Quickest way to fix a flat while commuting.
09-19-11, 07:09 PM
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09-19-11, 07:12 PM
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There's one circumstance in which I find patching easier, and probably quicker, than replacing the tube. That's when you get a puncture flat and can easily identify the affected area (i.e. - there's a wire sticking out of the tire, or you can find the air leak before the tire is totally flat). When that happens, if you move quickly enough, you can unseat a small section of the tire, pull about a six or eight inch section of tube out and locate the puncture, patch it, put the small section of tube back in and reseat the tire and inflate. I prefer this to wrestling with removing the rear wheel on the side of the road, replacing the tube, etc -- but this option is not always possible.
I just did this a week ago.
I put on a Park self-adhesive patch, then permanently patched it when I arrived home.
09-19-11, 08:58 PM
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Marathon Plus are about as puncture resistant as proper tyres get. They resist bits of metal, nails, etc. The downside (apart from a bit of weight) is that they are almost impossible to remove or replace by the roadside.
09-19-11, 09:06 PM
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The cotton ball trick is interesting. How do you use it? Do you rub it on the tire and see where is snags or leave bits of cotton?
09-20-11, 03:01 AM
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^ Yep, on the inside, it'll find anything sharp that your fingers might miss.
09-20-11, 06:28 AM
#31
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09-20-11, 08:06 AM
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not doubting you, just having a hard time visualizing what you describe. You wanna make a video for us?
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09-20-11, 09:20 PM
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+1 On the Nimbus Tires. I have those too. However my Rims didn't come with rim tape, so after mile 740 the spokes eventually weekend the tube enough to where i had a flat on my front tire. I bought some rubber rim tape, hope it will help me.
09-21-11, 02:18 AM
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09-21-11, 02:42 AM
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First off I try to run good tires. I just bought 4 schwalbe marathon supremes. For what I paid for them they better work.
I carry a spare tube. [I don't patch the old ones, I pitch them].
A tool kit.
Some rags [the gloves I read about in a previous post will be added to my kit]
2 lights [I commute at night].
I carry a pump and a CO2 cartridge.
Plus a phone and money in case something happens and I need to call a damn cab.
I always leave early in case I need time to fix a breakdown [which enables me to ride at a more leisurely pace].
On weekends you can get practice dealing with rear wheels--seating and unseating the wheel. Turn the bike over and take off the back wheel, and while it's off you can clean up the cassette area a little and check your hubs.
The front wheel QR have lawyer lips and you have to turn the QR nut counterclockwise a couple of times so it will clear the lawyer lips in the front fork. The rear wheel should pop out as soon as you release the QR.
Your LBS should have free classes on weekends that deal with changing flats.
I hate changing them on the way to work in the dark. That's why I bought $90 tires.
I carry a spare tube. [I don't patch the old ones, I pitch them].
A tool kit.
Some rags [the gloves I read about in a previous post will be added to my kit]
2 lights [I commute at night].
I carry a pump and a CO2 cartridge.
Plus a phone and money in case something happens and I need to call a damn cab.
I always leave early in case I need time to fix a breakdown [which enables me to ride at a more leisurely pace].
On weekends you can get practice dealing with rear wheels--seating and unseating the wheel. Turn the bike over and take off the back wheel, and while it's off you can clean up the cassette area a little and check your hubs.
The front wheel QR have lawyer lips and you have to turn the QR nut counterclockwise a couple of times so it will clear the lawyer lips in the front fork. The rear wheel should pop out as soon as you release the QR.
Your LBS should have free classes on weekends that deal with changing flats.
I hate changing them on the way to work in the dark. That's why I bought $90 tires.
09-21-11, 04:47 AM
#36
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marathons.
off topic, but is it legal to ride on the shoulder? if so, can you request that it be properly maintained (read: cleaned).
if i was doing that regularly, i'd get it in writing from the city or police that the proper place for a bicycle on that road is on the shoulder. otherwise, they could say that it's your fault for being rear-ended or something... because it's meant as a break-down lane, not a travel lane.
once you get the first thing in writing, then it's also easier to chase them up to have a sweeper go over it as needed
and maybe even put up some signs to drive safely and watch for bicycles.
off topic, but is it legal to ride on the shoulder? if so, can you request that it be properly maintained (read: cleaned).
if i was doing that regularly, i'd get it in writing from the city or police that the proper place for a bicycle on that road is on the shoulder. otherwise, they could say that it's your fault for being rear-ended or something... because it's meant as a break-down lane, not a travel lane.
once you get the first thing in writing, then it's also easier to chase them up to have a sweeper go over it as needed
and maybe even put up some signs to drive safely and watch for bicycles.
09-21-11, 06:43 AM
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09-21-11, 08:49 AM
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I would also add that if you are changing out a flat in the rain, dont try to patch it. Self adhesive patches do not stick in the rain. Now I prefer clue patches. They are more durable.
09-21-11, 09:33 AM
#40
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If you know where the puncture is you can remove just a portion of the tire bead
to get the tube out , and then leave the wheel on, and put a sticky patch on the tube.
to get the tube out , and then leave the wheel on, and put a sticky patch on the tube.
09-21-11, 09:45 AM
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09-21-11, 01:02 PM
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sweet, looking forward to being able to do that. my last change was a big mess.
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09-21-11, 03:48 PM
#43
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I would suggest that you carry a spare tube tire pump and a cell phone that way you can call youre empoyer letting them know that you will be late. That way it will buy you a bit of time untill you can get the flat fixd and back on the ride.
09-21-11, 06:43 PM
#44
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I would suggest that you stop bolding all your posts.
09-22-11, 05:48 AM
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off topic, but is it legal to ride on the shoulder? if so, can you request that it be properly maintained (read: cleaned).
if i was doing that regularly, i'd get it in writing from the city or police that the proper place for a bicycle on that road is on the shoulder. otherwise, they could say that it's your fault for being rear-ended or something... because it's meant as a break-down lane, not a travel lane.
once you get the first thing in writing, then it's also easier to chase them up to have a sweeper go over it as needed and maybe even put up some signs to drive safely and watch for bicycles.
if i was doing that regularly, i'd get it in writing from the city or police that the proper place for a bicycle on that road is on the shoulder. otherwise, they could say that it's your fault for being rear-ended or something... because it's meant as a break-down lane, not a travel lane.
once you get the first thing in writing, then it's also easier to chase them up to have a sweeper go over it as needed
and maybe even put up some signs to drive safely and watch for bicycles.
09-22-11, 05:51 AM
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09-22-11, 05:55 AM
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09-22-11, 08:52 AM
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09-22-11, 09:16 AM
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I need to be able to fix a flat on the way to work fairly quickly, so as not to be late. Is there any kind of "fix a flat" I should look at. I can change the tire on lunch, or after work, and on the way home I can take time to change it on the shoulder if need be. Any suggestions for on the way to work flats?
When I was a young racer I could change a tube in minutes with a frame pump. Course it helps when a friend is rolling up the old tube and putting it away.