my first puncture in the middle of nowhere

noisemonkey
noisemonkey Posts: 159
edited July 2010 in Commuting chat
In the dark in a country lane I stupidly took my road bike down a stony track and got a puncture. Had to walk the other 2 miles to work. Have any of you guys used the Zefal Sealant spray or Vittoria equivalent? Thinking of getting one of those as I let my Park Tools kit at home at the time and it would be quicker to get the bike up and running in that kind of situation?

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    You weren't carrying any spare tubes or puncture kit? tut tut tut :D
  • Plumby Baby
    Plumby Baby Posts: 82
    Tally ho

    Reminds of something I read last night in Leonard Zinn's book - apparently if you get a puncture and don't have patches, etc then there are two options. Firstly you can tire a knot below the hole in the innertube and then put it back on the tire - it will stretch around still and not bulge as much as you think. The second alternative is to keep the tube in and then pack as much grass as you can under the tyre before putting it back on.

    Ok - not ideal but they are only designed to get you home or to the nearest bike shop. Get some funny looks from others though.

    Also, obviously finding some grass in London is tricky (unless you're on the funny fags - plenty of that stuff about so I hear).
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Plumby Baby wrote:
    The second alternative is to keep the tube in and then pack as much grass as you can under the tyre before putting it back on.

    Ok - not ideal but they are only designed to get you home or to the nearest bike shop. Get some funny looks from others though.

    Have you tried that?, I have, it doesn't work!!!
  • WesternWay
    WesternWay Posts: 564
    noisemonkey wrote:
    In the dark in a country lane I stupidly took my road bike down a stony track and got a puncture. Had to walk the other 2 miles to work. Have any of you guys used the Zefal Sealant spray or Vittoria equivalent? Thinking of getting one of those as I let my Park Tools kit at home at the time and it would be quicker to get the bike up and running in that kind of situation?

    I haven't tried them, but I am pretty sure I would be as likely to forget those as an inner tube.

    Following someone on here's suggestion, I wrap a tube, levers and a little CO2 cannister in cling film and carry them on my commute. I never patch a tube on the road. I run on gatorskins and so rarely get a puncture but when I do I just change the tube, which takes about 7 minutes.

    Course, I'm stuffed if I get two punctures :-)
  • Plumby Baby
    Plumby Baby Posts: 82
    @danowat

    Never tried it - shame. On paper you'd think it kinda might in a fingers crossed way. so what happened then? All just fall out?
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Plumby Baby wrote:
    @danowat

    Never tried it - shame. On paper you'd think it kinda might in a fingers crossed way. so what happened then? All just fall out?

    You (well I) just can't get enough grass, packed in at a decent enough density to even remotely cycle, it all moves about in the tyre as soon as you move off
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    WesternWay wrote:
    Following someone on here's suggestion, I wrap a tube, levers and a little CO2 cannister in cling film and carry them on my commute. I never patch a tube on the road. I run on gatorskins and so rarely get a puncture but when I do I just change the tube, which takes about 7 minutes.

    Course, I'm stuffed if I get two punctures :-)

    You'll love me for this - I've just had a genius idea!!!! Why not take two inner tubes - that way, you'll be fine if you get a second puncture (unless you do what I did when I went to Lincoln and bring two duff spare tubes with you......) :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • WesternWay
    WesternWay Posts: 564
    Rolf F wrote:

    You'll love me for this - I've just had a genius idea!!!! Why not take two inner tubes - that way, you'll be fine if you get a second puncture (unless you do what I did when I went to Lincoln and bring two duff spare tubes with you......) :lol:

    Rolf, If I meet you, I'll buy you a beer. That is a GENIUS idea.

    Now, if we could get started on the "three puncture problem" we should be pretty much covered for all eventualities.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    WesternWay wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:

    You'll love me for this - I've just had a genius idea!!!! Why not take two inner tubes - that way, you'll be fine if you get a second puncture (unless you do what I did when I went to Lincoln and bring two duff spare tubes with you......) :lol:

    Rolf, If I meet you, I'll buy you a beer. That is a GENIUS idea.

    Now, if we could get started on the "three puncture problem" we should be pretty much covered for all eventualities.

    Naaaah, I'm sorry. You've got me there. Can't see any solution to that one. Anyone else got any ideas??
    Faster than a tent.......
  • noisemonkey
    noisemonkey Posts: 159
    WesternWay wrote:
    noisemonkey wrote:
    In the dark in a country lane I stupidly took my road bike down a stony track and got a puncture. Had to walk the other 2 miles to work. Have any of you guys used the Zefal Sealant spray or Vittoria equivalent? Thinking of getting one of those as I let my Park Tools kit at home at the time and it would be quicker to get the bike up and running in that kind of situation?

    I haven't tried them, but I am pretty sure I would be as likely to forget those as an inner tube.

    Following someone on here's suggestion, I wrap a tube, levers and a little CO2 cannister in cling film and carry them on my commute. I never patch a tube on the road. I run on gatorskins and so rarely get a puncture but when I do I just change the tube, which takes about 7 minutes.

    Course, I'm stuffed if I get two punctures :-)

    ah cool.. I'm running on 4000s which I thought were a bit more puncture proof than this? Running across a stony path probably didn't help though. Will definitely be packing a spare tube in future

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