Bike puncture- bike tyre seal?

[boydj]

Rather than repairing a puncture on the road, carry a spare tube and replace the tube - after finding and removing the cause of the puncture, taking care not to pinch the tube. The puncture can be repaired in the warm and dry.

This is an essential skill, so you should practice until you've managed to get the tyre back on yourself. Maybe practice without a tube at first.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

now I'm also terrified of my chain breaking on me

Why?

It's happened to me twice in a lifetime of cycling. One after many, many years of abuse of a bike, and once after hitting a rock.

Chains breaking is vanishingly rare.

Find someone to teach you to fix a puncture. The bad news is there's no way round that. The good news is that it's easy once you know how.

Don't worry about chains.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Or forget about cycling altogether

Welcome to cycle chat!



(Ignore skippy. Once you know how to fix a puncture you'll wonder what the fuss was all about)

 

[oreo_muncher]

Why?

It's happened to me twice in a lifetime of cycling. One after many, many years of abuse of a bike, and once after hitting a rock.

Chains breaking is vanishingly rare.

Find someone to teach you to fix a puncture. The bad news is there's no way round that. The good news is that it's easy once you know how.

Don't worry about chains.

It's that whole fear of my bike breaking and being stranded- it terrifies me since I cycle in some very rural areas. Im hoping I'll learn how to change an inner tube soon. I have an idea of how to do it- I watched videos on it but when it comes to doing it, it's a completely different story! Any ways to avoid my chain breaking? What did you do when it broke- were you close to home?

 

[Sharky]

It's that whole fear of my bike breaking and being stranded- it terrifies me since I cycle in some very rural areas. Im hoping I'll learn how to change an inner tube soon. I have an idea of how to do it- I watched videos on it but when it comes to doing it, it's a completely different story! Any ways to avoid my chain breaking? What did you do when it broke- were you close to home?

Do not worry about mechanical fails. As long as you can walk to the next house, as long as you have a mobile signal or can wait for a passing cyclist or motorist, you'll get home.

Now broken bones is something you should worry about, although on three occasions, I've got home by helicopter, ambulance and passing motorist.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Any ways to avoid my chain breaking?

Lube when required and replace when needed. You can buy chain measuring tools to assess but I just replace at ~2000 miles. The one that broke had probably done 20,000! I was young, foolish, and had no idea chains wore out at all.

2nd time I had a chain splitting tool with me to effect a repair - lesson learned from first time. But like I said, I hit a rock. Hard.

Any reasonably maintained chain is vanishingly unlikely to break in normal usage.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Chains tend to break because they are old and worn or badly maintained. Keep chain clean and oil if it’s starts to sound noisy. Get a chain wear tool and check chain once a month or so.

 

[oreo_muncher]

Lube when required and replace when needed. You can buy chain measuring tools to assess but I just replace at ~2000 miles. The one that broke had probably done 20,000! I was young, foolish, and had no idea chains wore out at all.

2nd time I had a chain splitting tool with me to effect a repair - lesson learned from first time. But like I said, I hit a rock. Hard.

Any reasonably maintained chain is vanishingly unlikely to break in normal usage.

When do you know when to put lube on?How often? I think I've done 500 miles on my chain at least in 2 months. After 2 months I had to replace my brake pads.

 

[oreo_muncher]

Do not worry about mechanical fails. As long as you can walk to the next house, as long as you have a mobile signal or can wait for a passing cyclist or motorist, you'll get home.

Now broken bones is something you should worry about, although on three occasions, I've got home by helicopter, ambulance and passing motorist.

So if your bike broke and you would knock on a random strangers house and what's the chance of them wanting to drive you home?

How did did you brake bones?

How do you get a passing by motorist to take you home and what if they're dangerous?!Stranger danger!

 

[Sharky]

So if your bike broke and you would knock on a random strangers house and what's the chance of them wanting to drive you home?

How did did you brake bones?

How do you get a passing by motorist to take you home and what if they're dangerous?!Stranger danger!

Called in a garage once to use one of their spanners. When I was young in more innocent times would ask people in their gardens if I could refill my water bottles.

Bones broke when I fell off. Once hit by car and airlifted. Once lying on the ground and car stopped to ask if I needed help and I did after fracturing pelvis. Two very helpful ladies helped me into their car and drove me home.

A few times with a mechanical failure, had to resort to using mobile phones and calling out the cavalry. And before mobiles had to find a call box.

Many the time when stopped at the roadside and a passing cyclist asks if I need help and I have offered help and given help on several occasions.

When the need arises, there is always a way of getting home.

 

[boydj]

It's that whole fear of my bike breaking and being stranded- it terrifies me since I cycle in some very rural areas. Im hoping I'll learn how to change an inner tube soon. I have an idea of how to do it- I watched videos on it but when it comes to doing it, it's a completely different story! Any ways to avoid my chain breaking? What did you do when it broke- were you close to home?

Breaking a chain is a very rare happening - it's happened twice to me in tens of thousands of miles, due to damaged or faulty chains that went unnoticed when cleaning. However, if you've got a spare magic link and a chain-breaker tool, it's very simple to fix. The tool and a link take up very little room, so cost nothing to carry along with your spare tube and tyre levers.

 

[Sharky]

Even if the chain breaks and you can't fix it, you can still ride the bike like a scooter at probably twice walking pace.

 

[cougie uk]

Take a Chain tool and a reusable link and you should be ok.

Punctures are by far the more likely occurrence.

 

[screenman]

So if your bike broke and you would knock on a random strangers house and what's the chance of them wanting to drive you home?

How did did you brake bones?

How do you get a passing by motorist to take you home and what if they're dangerous?!Stranger danger!

I stopped in my car and gave somebody a lift home with his bike only a fortnight ago, most decent people would never drive past or ride past some having problems.

 

[DRM]

I stopped in my car and gave somebody a lift home with his bike only a fortnight ago, most decent people would never drive past or ride past some having problems.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times when I’ve been stopped I’ve been asked if I’m ok, likewise I’ve asked others if they’re ok when out.