When You Get A Puncture, How Do You Go About Making The Repair?

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silva

Über Member
Location
Belgium
I have used Schwalbe's model Marathon Plus during a couple decades since I couldn't fix a flat myself so tried to avoid along tyres that were/are sold as flat proof or at least as far as possible to that.
With these I still had 1 or 2 flats / year (with the latest model (color change of anti leak layer) I even had 2 punctures in a couple months, one being a brand new tyre punctured by a marble size sharp stone)
I let dealers fix it (they picked them up at home) or in case along my path and open shop at the event I walked to.
Later on I bought a couple spare wheels so that I could use the spare bike to bring the wheel with the flat tyre to dealer. That regime lasted 15 years.

3 years ago, since my bikes always were too small frames for me, I started to have heavier loads, and since I suffered spoke breakages, I decided to get a stronger bike with a sufficiently sized frame, and went for the current travel bike, and chosed Schwalbes SuperMotoX 27.5" 62 mm wide tyres, as an attempt to have better shock absorption (usually the direct reason for spoke breakage) and a bigger ground contact surface in order to spread weight more and less likely puncture.

I have had 5 or 6 flats during these 3 years, despite common loads (as luggage) of tens kg's even 50 on occasions. Long enough period to conclude that Schwalbes Marathon Plus, expensive too, didn't offer me better puncture protection.
And since the Marathon Plus was and still is a pain to get off on (being the main reason for me to let dealers do the job, the few times I tried (back then) I ruined the edge and new expensive tyre > garbage).

With the SuperMotoX, I don't need (I discovered it when trying without) tools to get it off and back on.
Last year due to a new bike problem I had to use older bike for some weeks, and had again a flat with a Marathon Plus. Along the road I succeeded in replacing the inner tyre, and later on at home also succeeded in preventively replacing the outer of a spare wheel. But it took me alot time and alot effort. In both occasions I ended up using a coated handgrip of a small tool.

Because, plastic levers just broke, steel levers damaged the tyre so that the steel cord became exposed (and can thus rust and damage the rim), and coated steel levers bend, possibly due to thinner steel due to plastic coating replaced steel in order to keep a same tool thickness to get between tyre wall and rim.

Last story about the Marathon Plus: I once saw a dealer that had a tool that looked like a shoe-puller of a half meter long. He inserted it and whipped the tyre of in one time. Getting it back on was the common longer story ofc. Still, you don't risk damaging the tyre that's only to get it off - it's just a matter of knowing the tricks, and brute force on the end.

That was my longwinded story to repair punctures. :P
 

MntnMan62

Über Member
Location
Northern NJ
I remove the wheel from the frame, lay the bike on the grass and then sit down next to it to work on taking out the old tube and putting a new one on. When it's time to put the wheel back on I hold it up with one hand while sliding it into it's notch. Not really all that difficult really.
 

mustang1

Legendary Member
Location
London, UK
Most of the time, the bike goes upside down (I'm careful not to have too many devices hanging off the handlebar.

But sometimes I have panniers. Uhm, I just remove them and continue with the upside down theme, being extra careful not to squash the rear fender.
 

silva

Über Member
Location
Belgium
I'm considering hydraulic brakes at the moment but I must admit, I'm pretty happy with my cable disc brakes.

What are the advantages of hydraulics over cable?
I'd say bills of dealers. I would have refused the new bike when I had been told before ordering that only hydraulic brakes possible.
They contrast my very goal of wanting new bike: cheap DIY with little work involved.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
We use Pedros levers at the co-op, but I like some metal ones I got at Wal*Mart a while ago. I did give them a bit of grinding to get them smooth, but they have been truly fine levers.
 

12boy

Guru
Location
Casper WY USA
Smoothed off steel tire irons are what I use. Schwalbes tires on my Brompton, especially Marathon Plusses are the most challenging but the regular Marathons can be put back on with just thumbs if you do the valve stem part last and make sure the beads are as far in as possible as you go around. There aren't a lot of tire choices besides Schwalbe for 349 tires. I have been using tubeless sealant with good results, but I have had that harden in lumps if I don't ride the bike often. 700c tires are far easier.
 
steel levers damaged the tyre so that the steel cord became exposed
yeah that's no fun


View: https://i.imgur.com/jLyYKTE.jpg


had a bad day that day. 2 flats in the woods, late afternoon. at the 1st repair I didn't notice the exposed cord. on the second flat I did & covered it with a band aid & some electrical tape just to get it to seat on the rim


View: https://i.imgur.com/wLZViuI.jpg


I managed a slow ride to a road where I hitched a ride in a jeep back to my car. I knew it wouldn't hold & w/ the sun setting didn't want a dark walk back thru the woods
 
OP
OP
Lovacott

Lovacott

Über Member
Smoothed off steel tire irons are what I use. Schwalbes tires on my Brompton, especially Marathon Plusses are the most challenging but the regular Marathons can be put back on with just thumbs.

I've only ever used metal tyre levers and never had an issue with them. I can imagine if they develop sharp spots from knocking against other tools, they could nick the tube though.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Use the handles of a couple of stout desert spoons with rounded ends. Better and stronger than a lot of purpose made tyre levers.
 
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