New to cycling - how do people deal with punctures?

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

...Your post conjors up images of my youth trying to fix bikes without the proper tools (money was scarce)...

The days when your tookit was limited to.....

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Schoolboy error there crosstownk! Would you not wrap something around the seatpost before clamping it? I use a section of old tube.

Yep. I should use the old tube - or maybe I should buy a better work stand.

Still though, it feels more natural to simply flip the bike upside down - so that's what I do. Old dog, new tricks and all that. :pac:

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The days when your tookit was limited to.....

I have one these in the shed. I keep it as a sort of antique.

I think mine is a Raleigh tool.

Yeah me too!!!! Must have came with my first bike I think which would have been a BMX.

What would you call it ? It's multi spanner or vintage multi tool?

Hamsterchops

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The days when your tookit was limited to.....

I still have one, I think we used to call it a bone spanner back in the day.

07Lapierre

Hamsterchops wrote: »

I still have one, I think we used to call it a bone spanner back in the day.

You can still buy them (seen them in Halfords today)

Persius

I use Schwalbe Marathon plus 35c on my commuter/tourer. Haven't got a puncture in over 10 years.

I've been using Schwalbe Durano plus 25c on my road bike for about 4 years now. Haven't got a puncture on them either. Always pump up to about 100 PSI, even though I'm light. I find the grip excellent for cornering. Much better than the Bontrager stock tyres that came with my roadbike. I'm sure they're a bit slower than the race tyres. But happy to pay that price for puncture resistance and cornering capability on greasy roads.

Wishbone Ash

Persius wrote: »

....I've been using Schwalbe Durano plus 25c on my road bike for about 4 years now. Haven't got a puncture on them either. Always pump up to about 100 PSI, even though I'm light. I find the grip excellent for cornering.....

I use Durano Plus also on 2 of my bikes. They are excellent for 'normal' puncture protection but, with excessive wear, their weak point is that the rim of the tyre seperates from the rest of the tyre usually in a 'blow out'. That said, it only happens when the tyre is at the end of it's life.

As for grip, I'd have to disagree with you. Although I use them, there are lots of other brands out there with much better grip. On club rides in wet conditions, my colleagues on Contis will corner much faster than me.

firemansam4

Just to update on this thread....

I've had my road bike now just over 2 weeks, its a Forme longcliffe 2.
I took the advice given on this thread and got 2 spare inner tubes and a few tools ect and keep them in a pack on my bike. Also invested in a track pump and keeping the tyre pressures up to about 100 psi.

Never got around to practicing changing a tube at home yet and low and behold I was out for a 40km cycle yesterday and got my first puncture....

But I was able to get the wheel off and change the tube OK, took advice about pumping tube up slightly first and it worked well.
I found it a bit harder than what I had done before on mountain bikes, but it went OK, got the wheel back on and got back home OK.

I guess the only thing I'm concerned about now is why I got a puncture so quickly only 2 weeks into using the bike, I'm hoping I'm just unlucky in that respect.

07Lapierre

firemansam4 wrote: »

Just to update on this thread....

I've had my road bike now just over 2 weeks, its a Forme longcliffe 2.
I took the advice given on this thread and got 2 spare inner tubes and a few tools ect and keep them in a pack on my bike. Also invested in a track pump and keeping the tyre pressures up to about 100 psi.

Never got around to practicing changing a tube at home yet and low and behold I was out for a 40km cycle yesterday and got my first puncture....

But I was able to get the wheel off and change the tube OK, took advice about pumping tube up slightly first and it worked well.
I found it a bit harder than what I had done before on mountain bikes, but it went OK, got the wheel back on and got back home OK.

I guess the only thing I'm concerned about now is why I got a puncture so quickly only 2 weeks into using the bike, I'm hoping I'm just unlucky in that respect.

Did you check the tyre for the cause of the puncture?

firemansam4

07Lapierre wrote:

Did you check the tyre for the cause of the puncture?

I ran my hand round the inside of the tire wall to check if anything was lodged in it but couldn't find anything, it was a small pin pin hole leak in the inner tube.

D13exile

Checking the tyre before you put the new tube in is a must. I got a puncture a few years back on a typical cold wet winters day and my frozen hands did well getting the tyre off, putting in a new tube, putting the tyre back on and re-inflating the tyre. So off I go only to get about 10 metres down the road and I hear that sound of air hissing out of the tyre which was flat again. When I got the tyre off again and found that the new tube was punctured in the same place as the last one, I checked the tyre on the outside and found nothing. I then turned the tyre inside out and found a tiny thorn embedded deep in the tyre that was only visible when the tyre was inside out.

Moral of the story.......when you find the puncture in the tube, check the corresponding area on the tyre inside as well as out in case the culprit (in my case a tiny thorn) is still lurking inside the tyre waiting to puncture the new tube!!!

07Lapierre

firemansam4 wrote: »

I ran my hand round the inside of the tire wall to check if anything was lodged in it but couldn't find anything, it was a small pin pin hole leak in the inner tube.

most likely a thorn or small piece of glass etc. At this time of year all that stuff is washed into the road by rain and theirs more of it too.

If possible, cycle further out from the kerb and avoid cycling thru any debris on the side of the road. It wont prevent punctures, but does help.

How old are your tyres?

firemansam4

07Lapierre wrote:

most likely a thorn or small piece of glass etc. At this time of year all that stuff is washed into the road by rain and theirs more of it too.

If possible, cycle further out from the kerb and avoid cycling thru any debris on the side of the road. It wont prevent punctures, but does help.

How old are your tyres?

Yea I got the puncture on a stretch of main road, no thorny bushes around there but there could have been some glass.

I bought the bike 2nd hand, it still has the original tyres on I think. The bike is red and black and so are the tyres.

They are Schwalbe lugano tyres

firemansam4

D13exile wrote: »

Checking the tyre before you put the new tube in is a must. I got a puncture a few years back on a typical cold wet winters day and my frozen hands did well getting the tyre off, putting in a new tube, putting the tyre back on and re-inflating the tyre. So off I go only to get about 10 metres down the road and I hear that sound of air hissing out of the tyre which was flat again. When I got the tyre off again and found that the new tube was punctured in the same place as the last one, I checked the tyre on the outside and found nothing. I then turned the tyre inside out and found a tiny thorn embedded deep in the tyre that was only visible when the tyre was inside out.

Moral of the story.......when you find the puncture in the tube, check the corresponding area on the tyre inside as well as out in case the culprit (in my case a tiny thorn) is still lurking inside the tyre waiting to puncture the new tube!!!

I learned this lesson when one of my kids got a puncture on their bike, I repaired it and within another hour he came back with a puncture again.
I was wondering how he could get a puncture again so fast, I fixed it again and he came back with the same wheel flat again the next day.

At that point the penny dropped and I checked the tyre wall on the inside and found a little curved nail lodged inside the tyre, I couldn't believe that I didn't think of it the first time.

07Lapierre

firemansam4 wrote: »

Yea I got the puncture on a stretch of main road, no thorny bushes around there but there could have been some glass.

I bought the bike 2nd hand, it still has the original tyres on I think. The bike is red and black and so are the tyres.

They are Schwalbe lugano tyres

As tyres wear, your more likely to get punctures even if you have the correct tyre pressures.

I replace the tyres on my commuter bike every year (in the summer in preparation for the winter).

NeedMoreGears

My last two punctures were down to the valve separating from the tube itself. I can't complain much as both tubes had at least six or seven patches on them, meaning they were probably six or seven years old.

Thargor

07Lapierre wrote: »

As tyres wear, your more likely to get punctures even if you have the correct tyre pressures.

I replace the tyres on my commuter bike every year (in the summer in preparation for the winter).

How long is your commute?

07Lapierre

Thargor wrote: »

How long is your commute?

25k ... about 8-9000k commuting per year.

Thargor

5 days a week? Thats some mileage.

07Lapierre

Thargor wrote: »

5 days a week? Thats some mileage.

I average 200-300k per week. I've more then one bike so I buy a new set of tyre each year and put them on my commuter. The tyre I take off are put on other bikes or kept as spares. Haven't had a puncture while commuting for the last 3 years.

firemansam4

07Lapierre wrote:

As tyres wear, your more likely to get punctures even if you have the correct tyre pressures.

I replace the tyres on my commuter bike every year (in the summer in preparation for the winter).

I've no idea how many km the tyres on it have, so might just replace them soon and and at least I'll know then.

Im sort of glad I got a puncture in a way now because at least I know I was able to deal with it OK myself without too much hassle.

Wishbone Ash

07Lapierre wrote: »

... Haven't had a puncture while commuting for the last 3 years.

:eek: You said it! Bring six tubes on Monday.

Wishbone Ash

firemansam4 wrote: »

I learned this lesson when one of my kids got a puncture on their bike, I repaired it and within another hour he came back with a puncture again.
I was wondering how he could get a puncture again so fast, I fixed it again and he came back with the same wheel flat again the next day.

At that point the penny dropped and I checked the tyre wall on the inside and found a little curved nail lodged inside the tyre, I couldn't believe that I didn't think of it the first time.

Another tip is to fit the tyre so that the tyre logo is over the valve. That way, when you locate the hole in the tube, you can align it to the tyre to give an approx area of the tyre where which was penetrated. Then focus first on that area for embedded shards, thorns, debris etc.

AndrewJRenko

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

:eek: You said it! Bring six tubes on Monday.

It's yisser fault lads. First puncture in months yesterday, after just reading the thread, not even participating in it. Seemed to be a 'snake bite' puncture, with two holes, one on each side of the tube. Of course, like Yossarian dealing with Snowden's shrapnel in Catch 22, I cleaned up and fixed up the small hole, only noticing the second, much larger hole when I tried to reinflate. So that's another tube in the bin then.

No sign of glass or thorns in the tyre, so I'm guessing I just hit an edge somewhere, though I don't recall noticing anything.

And of course, the puncture happened at the furthest possible extreme of my 5km cycle. I wasn't confident in my finding and repairing abilities at the side of the road, so it was a long walk/push home.

Close this thread NOW.

magicbastarder

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

like Yossarian dealing with Snowden's shrapnel in Catch 22

SPOILER ALERT

Wishbone Ash

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

.. Seemed to be a 'snake bite' puncture, with two holes, one on each side of the tube...

...No sign of glass or thorns in the tyre...

Classic sign of underinflated tube.

..I wasn't confident in my finding and repairing abilities at the side of the road, so it was a long walk/push home...

No spare tube?

JimmyCorkhill

Want to piggyback on this thread. I have hybrid bike I use to commute in the locality ( 2km-10km trips mostly).

I have always got any punctures or services carried out at local bike shop but would like to be in a position to be able replace a tube myself. My knowledge of bikes is very limited.

Looking at my bike, I have two different named tyres.

Back tyre is a Schwalbe Durano Plus with the following numbers: 25-622 28x1.00 700x25c.

Front tyre is a Schwalbe Marathon (GreenGuard) with the exact same numbers as above for the back tyre.

1. Are all the numbers relevant or are they saying the same thing?
2. Is the 28 the width of the wheel or is it 25? The reason I ask because if I look at the following tyre on chainreaction it only has a minimum width option of 28c but has the wheel size as 700c so from what is on my current tyres I was wondering does it need to be 700x25 & not 700x28.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/schwalbe-marathon-touring-tyre-greenguard/rp-prod69133
3. If I wanted to buy a couple if tubes to have in case of punctures, what size should I get? The valve currently is a presta.
4. Is it possible to check via some website whether the front or back tyre is better for preventing punctures and which is say a faster tyre?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

cletus

JimmyCorkhill wrote: »

Want to piggyback on this thread. I have hybrid bike I use to commute in the locality ( 2km-10km trips mostly).

I have always got any punctures or services carried out at local bike shop but would like to be in a position to be able replace a tube myself. My knowledge of bikes is very limited.

Looking at my bike, I have two different named tyres.

Back tyre is a Schwalbe Durano Plus with the following numbers: 25-622 28x1.00 700x25c.

Front tyre is a Schwalbe Marathon (GreenGuard) with the exact same numbers as above for the back tyre.

1. Are all the numbers relevant or are they saying the same thing?
2. Is the 28 the width of the wheel or is it 25? The reason I ask because if I look at the following tyre on chainreaction it only has a minimum width option of 28c but has the wheel size as 700c so from what is on my current tyres I was wondering does it need to be 700x25 & not 700x28.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/schwalbe-marathon-touring-tyre-greenguard/rp-prod69133
3. If I wanted to buy a couple if tubes to have in case of punctures, what size should I get? The valve currently is a presta.
4. Is it possible to check via some website whether the front or back tyre is better for preventing punctures and which is say a faster tyre?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

Your tyre size is 700x25. Most bikes can accommodate a range of sizes, so it is likely you could put 700x28 tyres on the wheel

Regarding inner tubes, they normally cover a range of tyre sizes, so you'll be looking for something like 700x23-28 on the box. The last numbers would be the tyre sizes suitable for that inner tube.

Tyre choice tends to be a relatively subjective thing, I'm sure other posters would be able to give you some advice based on experience of those tyres

magicbastarder

JimmyCorkhill wrote: »

Back tyre is a Schwalbe Durano Plus with the following numbers: 25-622 28x1.00 700x25c.

25-622 = 25mm tyre, bead seat diameter 622mm (the 'actual' diameter of the rim)
28x1.00 - the dimensions below in inches
700x25c - 700mm tyre diameter, 25mm width

i.e. the width of the tyre is constant through each of the three (25 or 1.0) and the other numbers refer either to the wheel diameter or tyre diameter.

your tyres are pretty much standard size for road bike tyres. as you mention, it's a hybrid you're on which usually allow for wider tyres - what's the bike make/model?