On my commute to work there is no suitable public transport, so if I didn't have the ability to repair a puncture at the roadside it would be a long walk home, which is what nearly happened one evening when I got a puncture a couple of miles from work so decided to walk the rest of the way and fix it at work. This I did and in the evening went home as normal and two miles later the tyre went down again. Walked to a suitable spot near a house with an outside light (so I could see what I was doing) and replaced the tube again. A mile down the road it went down again, yes it was a buried flint that I couldn't feel with my fingers that had now pierced my last tube. Still five miles from home I had no option but to walk, which is not ideal on a very dark country lane. After half a mile or so an estate car came past me then pulled in front of me and stopped. The driver asked if I was ok and I explained the problem. He very kindly offered to give me a lift home which I accepted gratefully. It turned out he was a keen cyclist himself. When I got home I found the flint in my tyre and managed to get it out with the help of some pliers, it was very well embedded in and difficult to remove. It had only just barely managed to penetrate the Marathon Plus smartguard layer, which is why I couldn't feel it previously.
Why do people bother to carry puncture repair kits with them?
- Thread starter Thursday guy
- Start date
-
- Tags
- puncture
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Starchivore
I don't know much about Cinco de Mayo
- Location
- Halifax, West Yorkshire
I can't imagine repairing one at the side of a road, but then I'm not very practical.
it seems most sensible to take a spare tube and a pump and levers. Then you can always repair the tube at home later, at your leisure. Even then I'll consider detouring to the nearest station
it seems most sensible to take a spare tube and a pump and levers. Then you can always repair the tube at home later, at your leisure. Even then I'll consider detouring to the nearest station
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
I carry a strap or bungee with me. Hook the bike up to a gate, fence, street name sign, whatever. Makes getting the wheel in and out much easier and stops the saddle etc getting scuffed.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Practice. Right way up is easier !
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
[QUOTE 4262221, member: 9609"]How long do the tubes of glue last when opened? and is there a best by date on the patches etc (I have never looked)
I once went to repair a puncture at home, and the tube that had maybe only been used once or twice before was completely empty, could it have all evaporated out? that incident has always been a minor mystery to me.[/QUOTE]
6 months to a year. I tend to patch at home, but carry a full un-opened tube just in case sh** happens, which isn't often, but it once did when I was supposed to be home to go to a formal dinner - two punctures and two tubes used.
I once went to repair a puncture at home, and the tube that had maybe only been used once or twice before was completely empty, could it have all evaporated out? that incident has always been a minor mystery to me.[/QUOTE]
6 months to a year. I tend to patch at home, but carry a full un-opened tube just in case sh** happens, which isn't often, but it once did when I was supposed to be home to go to a formal dinner - two punctures and two tubes used.
- Location
- Glasgow
Great idea! I carry a strap too, useful for many things, but it never occurred to me to use it that was, cheers for that tip.
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
Sunday - lovely day for a bike ride. 55 miles into a ride, 3 miles from earlier cake stop... pssshhhhh ... flat front tyre.
Fortunately I had a puncture repair kit. Unfortunately I'd left the tyre levers at home.Fortunately I'd brought a friend with me who'd brought a tyre lever. Unfortunately the hole was where the valve goes into the tube, and a patch would have been useless. Fortunately I had two spare inner tubes
and we were on our way in 5 minutes, and no more problems for the remaining 38 miles home.
The moral: take a friend with you who remembers to take the right stuff. Or even better, take the right stuff yourself.
Fortunately I had a puncture repair kit. Unfortunately I'd left the tyre levers at home.Fortunately I'd brought a friend with me who'd brought a tyre lever. Unfortunately the hole was where the valve goes into the tube, and a patch would have been useless. Fortunately I had two spare inner tubes
and we were on our way in 5 minutes, and no more problems for the remaining 38 miles home.
The moral: take a friend with you who remembers to take the right stuff. Or even better, take the right stuff yourself.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Oh dear! You could have gone the extra distance for some baulks of Lignum Vitae...
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/top-ten-heaviest-woods/
Tanis8472
Guru
Erm, how do you know where the puncture is? Just curious 
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Look for what caused it... there is often a dirty great thorn sticking out or a piece of glass!Erm, how do you know where the puncture is? Just curious
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
And if you don't find anything obvious, there might well be something (like a tiny piece of flint or glass) embedded in the rubber that only protrudes into the inner tube when it's inflated.... so while the tyre's off the rim, squeeze it all the way round while looking for anything stuck deep in the rubber. I remember one time puncturing two new inner tubes because I didn't check the tyre carefully like this.
