Barry2 

No problem.
All the best.

Barry

BTW I'm English (Ex - Harlow Essex)... I suspect you are as well.
English are the only ones I know of that use the word "Whilst" (Changing punctures whilst outside)
8-)

BeeRich

Canadians like me use that. English heritage, but we don't say tyre. My heritage is from a small town called London. Heh.

BeeRich

Why not post and film on youtubes?

venomx

Ok managed to do it after 7.5 hours of trying Had to do the valve part last, then applied pressure all the way around to give me some Lee way


now I just have to ride it and make sure it’s ok

robertorolfo

I thought "tyre" was the big giveaway...

Had to patch a tube once in a very urban setting (in freakin' Brooklyn). Had a tough time finding a good spot that would give me room to work, allow me to set the bike down without scraping anything, keep me out of the way of foot traffic... Needless to say people were looking at me like I was an alien, and I was slightly worried I might have to chase someone down (or fight them off) wearing freaking cycling shoes with cleats. Good fun...

venomx

Any tips to avoid punctures? I’ve had the bike months but only been riding off road on gravel and mud paths for 5 days

it is a hybrid but are these tyres suitable for that sort of terrain ?

the puncture was a thorn which was so sharp it cut my finger

venomx

Got some new tyres coming more suitable for off road and puncture resistant

is the back tyre easy to get back on? I looked at my draleor and it looks tricky

Everyone on YouTube does it with the bike standing up, surely upside down is easier?

Unca_Sam

Some tires have a breaker layer in the carcass, some tires are thicker and can shrug off some glass and thorns, but the only tires I know of that are 'flat-free' are tubeless tires. That's an altogether new set of skills, and equipment.

alcjphil

Watch the video in post #46 , it shows how to remove and replace a rear wheel. Personally, I find it much easier to replace a rear wheel with the bike right side up which seems to be the consensus on Youtube. The weight of the bike helps correctly center the wheel before tightening the quick release

flangehead

Since this topic is fixing a flat outside, I'll toss in a lesson from my painful personal experience. It didn't show up as I scanned the replies so far.

As a cyclist, I really don't think about mosquitoes because I'm moving most of the time.

You can see where this is going.

I carry a couple of foil packs of mosquito repellent. They last a long time, but not forever. When I went to take this picture I could tell the old one was leaking so I have just replaced them with new.

BeeRich

Right side up works for me.

Did you watch the videos? It took you 8 hours to do this? How you did the valve last is beyond me.

venomx

yep followed this video

massaged the tyre a few times all the way round slowly to get some lee way at the final part of the tyre

BeeRich

Oh that's what you mean by finishing at the valve. Tire levers can be difficult. I try to avoid them by using hands only.

TricycleTom

If I can see the leak, I don't even remove a rear wheel outside, I just pull out a section of tube. Sometimes, I need one tire iron or substitute. My best tip is to wrap it around your fist to get a firm surface for cleaning. I prefer a rat-tail file for that job.

Artmo 

Whatever is easier for you, but if you have a derailleur and rear wheel puncture, shift the chain to the smallest cog before removing the wheel. Makes removal and reinstalling easier.

Novalite

There are 2 tricks that when knowing them make things alot easier.
1) Push the sidewall inwards all around, as to unstick it from the rim.
2) When pushing the tyre edge on a certain place over the rim, keep the rest of the circumference in the middle of the rim - alot rims are curved so smallest diameter in the middle. This gives you the least work to get the tyre edge completely over the rim edge.
3) Don't buy Schwalbes Marathon Pluses, they're a pain in the !ss to get on/off without damaging them. I've seen a dealer using a lever that looked like a long shoe heel puller (nearly 60 cm) and brute force.

Babbitt

I have changed hundreds of tires over the years, I have raced, toured, coached, commuted, worked in a shop etc. Unfortunately, my arthritis has gotten to the point where it is very difficult. The helpful people on this forum pointed out that there are specific tools for getting the tire back on without the risk of pinching the tube you get with levers. Here are 3 videos I made showing each tool being used.

This is a video of each tool being used.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wdxoBLUkQ7TapRbn7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PCg6keEAK4wLqs7z7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hG48q1yYtxkanWRw9

And the thread the discussion came from.

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...thritis-2.html

These things really work and I have had to use one out on the road and it made a huge difference. One lives in my saddle bag now with levers, tube, etc

yukiinu

Learn how to patch the tube by just taking tire& tube off the rim for about 6 inches on both sides of the puncture. Patch the tube put back in tire, reset the 12 inches of tire back on wheel rim. No need to to replace tube. Takes 15 minutes.Have done so many times out on the side of all kinds of roads.

BeeRich

I know plenty of wheels where that is just impossible. It's possible on your wheel, but not for all. The nature of the road has no bearing on how to fix a flat.

blamester

I haven't read the whole thread so it may have been mentioned. Put sealant in the tube. I use tufo sealant comes with a valve key. Never let me down. I only put it in when I've had a puncture not before.
​​​​​​It can't fix a big tear but it works for most punctures.

Amt0571

Once I punctured my rear wheel in the middle of 3 consecutive bridges separated by roundabouts (2 cross a highway each, and the middle one, where I puctured, crosses the river). This happened during rush hour, with heavy traffic, and the bridge only has a small shoulder and no sidewalk or bike lane.

It was not fun changing the tube there with trucks and cars passing inches from me.

BeeRich

I got my third flat of the day (before 11 am) on a French highway with no shoulder. Cars zipping past me at 70-100 kmph while I took my time sitting half-way in a ditch trying to fix something that had given full attitude already. That was a short day. But a big learning day as well. I got to a hotel and bought some chocolate and beer.

blamester

Try sealant. You have nothing to lose.

BeeRich

I fixed it. The last thing I need is a big tube of glop to carry across Europe, when I have patch kits. The second fix was by a bike store as well. That fix lasted for the rest of the trip, IIRC.

xroadcharlie

I'm always a bit apprehensive when I get more then 7 or so km (perhaps a 1.5 hour walk from home) on my bike for fear of getting a flat. I've never even had the wheel off my 2018 bike.

It would be nice to have have the peace of mind that having the tools and ability to replace or repair a punctured tube while on a ride would bring. To that end I will soon make an attempt at R & R the rear wheel without getting the messy chain oil all over myself, and replacing the tube.

While I'm at it I'll check out the feasibility of not even removing the back wheel to repair a flat. By removing enough of the tire to get the tube out around the puncture and patching it.