Flat tyre

I am just about to start triathlon training, I am doing FLM and don't think I can maintain motivation through running alone for the rest of the year and so the change.

It's a long time since I rode a bike alot and the tyres on my new bike look very thin and fragile (especially at 80-100psi) What do I do if 30 miles from home a tyre goes flat? Is it a case of carrying a spare and trying to change it on the side of the road with mini tyre levers etc ?
«1

Comments

  • This is of interest to me also as im new to cycling.

    I have spare tubes and a bike tool and will be carrying the kit in case of puncture.

    Guess the best plan is to practice changing the tube a couple of times in the comfort of your garage so when it happens for real you know what your doing.

    Pump or Aerosol?

    Not sure whats best to take on my rises, do you experienced peeps use a pump or one of those aerosol bike inflator gadget thingies?
  • Its worth pumping your tyres a bit harder than 100psi if they can go harder, this will cut down the chance of a puncture.

    its also worth having a set of tyres for training on, as race tyres are generally to light and fragile for everyday riding.

    Save your Aerosol for race day and take a pump on your training rides as these can fail. It may be worth taking an Aerosol on one training ride so you can get used to using it (thats providing you puncture)

    There is a tyre called a Specialized Armadillo, this is a training tyre that can virtually guarantee no puntures!! Honest!!!
  • Oh dear. Erm, punctures are quite rare. (or they were until I just said that !)

    Obviously keep an eye out for what you are riding over. I once blew both tyres by hitting a pothole coming off a roundabout in full tuck position on the tribars. DOh !
    Hedge cuttings can be nasty though - watch out if that's happened.

    I always take a spare tube - usually a brand new one - I don't trust repaired ones that much. And you can get some high pressure Leech patches that just stick to punctured inner tubes rather than doing the glue stuff. That's OK in the extreme chance you get 2 punctures in a ride !

    Take tyre levers with you - you don't need them all the time depending on the fit of the tyre, but sometimes they are vital. Just watch when you put the tyre back on that you don't pinch the new inner tube.

    Take a pump with you. I think the large frame pumps are the best. I'm struggling to find a half decent mini pump. Don't bother with aerosols.

    Use a track pump at home to ensure your tyres are at the right pressure before you go out.

    Check your tyres from time to time. If you get holes I sometimes put a spot of superglue to stop things getting into the tyre.

    Tyres are very sturdy, and despite what Daz thinks ;-) you can hit a cattle grid at 50mph with no blowouts !

  • Chris,

    If you go to Halfords you can buy inner tubes or a product I think its called "Goo".

    Basically it self seals if you get a puncture. I've used the inner tubes myself and have not had a puncture yet.
  • Sorry - didn't see JLK's post.

    Forgot - if you use Quick Release Wheels - make sure you know how to take them off and put them back on securely.

    If you haven't got QR's - take a spanner with you !
  • Goo would be good for training on, but I bet it slows you down on race day.
  • Thanks for the advice, I like the idea of the armadillos, just looked them up on web and they appear almost puncture proof. Don't accelerate as well as a normal tyre apparently - not sure if thats relevant to a beginner. Has anyone else tried these tyres, can you notice a difference?
  • Cougie, i have a mini pump called an Airforce by Specialized. It will pump upto 80+ psi, i even pumped my car tyre up with it the other day! Dont ask!!

    Slime??? Mmmmmm!!!!!!
  • I have a friend who races on the continent as a Pro and he reckons he got 8000k's on them.

    They are a bit slower though not enough to make you think you've bruised legs like some ive ridden.
  • Confession time. I was out for a 35 mile cycle last weekend. At just about the furthest point from home I got a flat and had no spare and no puncture repair kit. F***CK!

    So I thought, what the hell I'll just ride back on the flat. Well I didn't realise know that I would knacker the wheel. I'm waiting on the verdict about how much it's going to cost me. But I'm not a happy chappy. So I'll always carry a spare tube and pump from now on.

    PPB.
  • Nice one, i guess its better than walking home in bare foot or in your road shoes?! just ride!!

    It's gonna cost you about £50 ish for a 9spd wheel (back wheel)
  • OOoh - ta for the tips. I'll look for them. COuld do with a bombproof tyre for my fixed wheel winter bike as it would be a faff changing the rear on it.

    PPB - don't feel bad - one of my clubmates who should know better - did the same. On his carbon disk wheel !!!!!
  • i got a blow out on sunday with my rear wheel and i mean blow out. Fish tailed all over the place and i have no idea what caused it. It meant i had to run a couple of miles with the bike (it's still where I left it as i don't have a spare inner tube :( )

    Still I'm not a serious cyclist thankfully and never go more than a couple of miles at once on any bike

  • maybe its the whole mtb, miles from anywhere civilisation thing, background I come from... but do you all REALLY go out without spare inners and pumps and tyre levers...?

    they don't take up that much room....
  • Could be an excuse to get a lift home?!
  • HOW many times would I have liked that !

    Not done it yet though.
  • Had to walk 6miles once whilst out training in Lanzarote. Broken Chain.
    Would have loved a lift, instead i found a german with a chain tool. He actually knew a lot of english though they were all swear words.
    Saved me walking the last 15miles.

    Funny enough i seem to carry a chain tool where ever i go now!!!!!
  • I always carry a tool kit - for ages I tought it was silly carrying a chain splitter with me but did eventually get to use it on a friends bike whose chain snapped on a MTB ride.

    My top tip is to learn how to use it - ended up taking a couple of attempts to get the thing back together so his chain ended up a bit short - at least his gears worked much better with a shorter chain!

    But don't think just cause you are carrying a spare tube you won't have to walk home.... I once went for a leisurely afternoon cycle on my MTB -
    1st puncture - changed the tube in the back,
    2nd puncture - mended hole in back,
    3rd puncture - mended hole in front, broke pump and begged help from passing motorist who luckily had a pump,
    4th puncture - walked to nearby National trust property, begged my way in as had no money, sat on floor in toilets mending 'spare' tube to much tutting from old ladies. Returned to bike to discover both tires flat.


    Decided to give up and phone everyone I knew for a lift home - nobody in! Walked 3 miles to nearest station - no trains on a Sunday!
    Eventually walked about 8 miles home, very fed up.


    Since then I often carry two spare tubes!
  • I guess you should have checked your tyre for 'thorns'?

    Gutted!!!!
  • I did remove the thorns each time - now I try to avoid those lovely bridelways with hawthorn hedges each side!
  • Thats pretty bad luck then!
    I think i may have cried and refused to ride again!!!!!
  • Ive had a few long walks back in my mountain biking days, never carried spare tubes.

    Its a git when you are 5 miles from home and you cant even push your MTB as the Typres off the rim.

    Took to taking money for a taxi or my mobile but guess now im going to be setting out on 60mile+ rides I better (will) take the right gear.

    Trouble is im alergic to anything technical and mechanical so if you see a stressed out guy at the side of the road sneering at a Silver/Grey Cannondale please stop and help.

    PS. For Longest day can I have a support crew?
  • Did have a b*tch of a ride once with 2 pals. We got 4 punctures in a day - all on the road and all at different places. Very very weird.

    We were sooooo p**d off !
  • Sometimes being blonde is good cause if you look pathetic enough the tough looking MTB riding guys might stop and help :-)

  • Yeah ive taken a wheel off some random guy in a van whilst puncturing in the Longest Day!
    Not to sure if thats allowed though it was in a feed station.

    Lindihopper, im a blonde guy and somehow i dont reckon they would stop for me! unless cash was offered i guess?!!
  • I would offer to stop if I ever see you Jeffery but with a name like Lady Killer I'm not so sure!
  • If my name was Harold then you should be worried!

    I may have made a few hearts skip a beat or two (doubt it) but as for killing, not my bag baby!!!!
  • I am reading this thread with interest as I have real trouble getting the tyres off my bike the rims seem really deep, got a puncture about 3 miles from home jumped off and proceeded to attempt to fix it ( I am from th "how hard can it be?" school of tbought). Well it was- decided it wasn't fast enough to require fixing on the spot re-pumped tyre and made it home, but it took me about half an hour to fix at home- do not want to do this in a race, because I will cry.
  • Mon - some tyres are tighter on the rim than others. Ask around the club for some that seem easier to get off ?
  • I know the problem only too well Monique - my MTB tyres have kevlar rims which apparently are good because they grip onto your wheel (so my dad says but I've never known a tyre fall off so can't see the point!) but it makes them near impossible to get off even with tyre levers. And once they are off you have to fight to get them back on.

    Haven't had a flat on my racer yet so I have yet to discover how easy or hard those tyres are to get off and on.
Sign In or Register to comment.