Slow puncture or Faulty valve

[Mart79]

Pulled the inner tube out and instantly found the puncture, originally thought it was the valve as I put some air in the tyre and heard the hissing almost immediately. Turned out it was a pin hole by the valve.
Checked the whole tyre, and found a tiny thorn sticking through the tyre now removed.
Also picked up a puncture repair kit for the old tyre, never been any good at repairing punctures so might end up in the bin…….. let’s face it, inner tubes aren’t too expensive.

 

[Mart79]

If you have a Schrader valve (car type) Just buy a bottle of slime and put it in the tube yourself.

It's literally a very easy two minute job with no tools required.

I've slimed my MTB and Hybrid and it works brilliantly. I still get punctures, but they seal up before the tyre goes flat and all I have to do is pop in a bit of air to top up the pressure.

To check if you have a leaky valve, put some spit on your finger and wipe it over the valve opening. If it's leaking, the spit will make a bubble and pop.

having no experience with the slime, I’m guessing the bottle attaches to the tyre schrader valve, couple of squeezers and job done?
Any need to have to unscrew the pin in the valve to insert the slime?

 

[Lovacott]

having no experience with the slime, I’m guessing the bottle attaches to the tyre schrader valve, couple of squeezers and job done?
Any need to have to unscrew the pin in the valve to insert the slime?

The slime bottle has a built in valve removing tool. Pop out the valve, pop in the slime, put the valve back in, pump up the tyre.

Very easy to do and there's no mess or anything.

 

[ColinJ]

Pulled the inner tube out and instantly found the puncture, originally thought it was the valve as I put some air in the tyre and heard the hissing almost immediately. Turned out it was a pin hole by the valve.
Checked the whole tyre, and found a tiny thorn sticking through the tyre now removed.

Well spotted!

Also picked up a puncture repair kit for the old tyre, never been any good at repairing punctures so might end up in the bin…….. let’s face it, inner tubes aren’t too expensive.

Fair enough, you don't want to bother... BUT we really ought not to be just slinging stuff like this, so here's a green alternative - give it someone else who will fix it and keep it as their spare! I had someone come on one of my forum rides and he donated several punctured tubes to me. I spent 20 minutes repairing them and they kept me going for a few years.

 

[Lovacott]

Also picked up a puncture repair kit for the old tyre, never been any good at repairing punctures so might end up in the bin…….. let’s face it, inner tubes aren’t too expensive.

It's easiest to swap out for a new tube on the road and then repair the old tube at home. It's just a case of popping a bit of glue onto the tube, waiting a few seconds for it to go dull and then sticking on the patch. I then leave it for a day before rolling it up to be my new spare.

Haven't had to do it though since I started using slime. Zero repairs so far this year.

 

[I like Skol]

Patching a tube is really easy, if you are careful and methodical.
Obviously it is far better when it is warm, dry and unrushed, so fit a spare tube at the roadside and fix the punctured one at home afterwards.
Unlike Lovacott's method which sounds a bit hit'n'miss to me, I prefer to rough up the tube surface with sandpaper to make sure there is a clean surface free of grease or talc. Then apply a thin layer of the glue and leave to dry for 10-15 minutes (I don't think you can leave it too long, but haven't tried anything more than about 45 minutes. I am usually doing something else at the same time as fixing a tube). After the drying time apply the patch and press firmly. A coat of talc on the repair and then pack it away ready for next time, no need to wait.

 

[Lovacott]

Fair enough, you don't want to bother... BUT we really ought not to be just slinging stuff like this.

Tubes are stupidly cheap so there isn't a financial incentive to repair them. Much like TV's, washing machines and all the other stuff we mass produce in our global economy.

I only repair tubes because I was brought up to "make do and mend" but most people nowadays can't see the point in spending ten minutes of their spare time repairing something which they can buy new with five minutes worth of pay.

My mum used to darn socks, but at £5.00 for ten pairs in Poundland, nobody is going to bother today.

We are such a wasteful society.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have had that a few times.
sometimes I find the bike with a flat tyre - pump it up and all is OK
Still OK some weeks later - then flat again

I have a theory - based on no real evidence
The tube has sealant in it. The theory is that if the hole is small but keep getting re punctured then the sealant will fix it
UNLESS the bike is parked so that the hole is at the top in which case the sealant may all flow to the bottom and hence there is none at the hole location
which may indicate that it needs more sealant

probably rubbish but only theory I have come up with

and yes - I have checked the tyre for resident causes - found a piece of glass last year - easy spot by the blood all over it after my finger found it!!!

 

[ColinJ]

Tubes are stupidly cheap so there isn't a financial incentive to repair them.

Well, there IS for people like me who are skint!

I have just bought a box of tubes on special offer and they were £28 for 10. What I should have done is to ask on the forum if anybody in West Yorkshire/Lancashire had any punctured tubes that they didn't want. I could have ridden over to pick them up.

10 tubes will probably last me 5+ years so it will be a while before I need any more. Next time, I'll scrounge some old ones and repair them!

 

[Lovacott]

Patching a tube is really easy, if you are careful and methodical.
Obviously it is far better when it is warm, dry and unrushed, so fit a spare tube at the roadside and fix the punctured one at home afterwards.
Unlike Lovacott's method which sounds a bit hit'n'miss to me, I prefer to rough up the tube surface with sandpaper to make sure there is a clean surface free of grease or talc. Then apply a thin layer of the glue and leave to dry for 10-15 minutes (I don't think you can leave it too long, but haven't tried anything more than about 45 minutes. I am usually doing something else at the same time as fixing a tube). After the drying time apply the patch and press firmly. A coat of talc on the repair and then pack it away ready for next time, no need to wait.

I do rough up the tube surface but I don't bother with the talc block unless I am popping it straight back into the tyre (the talc is to stop the tube sticking to the tyre).

I collect old inner tube repair kits BTW.

 

[ColinJ]

After the drying time apply the patch and press firmly.

I sandwich the tube/patch between two 2p coins and squeeze them together gently with a pair of molegrips. I leave the grips in place for an hour while I do something else. I've been getting very good results with this technique. (I am not saying that it is necessary, but I had a few patches not stick properly before doing it this way.)

 

[Lovacott]

I have had that a few times.
sometimes I find the bike with a flat tyre - pump it up and all is OK
Still OK some weeks later - then flat again

With a tyre and tube, a small thorn or glass shard hole can almost self seal if the tyre is pumped up hard.

But some air will still escape and as more escapes, the pressure reduces and the seal becomes ineffective.

Pump it up hard again and it could last for a few days or even weeks before it suddenly goes flat again.

 

[Juan Kog]

I use the same technique as Mr Skol , but after the first coat of adhesive has dried I apply a second thin coat and let that dry , success every time . Many years back another cyclist suggested the 2 coat method, when I complained about my less than 100% success rate. ColinJ I will try the 2p coin method.
Mending tubes save the Planet.

 

[Mart79]

Bought some slime earlier and have since put it in both front and back and gave the wheels a spin.
I have also checked the 2 inner tubes I had with punctures. 1 of which has sealed, the other failed. So need to re do it.

Thanks everyone for the as ever very helpful friendly advice.

 

[rrarider]

I, and most other people, have to do things quite differently when repairing a tube in the comfort of home and when out on the road. Like every sane cyclist, I carry a spare tube and fit that if I have a puncture whilst out on a ride. Only when I have the misfortune to get two punctures, do I repair at the roadside.

Without the luxury of somewhere comfortable to sit, in weather or light turning bad and with only a minimal set of tools, no bottle of talc, no bowl of water to help in finding holes, it can be a fraught experience. For this reason it is always a good idea to practise fixing a tube with only the stuff that you carry on the bike. You can also use that tube of once-opened rubber solution, as it doesn't matter if it has dried out when you are at home.