Winter tyres / inner tube / puncture repairs questions

gattocattivo

I've hardly ridden in recent weeks what with the weather, but in two of my last three rides I've had a rear wheel puncture (which isn't much fun to try to fix on your own when it's -2C). A few questions:

1) I'm guessing it's time for me to replace the tyres on my winter bike. Any recommendations? At the moment I've got Vittoria Rubino's on there (700x25) and they've probably only done about 1,000 miles, but obviously in rough conditions.

2) When I got the first puncture I discovered that my spare tubes didn't have a long enough valve. The rims aren't especially deep section, just the standard Pro-Lite Como which Ribble supplied, but seem to be just that little bit too deep for a standard valve to connect to a pump. So I had to get to the nearest bike shop and get some spare tubes with a long valve. They sold me a couple of Specialized ones (20-28), one of which got my second puncture after just 50 miles or so of riding. Is it possible these inner tubes are too lightweight to be suitable for winter riding? Is there a better inner tube (with a long enough valve)?

3) Is it worth fixing punctured inner tubes or should I just throw them away?

4) I used up the last patch from my puncture repair kit so I ordered a new kit off amazon (as I was buying some Christmas presents anyway), but when it turned up I found out the patches were stick-on ones that you don’t use the glue with. Reading some of the feedback on amazon, it sounds like these might not be appropriate for >100psi which you have on road bikes, just for low pressure MTBs – is that right?

sungod

1 - i run the same tyres all year round - gp4000s - if you are happy with the rubino's then stick with them, check wear, if ok keep, otherwise replace, unless you are riding on snow/ice not much point fitting knobbly/studded. the best tyre on roads, whether wet or dry, is slick

2- i'vre used them, they're fine, maybe just bad luck or something stuck in the tyre?

3 - unless they are torn/worn, fix them

4 - get a proper repair kit, rema tip top, for road tyres you want the 'sport' one...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/rema-tip-top-tt ... epair-kit/

gattocattivo

thanks

uphillbothways

Before you chuck it out, check your back tyre thoroughly, inside and out - repeated punctures are usually a sign that whatever caused the first puncture is still stuck in the tyre. Rainwater acts like a lubricant, so very small shards of glass or flint can cut through easily and lodge themselves in the fabric of the tyre. 1000 miles isn't a massive distance, but if you do want to change your tyres, I'm a big fan of Schwalbe Duranos - not the fastest tyres in the world, but more than adequate for training and incredibly hardwearing.

Inner tubes come in various materials and thicknesses, racers will use very thin latex tubes to save weight, whereas most of us are better off with a heavy butyl tube. I think your tubes are probably fine, but you could try a puncture-resistant tube if you like. If you shop around online most manufacturers list the length of the stem.

joeNinety90

I had a similar problem with repeated punctures. Replacing the rim tape did the job for me (having checked for embedded glass, thorns, flint and stuff on the inside of the tyre first). I also went out and bought a better pump, the Specialized Air Tool Pro, which gives me a higher pressure.