The Sword of Damocles

oodboo

I've noticed that I've got 2 big chunks of glass in my rear tyre just sitting there like a proverbial sword of damocles. Now being quite lazy when it comes to preventative maintenance I am quite reluctant to take them out as this will probably mean fixing a couple of punctures. I know I should sort it before riding as fixing things mid commute is a ball ache to say the least but they have covered probably about 20 miles since I noticed them and I still haven't bothered to do anything about it.

Other than a few drops of oil and the odd clean to keep the bike running I find myself reluctant to fix things that aren't broke yet, got some other bikes to look after and they get my attention. So I was just wondering how you lot feel about these things. How proactive are you when it comes to maintaining your commuter bikes?

SimonAH

Firstly take out the chunks of glass fool! (said in best BA Barracus voice) They are not sealing punctures, they just have not made one yet.

Secondly, maintenance is fun! Nothing like riding a sweetly humming crisp clean bicycle - you do change the sheets on your bed right? Same thing.

lost_in_thought

Hmmmm, not very proactive at all!

It generally takes some manner of major failure for me to sit up and actually do something about maintenance, like a chain breaking (funny noise every so often, clearly coming apart), or a pannier rack falling off (had been rattling for weeks), to give various examples.

The one minor exception to this is the front brake. I like stopping, so inefficiency is quickly addressed, but it's taken me ages to take the mixte into a bike shop so I don't have to re-centre the front caliper with my hand every time I brake...#

Oh and the back brake almost never works on most of my bikes. :oops:

davis

How are you managing to convince yourself that the glass is "sealing" a puncture?

It's just not gone through. Yet.

_Brun_

Last time I carefully removed a large chunk of glass from a tyre it deflated immediately. They might not be sealing a puncture, but taking them out can certainly cause one.

kelsen

:shock: Take them out! They're little time bombs waiting to go off!

davis

_Brun_ wrote:

Last time I carefully removed a large chunk of glass from a tyre it deflated immediately. They might not be sealing a puncture, but taking them out can certainly cause one.

Hum. *Tries to argue with reality. Fails.*

rolf_f

Maybe I'm wierd (no, don't say anything - anyone. OK?!) but I find digging glass out of tyres quite therapeutic! I'm disappointed when I check and find nothing

Still, I've found a new source of sad amusement by digging out flakes of metal from my brake blocks.........

To the OP - even if miraculously the laws of physics allowed that the glass shards were preventing a puncture, surely you'd rather take that chance and fix the puncture at home than have it happen when you were on a ride?

pastryboy

The glass probably hasn't gone through yet otherwise you'd have a slow puncture at least.

The other day I saw something stick out the side of my tyre and realised it was a thorn. I was in two minds about whether to pull it out. I had a little fiddle just to check it had gone right in and whooosh there went the tyre.

My commute is too long to risk anything going wrong with the bike so I investigate everything at the first chance..

flimflam_machine

davis wrote:

How are you managing to convince yourself that the glass is "sealing" a puncture?

Tubeless?

I don't have enough time to keep my bike nice and shiny so a bit of lube on the chain and a pumping up of the tyres is all it gets on a regular basis. Much more infrequently I'll clean the road film off the rims and brake blocks, give the cables a quick wipe and oil and check that everything that should be is tight.

Having said that, with spring coming round it may be time to give my bike a proper strip down and clean up. It's always fun scaring pedestrians on a near silent bike!

oodboo

Well I'm glad to see it's not just me that doesn't have the time or inclination to keep our commuter bikes in tip top condition.

To everyone who asked how I know the glass is sealing a puncture - I don't, I can just tell from the little bulge in the tyre where the glass is that it's a lot bigger than some of the little shards I have removed in the past. They tyre is quite worn so unless I want to cut a big chunk out of the tyre then I'll need to take it off to get the glass out.

I've just done another seven and a half miles over lunch (I work between two sites) and the back tyre is still up. Got a slow puncture in the front though.

kelsen

oodboo wrote:

To everyone who asked how I know the glass is sealing a puncture - I don't, I can just tell from the little bulge in the tyre where the glass is that it's a lot bigger than some of the little shards I have removed in the past. They tyre is quite worn so unless I want to cut a big chunk out of the tyre then I'll need to take it off to get the glass out.

Out of principle, those little b'stards are staying in there now aren't they?!

oodboo

kelsen wrote:

Out of principle, those little b'stards are staying in there now aren't they?!

Oh yeah :twisted:

rolf_f

oodboo wrote:

They tyre is quite worn so unless I want to cut a big chunk out of the tyre then I'll need to take it off to get the glass out.

I've never had to take the tyre off (or even let it down) in order to get the glass out. Don't cut big chunks into the tyre either - I just dig them out with a scalpel.

iclestu

Rolf F wrote:

oodboo wrote:

They tyre is quite worn so unless I want to cut a big chunk out of the tyre then I'll need to take it off to get the glass out.

I've never had to take the tyre off (or even let it down) in order to get the glass out. Don't cut big chunks into the tyre either - I just dig them out with a scalpel.

:? now having never noticed any glass in my tires and (TOUCH WOOD!!!!) having few enough visits from the puncture fairy (I think only one since i got some gatorskins) I am bemused as to whether i need to be doing this. I have never considered that i might have something in there?

(rushes out to shed to check to see if he can find some glass in his tyres)

rolf_f

iclestu wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

oodboo wrote:

They tyre is quite worn so unless I want to cut a big chunk out of the tyre then I'll need to take it off to get the glass out.

I've never had to take the tyre off (or even let it down) in order to get the glass out. Don't cut big chunks into the tyre either - I just dig them out with a scalpel.

:? now having never noticed any glass in my tires and (TOUCH WOOD!!!!) having few enough visits from the puncture fairy (I think only one since i got some gatorskins) I am bemused as to whether i need to be doing this. I have never considered that i might have something in there?

(rushes out to shed to check to see if he can find some glass in his tyres)

Even kevlar belts aren't completely immune but, on the few occasions I have had punctures, I've not always been sure that the deflation has been down to something I just rode over or something I rode over some time previously.

After a nice wet period, I've dug out enough glass from my tyres to reglaze the East window of York Minster....... Tends not to happen too much in the dry though.

If there are any cuts in your tyres, there is a good chance you'll find a bit of glass lurking in there. You might not be able to see it but that doesn't mean it isn't there!

jejv

Rolf F wrote:

Maybe I'm wierd (no, don't say anything - anyone. OK?!) but I find digging glass out of tyres quite therapeutic! I'm disappointed when I check and find nothing

"Maybe" :shock:

Rolf F wrote:

Still, I've found a new source of sad amusement by digging out flakes of metal from my brake blocks.........

Well, I've a few sets of pads in the garage stuffed with swarf. I could send them if you like.

Doesn't koolstop or swiss stop fix that for you ?

itboffin

I fitted swiss stops to the commuter just before it's early retirement then promptly forgot on the first descent :?

There may have been a bit of rear wheel lift and increased heart rate :shock:

sfichele

In terms of being proactive. I'm really slack or forgetful. I'm always riding home and thinking I need to check the tyre pressure and clean/oil service drive-train because its skipping/sticky/grinding.

I then get home and completely forget or don't have time and then next morning I'm cursing myself. And the next evening I'm thinking when I get home I'll service the drive-train...