How long does it take you to fix a flat?
#76
Senior Member
I ride mostly in group rides. So as to not slow the group too much, we tag-team flats. One person usually unseats the bead, pulls the old tube, inspects for cause (and remedies if necessary), another person has the fresh tube ready to go in, and another person has the CO2 ready. I'm almost always doing the heavy lifting with the wheel (unseating, inspecting, installing new tube) because of my shop experience, I'm pretty fast.
I'd say our stops are usually 3-4 minutes.
I'd say our stops are usually 3-4 minutes.
#77
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I run sealant in all of my tires - including those that use tubes - and on average I get less than one flat per year. There may be multiple thorns and small wires in them that would have caused flats that the sealant handled, but I'll never know. I used to work in the bike biz and have changed thousands of tubes, so I can do it in just a few minutes on the road, though it's typically for other people. The only thing that takes any real time is pumping the tires up.
#78
Junior Member
I do not find 5-10 minutes as rushing it. I don’t remove the axle (unless it’s the rear in my time trial bike with horizontal drop outs), I don’t use the nut, I don’t patch it (unless I go through two tubes and even them I use glueless) and I use CO2. When you ride with others do they wait 20 minutes with you?
I used to ride with someone who took that long and we stopped waiting.
I used to ride with someone who took that long and we stopped waiting.
Having gotten two flats on my rear tire in a week's time, I've found it takes me about 20-25 minutes at a liesurely pace to:
remove a thru-axle,
pull the wheel,
unseat one bead,
leverage the bead over the wheel rim,
remove the tube and presta valve nut,
find the puncture in the tube,
locate corresponding point on the tire,
find source of puncture (both times it was a tiny shard of glass still embedded in the tire),
remove source of puncture from tire,
wipe off puncture section of inner tube with wet paper towel,
scuff with 220 grit sandpaper,
apply vulcanizing rubber cement and spread around puncture area,
peel and apply patch, knead with pressure for a minute,
re-insert tube, reinsert presta valve/affix nut,
tuck tube into tire,
leverage the bead back into the wheel rim,
and pump about a hundred times with a compact hand pump,
then re-mount wheel onto bike and re-insert thru-axle.
I've read on here before that a seasoned cyclist can replace or patch a tube in less than 10 minutes, but outside a race, I just don't see the benefit in rushing when you might botch something and end up with an unsuccessful repair. What are your experiences?
remove a thru-axle,
pull the wheel,
unseat one bead,
leverage the bead over the wheel rim,
remove the tube and presta valve nut,
find the puncture in the tube,
locate corresponding point on the tire,
find source of puncture (both times it was a tiny shard of glass still embedded in the tire),
remove source of puncture from tire,
wipe off puncture section of inner tube with wet paper towel,
scuff with 220 grit sandpaper,
apply vulcanizing rubber cement and spread around puncture area,
peel and apply patch, knead with pressure for a minute,
re-insert tube, reinsert presta valve/affix nut,
tuck tube into tire,
leverage the bead back into the wheel rim,
and pump about a hundred times with a compact hand pump,
then re-mount wheel onto bike and re-insert thru-axle.
I've read on here before that a seasoned cyclist can replace or patch a tube in less than 10 minutes, but outside a race, I just don't see the benefit in rushing when you might botch something and end up with an unsuccessful repair. What are your experiences?
#79
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It depends. Am I drunk or sober?
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#80
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#81
aka Tom Reingold
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@Wooderson, that's clever!
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#82
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Had my first flat repair on the road a few weeks ago. According to Strava, it was right at 10 minutes. Pulled the wheel off (through axle and disk brakes), popped tire off without tools, found the piece of glass that cut the tube, replaced the tube with a new one, put the tire/tube on and aired with a CO2 cartridge all in one shot, tossed my stuff back in my pack, crammed the old tube in my jersey, put the wheel back on, cleaned my hands off, and rode off to catch up with the group. Probably cold do it faster if I cared to rush, but had decided I was going to ditch the ride and go home till a friend stopped to help me with moral support. He helped me catch the group after the repair!
#83
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Most of my flats lately are due to a very fine piece of wire, presumably, shards from the steel in tires. It usually takes a few minutes to find and extract the culprit. Another 5 min to replace the tube and pump the tire. If I'm commuting I'll have a pump, if I'm with a group I'll use CO2.
#84
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I was plagued with flats on my 700MM roadie tires until I got Gatorskin tires. Haven't had a flat since. They have more rolling resistance, but anything beats a flat.
I discovered long ago that especially with high pressure tires, just put a new tube on. The brand makes no difference IMO. Otherwise you'll spend countless hours fixing then refixing then rerefixing etc.
I discovered long ago that especially with high pressure tires, just put a new tube on. The brand makes no difference IMO. Otherwise you'll spend countless hours fixing then refixing then rerefixing etc.
#85
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I don't come to a complete stop unless they look out of sorts or hesitant, and I have fixed a few flats for people who were hesitant at first. The majority have it covered though, or they're too stubborn and would rather walk it back to the car.
#86
Junior Member
I had a tube go flat from a pin-hole leak so I patched it. Several weeks later the tube formed another pin-hole leak and there was no puncture of the tire and nothing to puncture or pinch it where the new leak appeared without warning. That is why I no longer patch inner-tubes. For $6 I replace them. If I patched a tube on the road to get home I would still replace the tube as soon as possible.
#87
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I don't patch, I just put in a new tube (in fact, I have never mastered, even when at home, patching)...when i first started doing this 20 years ago, it took me FOREVER. Now I can change one in reasonable time (but have never checked with my stop watch), sometimes, even quick, but: I can STILL screw up and take forever...and I often have a hard time getting that last six inches of tire over the rim
#88
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I don't patch, I just put in a new tube (in fact, I have never mastered, even when at home, patching)...when i first started doing this 20 years ago, it took me FOREVER. Now I can change one in reasonable time (but have never checked with my stop watch), sometimes, even quick, but: I can STILL screw up and take forever...and I often have a hard time getting that last six inches of tire over the rim
#89
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[QUOTE=Witterings;20954953]
I've always held back on using the spare tube mainly because they're so much more compact from the shop than I'm ever going to be able to pack them back down to after they've been inflated.
Like most everyone I check to find the source of the problem, work a new tube in and fix the tube at home. As far as putting in back in the saddle pouch, hold the fixed tube flat and suck all the air out. It helps to pinch the tube so it doesn't close off the suction, then use your finger the other way to keep any air from re-entering the tube, screw the valve shut and fold about 6" flat and roll the rest around that 6" strip. If you start with the valve on the opposite side from where you start folding then you should have a reasonably small tube to put an elastic band on. I don't normally check my repaired tubes in water. I assume they're ok.
Once while touring, before realizing the maple tree spiked balls were doing me in, I had 5 flats in a quarter mile and used all the glue in my patch kit and had to make a bee line to the nearest bike shop.🙄
I've always held back on using the spare tube mainly because they're so much more compact from the shop than I'm ever going to be able to pack them back down to after they've been inflated.
Like most everyone I check to find the source of the problem, work a new tube in and fix the tube at home. As far as putting in back in the saddle pouch, hold the fixed tube flat and suck all the air out. It helps to pinch the tube so it doesn't close off the suction, then use your finger the other way to keep any air from re-entering the tube, screw the valve shut and fold about 6" flat and roll the rest around that 6" strip. If you start with the valve on the opposite side from where you start folding then you should have a reasonably small tube to put an elastic band on. I don't normally check my repaired tubes in water. I assume they're ok.
Once while touring, before realizing the maple tree spiked balls were doing me in, I had 5 flats in a quarter mile and used all the glue in my patch kit and had to make a bee line to the nearest bike shop.🙄
#90
aire díthrub
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what size c02 cartridge or you using? What size tire? You need to use the proper size cartridge. I use the standard 16g, which for a 700x32 at roughly 80psi, is pretty much perfect. Expel the entire cartridge and I’m done. I only have to blow off and waste as small amount in the front, at 60psi.
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Flats a go go
Ditto...ditto... I usually carry two tubes tucked under the saddle and repair at home on a leisurely weekend along with a beer. I often also carry an old folding tire in the advent of the dreaded sidewall cut.
#93
Senior Member
Fix flat don't remove tube
pump tire, find leak and its cause, remove one side tire bead (about 6 inches either sides of leak), remove cause of leak from tire, run fingers inside tire for remaining pieces of class sharp wire etc, patch tube per patch kit instructions, also if big hole in tire apply patch to inside of tire, re-install tire bead on rim, inflate tire, check that tire is holding air, and then peddle away.
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This guy might not be the fastest but he still is very good. Oh, and he has no hands and just one arm.
#98
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I can patch as fast as I can replace the tube, geez by the time you roll up a tube and get all the air out I have the darn thing patched. Not only that but if I replace the tube on the side of the road instead of patching then I have to go home and fix the damn tube which means unroll it, inflate it, find the hole and patch, reroll it back up and put it the saddle bag, why do all of that when most of the time the leak is easy to find when it occurs. Then I read some years back on a forum where he didn't even take the wheel off the bike, if he knew where the leak was at he simply removed about 1/2 of the bead on one side of the wheel with the hole area in the center, then pulled the tube out as much as he could, find the leak and patch and reinstall. I thought that was odd when I first read it but then one day I got a flat and knew where it was at so I thought I would try that method...I'll be dang if it didn't work! That method doesn't work on all flat situations but that one time it did it saved me a lot of time, it doesn't work on steel or wire beaded tires at all.
I'm not riding with a bunch of people when I ride so trying to save time to benefit a crowd of hurryups isn't a problem. But if I'm motivated, and not using the leaving the wheel on the bike method, I can fix a flat as fast as 5 to 10 minutes if I'm loofing; if I replace the tube it takes about 5 to 8 minutes; the time I did that leave the wheel on the bike it took me about 3 1/2 minutes but I was seeing how fast I could do it too. But those 2 or so minutes I save replacing the tube on the side of the road I have to go home and spend around 5 to 8 minutes fixing the tube, the reason for the extra time is due to inflating the tube and then try to find the leak, then let the air back out of the tube so I put a patch on it. So I can save myself around 7 minutes by just fixing the flat on the road.
I'm not riding with a bunch of people when I ride so trying to save time to benefit a crowd of hurryups isn't a problem. But if I'm motivated, and not using the leaving the wheel on the bike method, I can fix a flat as fast as 5 to 10 minutes if I'm loofing; if I replace the tube it takes about 5 to 8 minutes; the time I did that leave the wheel on the bike it took me about 3 1/2 minutes but I was seeing how fast I could do it too. But those 2 or so minutes I save replacing the tube on the side of the road I have to go home and spend around 5 to 8 minutes fixing the tube, the reason for the extra time is due to inflating the tube and then try to find the leak, then let the air back out of the tube so I put a patch on it. So I can save myself around 7 minutes by just fixing the flat on the road.
#99
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I have rarely had the experience of getting a flat while riding. After many decades of biking, I learned early on that multiple layers of tubing helps insulate things. Then Mr Tuffy came out. After wrapping the spoke ends in the rim with two layers of electrical tape (one layer the thick pliable, waterproof and vinyl on top). Heat in the summer will cause unexpected blowouts when things aren't protected. Mr Tuffy goes between a heavy duty tube and the tire. Went ten years on one wheel between flats. They work.