Fixing punctures while out on the road....



I carry a spare tube, a patch kit, a pump, tyre levers and a valve converter.

I have a 12km stretch when I'm away from a train line, so I have to be prepared. I usually have time to repair the tube when I get to work, so it can be my spare again. My current tyres ,hutchy foldable, will pull off with bare hands so they're no problem.
I had one stretch, 11 days 11 flat tyres, not fun. New tyres no problem.
 
I think I'll have to invest in one of these removal kits. I'll need to be able to do this on the roadside as I'm gonna get into cycling for more than just commuting.
I've had to use kitchen utensils at home in the past to get tyres off the wheels (I'm not joking).
 
Those clear self adhesive patches (sold by Park for one) are amazing and can be done roadside in seconds and immediatey refilled with air. I am a replace the tube and bring the leaking tube home type though.
 
1id10t said:
Hi Bobby,
Have you actually tried either of these products. I ask because I had my first puncture in over a year not long ago and had a can of the GEAX Pitstop. When I went to use it I just ended up with the white foam spraying everywhere except in the tyre. Just couldn't get the connection to the valve secure enough. Annoyed the hell out of me and wasted my time and money. Ended up changing tubes (fortunately had one on me which I had only put in my bag that morning; must've sensed it was going to happen). Positive side was that I finally had the opportunity to use the CO2 inflator I've been carrying for some months. Worked great. It's the BBB one with regulator.
Yes and no. In a mtb race I had to use a can and it worked very well (It has a secure tube screw-on connection). It inflated the tube although it pretty much rendered the delivery-tube useless because from what I could see, it was clogged with latex. I tried the left over can on a spare road tube at home (it was punctured and no longer useful. Same as the can) and it pumped air and maybe a little latex but the connection was fine. The pitstop IIRC doesn't use a tube whereas seal n' flate uses a pump head like connection from a tube to connect. It weighs twice as much but I'll take that if it means I go with still relatively light puncture protection that actually works.
 
rayhuang said:
Those clear self adhesive patches (sold by Park for one) are amazing and can be done roadside in seconds and immediatey refilled with air. I am a replace the tube and bring the leaking tube home type though.
I have these but have to say that after a while, they can separate and leak again. Once that happen, the site of puncture is full of goo that it's hard to resurrect with another patch.

I think they are fine for a quick repair by the road. It means that I won't have to pull the whole tube nor work with glue out in the open, but just pull the segment of problem tube out. Some people suggest that one should carry a razor blade to shave off the molding line on the tube to improve the adhesion.
 
In the week after new years' this year I had 6 punctures in five trips due to broken glass shards, so I've got pretty quick at getting the tyre off and on again. I'm not alway so quick at findnig where the hole is, though. :(

I've since put Slime in my tubes and haven't yet had a puncture. However, I have had two episodes where the tyre has half-deflated due to the fibres and whatnot clogging up the valve, letting air out but not back in again. Even the service station compressor couldn't do it - they max out at 60PSI and that wasn't enough to blow past the congealed junk in the valve. There's no way to stop the clogging.

When this set goes I'll go the Continental Sport Contact 1.3's as they are supposed to be pretty much bulletproof, with awesome handling and rolling resistance. Although by then I'll probably be on a road bike.
 
Back before I quit getting flats I'd carry new, patch later. Since moving to 'Slime Lite' tubes (about same weight as standard tube) I haven't had a flat in three years. I'll never go back. :)
 
I carry two spare tubes and some stick on patches & a pump. On the road I take out the glass(it's always glass!) and change the tube. I've never had to use the stick on patches on the road but have tried them at home and the tube only stayed up one day. I always repair my tubes properly at home later with glue/patches.

I'm thinking about getting some 1.2 mm sidewall tubes or slime tubes and started another thread to help me decide - still not sure!
 
Commuting: 40km Daily 7 or 8 years total Never used to carry a spare, used to allow 25 minutes for roadside repair. Never had to do one in the morning, Started to carry a spare tube in the last 2 years. Only used it once.

Tried stick-on patches for a while. Was told they don't last, but had one last nearly a year at 90 psi. Problem was, they deteriorate in the kit waiting to be used, so the second one was of no use of all. I don't buy them any more. From now on will only use solvent glue. The only time it's let me down was in heavy rain. I just couldn't get it to dry. Wasn't game enough to burn it. Can anyone tell me who knows: Does that really work?
 

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