudos, it's all fixed just two hours after the event! Bring on my 52 mile ride to Southend, I'm ready for you!

The rim tape is a b*tch, almost impossible to shift it. No idea how it moved in the first place.

Thanks to everyone here for your help (and company), very much appreciated.