I blame rejoining the forum.

Jen J

I'm sure it can't just be a coincidence that this happened just days after I rejoined a bike forum.

I got my first ever puncture.

I felt something was odd when I left the house to bike to the stables, but couldn't work out what it was until I pulled over half a mile from home and saw that my rear tyre was completely flat.

I had nothing with me to fix it, and no idea of what to do anyway, so walked it back home. It meant I was late for riding, so I had to run to the station to catch the train, and still got there late. To top things off, I fell off a horse for the first time in 15 years.

But it occurred to me that I was quite lucky that I noticed the puncture near home, as otherwise I would have been stranded, up to 10 miles from home, with no option but to walk it back.

So, yes, I need to carry a puncture repair kit. But I also need to learn what to do with it. And need to fix this one, which I may cheat on by taking it back to the tri shop for a service, which I was going to do anyway.

Any volunteers for a basic bike maintenance demo?

Specialized Needs

Hmm, unlucky!

For basic maintenance, how about these?

But I'm sure you'll get a lot more sociable offers...

Jen J

Specialized Needs wrote:

Hmm, unlucky!

For basic maintenance, how about these?

But I'm sure you'll get a lot more sociable offers...

That looks really good, I may just do that, thanks.

I did book a bike maintenance course for last January, but as I thought I wasn't ever going to get on a bike again, I gave the place away...

I should really be grateful that it's taken this long to get a puncture.

Mynameisdann

Ooooh i think i might have to try that session )

Specialized Needs

Actually, you may want to drag DDD to one, as well. Going by his comments on another thread, he might benefit

hisoka

Jen J wrote:

I'm sure it can't just be a coincidence that this happened just days after I rejoined a bike forum.

I got my first ever puncture.

I felt something was odd when I left the house to bike to the stables, but couldn't work out what it was until I pulled over half a mile from home and saw that my rear tyre was completely flat.

I had nothing with me to fix it, and no idea of what to do anyway, so walked it back home. It meant I was late for riding, so I had to run to the station to catch the train, and still got there late. To top things off, I fell off a horse for the first time in 15 years.

But it occurred to me that I was quite lucky that I noticed the puncture near home, as otherwise I would have been stranded, up to 10 miles from home, with no option but to walk it back.

So, yes, I need to carry a puncture repair kit. But I also need to learn what to do with it. And need to fix this one, which I may cheat on by taking it back to the tri shop for a service, which I was going to do anyway.

Any volunteers for a basic bike maintenance demo?

I would, depends can you make it up to Nottingham for the demo? hehehe, yes I'm a Yokel

biondino

Jen, rather than a repair kit I'd carry an inner tube (or two ideally - amazing how often I either break the valve on the first, or fail to get the puncture-villain out of my tyre), levers and a mini-pump with you, perhaps in a saddle bag - then you'll never be caught short and you can even be a good samaritan if you find someone else stuck with a puncture miles from home!

mudcovered

biondino wrote:

Jen, rather than a repair kit I'd carry an inner tube (or two ideally - amazing how often I either break the valve on the first,

I carry a tube and a patch kit. Rarely need both but there have been a couple of rides (where some glass had worked its way into the tyre and I didn't spot it that I've been glad of both. I just use the spare tube if I'm in a rush or if the weather is rubbish but I'll often take the time to do a patch job if I've got no specific deadline.

I always carry a 700c & a 26in inner tube mostly so I don't have to switch kit around when I change bikes but I have been in a situations before I did this where I couldn't help someone out because the tube I was carrying was the wrong type. Fortunately they had a way out that didn't involve a long walk.

Mike

MonkeyMonster

I suspect you'll find its because ITB is not on the roads so much atm with his knackered shoulder...

oh and welcome back btw

rjsterry

Indeed, the PF must be appeased one way or another.

Jen J

biondino wrote:

Jen, rather than a repair kit I'd carry an inner tube (or two ideally - amazing how often I either break the valve on the first, or fail to get the puncture-villain out of my tyre), levers and a mini-pump with you, perhaps in a saddle bag - then you'll never be caught short and you can even be a good samaritan if you find someone else stuck with a puncture miles from home!

I always used to carry a spare plus the repair kit etc, but haven't got around to putting the saddle bag onto the old roadie yet. Yeah, I know, it'll take about 2 minutes :oops:

But I'd still have the issue of waiting by the side of the road until a good samaritan comes along to show me what to do, or walking back, so I need to get myself trained so I can look after myself. I know (knew?) the theory, just not the practice.

Specialized Needs

biondino wrote:

Jen, rather than a repair kit I'd carry an inner tube (or two ideally - amazing how often I either break the valve on the first, or fail to get the puncture-villain out of my tyre), levers and a mini-pump with you, perhaps in a saddle bag - then you'll never be caught short and you can even be a good samaritan if you find someone else stuck with a puncture miles from home!

Light and easy to carry, and generally well received, are the Park Tools self adhesive patches rather than a full rubber-solution-abrasive-chalk-and-patches-kit. They are available from Evans (£3.99 [edit: now £2.99] for 6 in a nice little case the size of a postage stamp), but they have recently price matched me from this store (£2.16).

il_principe

I always carry 2 tubes, 2 Co2 canisters, a minipump and tyre levers. Would never dare leave home without that lot.

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itboffin

Pah I don't even bother carrying a kit these days but then I'm not cycling either

biondino

Jen, I'm very happy to show you how to do it! It's pretty straightforward - occasionally requires a bit of strength depending on your tyres but the mechanism's the same.

Hit me up yo!