puncture repair has nearlly got me to quit

[uphillstruggler]

Don't give up. I got 4 flats in an hour and a half a couple of weeks ago, all on the front.

Reason: I had an armadillo on the rear (after another time with 3 of the fekkers) and a kendo which came with the bike on the front.
.

Remedy:bought another armadillo for the front.

Upshot: hopefully alot fewer punctures.

They would be difficult to get off and on by the side of the road though.

 

[Bicycle]

Absolutely do not give up.

Punctures are rare and you get more and more used to dealing with them.

There are tyres and tyres.... I find Conti Ultra Gatorskins quite good for road use on thin wheels:

They don't often suffer.... ummm, those things you suffered.... (I'm sure it's bad luck to typre the word).

Also, they're easier than some to get back on the rim.

Good levers make a difference. I have some flattish yellow ones (Michelin?) given to me at my LBS.

I still have grim memories of a tube swap on a cold October night in driving rain under the canopy of a petrol station in Gloucestershire.... then about 10 miles later without the canopy over me.... then beating a continuing slow puncture for the last few miles with 'pump pump pump....ride ride ride'..... repeated a zillion times.... These lessons are sent to make us stronger. It's also a good way of becoming comfortable with using extremely obscene language. In that way it's not unlike dropping a paving slab on your toe.

But do persevere.

Many have been where you are and none who persevered regret it for a moment.

 

[Jezston]

What tires have you got, vimes?

Reason I ask as:

1. tires come in varying degrees of puncture protection.
2. I've found 'folding' (rather than wired) road tires to be so mind bogglingly easy to get on and off I wonder why they still make wired ones!

 

[vimes]

hi all
thanks for the support and with my m8 sorting it and a quick 8 mile spin tonight i am back on track
i had a SCHWALBE BLIZZARD put on the frount as it says puncture protection so fingers crossed
regards
lee

 

[forwater]

On this topic, has any of you ever tried one of those tire-liner things? They're thin pieces of something-or-other which go between the inner tube and the tire, ostensibly to keep sharp stuff from poking into your tube and causing a flat. I just recently discovered them, and am intrigued.

http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Flats-Bicycle-Liner-Protector/dp/B0018GH2TC is an example of what I'm talking about.

 

[Mad at urage]

forwater, I used to use them, years ago. IMO it's better to get about the same thing built into the tyre (M+ for example). If you do use them, make sure the overlapping ends are not sharp (they can actually cause a puncture, I've had it happen) by sanding them smooth.

 

[guitarpete247]

I got home from work on Wednesday and GF's eldest was in the back garden. I went out before I started cooking and he pointed out the flat back tyre on his new Giant hybrid (Don't know what model).

I went to the garage and got him pump, tyre repair kit and tyre levers then went to get on with cooking. I had to go out a couple of times. First to explain how to get back wheel off (q/r skewers), how to use tyre levers and how to use my track pump.

Went back in to carry on cooking. There came a stream of expletives. Seems he had more than one p****ure. I said fix one then look for others but he wanted to do them all together. Went back in then more expletives. My pump went across the garden followed by his tyre then some of the garden furniture. He hoisted the bike on his shoulder and took it round to the garage where it still is, upside down with wheel off and tyre on floor.

I suppose it's going to stay there until I fix it and as it's in the way of getting any other bike out I suppose I'll have to do it this weekend.

I told him when he bought the bike to get a couple of new tubes and possibly the Lidl tool-kit pack and a pump but he couldn't be bothered. He'd had to walk home 2 miles with flat tyre

.

By the way he's 27

.

 

[Phixion]

Get some puncture resistant tyres.

Great tutorial: http://bicycletutor.com/fix-flat-tire/

 

[XmisterIS]

Solution - get some aramid bead tyres! They are lighter than steel bead ones, plus the bead has a lot more give in it. They are a doddle to fit.

 

[peelywally]

hi all
am trying to replace my innertube due to a puncture i got on my first trip out on a road bike
after struggling to get the tyre off i put the new one on and struggled for an hour getting the trye back on went to pump it up and nothing so took it all off again and found i had caused 3 punctures trying to get the tyre on
i have nearlly had it with road bikes never had this hassle with a mountain bike grrrrrr and to top it all from what i read punctures are quite a common thing on road bikes
regards
lee

folding tyres , its all i uses no need for levers ever unless you have arthritis ,

never noticed a difference in ride quality tbh and theyre cheaper than beaded versions , all tyres come in folding version i think .

the difference is without bead tyre can spin on the wheel i think but only had this once on fully packed out tourer on a hill verging on a drop .

 

[asterix]

With new tyres the rubber doesn't slide very easily over the metal rim and I have found a little soap or fairy liquid solves the problem.

 

[byegad]

+1 for lubrication to get the tyre back on.

After the infamous roadside M+ incident I resorted to peeing on the tyre to get it back on. Sad to say the language deteriorated from a little profane to down right foul. Eventually with three broken tyre levers and no fourth one I got it back on with the screw driver on my multi-tool.
I got rid of them and used Pasela Tourguards which have nearly as much protection and go on so much easier then M+.

 

[Svendo]

I've had this problem of pinching the tube when fitting tyres. Some rims just seem to have higher walls than others. Usually goes fine at home, but all wrong when out on the road in a hurry...
'Three tricks' of which one was metioned by Arch I think:

1. Have the tube as inflated as possible when fitting the tyre, although you'll have to let nearly all the air out for the tight bit.

2. If you have to use levers, I try to 'finish' so the small section carefully levered on is where the valve is, then pushing the valve up into the tyre will hopefully release the tube if it's been caught and prevent it getting p******ed when you inflate it fully.

3. Taking a bit of extra time to look around the edge of the tyre on the side you fitted it, squeezing the tyre from the sides to see the rim tape and checking for trapped tubes.

Remembered another!
4. inflate it in two stages, a little bit, defalte, then do 3 again, then try inflating fully.

Good Luck!