View Poll Results: Punctured tubes
Patch on side of the road
10
10.99%
Replace tube
64
70.33%
What are tubes?
14
15.38%
I Like bacon and scrapple
3
3.30%
Voters: 91. You may not vote on this poll
Flats during rides
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Flats during rides
What do you do with your punctured tubes during a ride?
My last bike wasn't tubeless so I always carried a spare tube and a patch kit. Never knew if another flat was just around the corner.
Next bike will be tubeless.
My last bike wasn't tubeless so I always carried a spare tube and a patch kit. Never knew if another flat was just around the corner.
Next bike will be tubeless.
Last edited by frdfandc; 11-14-23 at 06:11 PM.
#2
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Carry two tubes and a patch kit.
Since swapping over to more robust tires, I have not had a flat going on 2+ years.
Prefer to swap tubes before patches.
Do not see a need for tubeless at this point.
Since swapping over to more robust tires, I have not had a flat going on 2+ years.
Prefer to swap tubes before patches.
Do not see a need for tubeless at this point.
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#3
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Call my wife or Uber XL.
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#4
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Replace tube (after trying to find what caused the leak). Take the leaky tube home to repair it with more of its friends.
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#5
Senior Member
I just keep on riding until I get a base to replace the tube. Keep telling myself I’m going to stop buying patch kits and stop trying to fix tubes.
#6
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If the sealant doesn't do the trick? Then either Dynaplug or bacon strips. Worst case scenario...if I absolutely shredded a tire so bad that I couldn't plug it, then patch inside the tire and the little TPU tube I carry. Although the road tires almost always self-seal. It's usually on the gravel bike that I have to intervene, as I'm generally only getting very small punctures on the road.
#7
Clark W. Griswold
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Just replace the tube and if you are desperate to patch, do it at home when you can take your time and do it right.
However first things first you should start with good tires at the proper pressure that you checked before the ride. That will help out greatly in the quest to not get flats.
However first things first you should start with good tires at the proper pressure that you checked before the ride. That will help out greatly in the quest to not get flats.
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#10
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I haven't had a flat since switching to tubeless. Sealant did its job the only noticeable time I had a puncture. Initially I carried bacon strips and a spare tube, neither of which I ever had to use. Then I stopped bothering with the tube after I got a Dynaplug and easily fixed 2 other people's punctures with it.
Back in my tubed days I carried 2 spare tubes and luckily only went through both once when I was still inexperienced at changing them. In total, I've gone through many and still have piles of unpatched, poorly patched, and brand new tubes that I look forward to never needing again.
Back in my tubed days I carried 2 spare tubes and luckily only went through both once when I was still inexperienced at changing them. In total, I've gone through many and still have piles of unpatched, poorly patched, and brand new tubes that I look forward to never needing again.
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#12
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This. I'll patch a tube a few times before I throw it out. I carry two tubes while riding, no patch kit (except on a multi-day bike tour). I use good puncture-resistant tires and I get only 1-2 flats a year.
#13
Senior Member
Your poll doesn't cover all of the options. Unfortunately, there's an obnoxious sub-set of riders who replace the tube and leave the punctured one lying on the shoulder. Probably the same people who throw their empty gu packets on the ground, leave broken chains on the road (yes, I've seen several over the years, probably 5 < n < 10), etc.
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#14
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Regardless what you do, always inspect inside your tire. Recently discovered a slow leak, patched it, came back the next day and see tire completely deflated. Found another hole, then found a tiny needle tip stuck inside.
#15
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Depends on the ride. Long unsupported ride, patch. Shorter ride or supported ride replace tube. Also depends on where ride is. In a city replace, stop by bike shop, buy another tube, continue. Outside of a city and no where near a bike shop replace and hope. Last option is call SAG.
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#16
Senior Member
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#18
#19
Put in a new tube and leave the punctured one on the side of the road along with the empty CO2 cartridge.
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#21
Grupetto Bob
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For the tubed bike: 1 spare tube + patch kit. No flats in 2 years - but only ridden sporadically
For tubeless: 1 spare tube in case of a sidewall or catastrophic failure, and Dynaplugs. No flats in 2 years and 10,000 miles
Both bikes use Conti GP 5000s
For tubeless: 1 spare tube in case of a sidewall or catastrophic failure, and Dynaplugs. No flats in 2 years and 10,000 miles
Both bikes use Conti GP 5000s
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#22
Senior Member
Your poll doesn't cover all of the options. Unfortunately, there's an obnoxious sub-set of riders who replace the tube and leave the punctured one lying on the shoulder. Probably the same people who throw their empty gu packets on the ground, leave broken chains on the road (yes, I've seen several over the years, probably 5 < n < 10), etc.
#23
Full Member
Despite carrying a spare tube and patch kit, I've had to use the patch kit more than once on the side of the road.
Interesting story, I was out with several friends on a short ride in the fall and one of the bikes was on its first ride since being purchased (used craigslist find). I thought the tires had looked okay but they clearly weren't after the rear split and blew the tube out. Managed to get it the 4 miles back after throwing in my spare tube, a small section of a very tear-resistant disposable shop towel to keep the tube from blowing out again through the giant tear in the tire and a bay leaf for good measure along with the shop towel. I was amazed it held but it was clear by the end the tire was quickly on its way to tearing enough to blow out the tube again.
Interesting story, I was out with several friends on a short ride in the fall and one of the bikes was on its first ride since being purchased (used craigslist find). I thought the tires had looked okay but they clearly weren't after the rear split and blew the tube out. Managed to get it the 4 miles back after throwing in my spare tube, a small section of a very tear-resistant disposable shop towel to keep the tube from blowing out again through the giant tear in the tire and a bay leaf for good measure along with the shop towel. I was amazed it held but it was clear by the end the tire was quickly on its way to tearing enough to blow out the tube again.
#24
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I'm convinced like wolves, that flats run in packs. I'll go months without then suffer several in a couple weeks, usually across multiple bikes. Other than during peak puncture vine season, I can't correlate them--they just fall under "stuff happens."
#25
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rear flat, plug it. Front, plug or tube it.
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