i have fucking had it with fucking punctures

Sesquepidilian

So about 3 weeks ago I picked-up a pucture; coincidentally about the same time I bought a proper racing bike. No big deal, I had no repair gear so I accepted it, walked home and fixed it up the next day. That next day I got another flat; walked it home and figured I must have pinched the tube. Fitted a spare and made extra sure it was in right. Couple of days pass and I get up one morning to find yet another flat tyre. Couldn't see any obvious issues so fitted another tube and went on my way. A few days pass and a I had a blow out on the rear; a flat spot had opened up and nailed the tube. I does the walking thing YET AGAIN and this time I take no chances. Two brand new Schwealbe Ultremno R1s and Michelin tubes go in. Not two days later, tonight, I hit a pot-hole that flattened front and rear. I've just gotten back from an eight mile walk home and I have FUCKING HAD IT. If I find tomorrow it's done the tyres and the tubes I'm gonna cut this fucking bike up with the oxy-acetylene. This bloody thing is cursed; it's cost me £50 in tubes and £50 in tyres in less than a month and I've probbably only ridden 3 or 4 days in each of those weeks while waiting for stuff to arrive.

:evil:

nevman

I know where theres a turbo going cheap..

jmcc500

Good rant - I'd score you 9/10 ;-)

Sounds like a nightmare. Had similar problems with my ancient steel road bike. Was caused by old rim tape not sufficiently covering the spoke nipples. PITA.

What pressure are you running?

bartman100

Vittoria Rubino Pros are the answer

cornerblock

jmcc500 wrote:

What pressure are you running?

At least 140/90 mmHg by the sound of it.

GiantMike

If you're splitting the bike I need some 10 speed shifters.

jmcc500

Cornerblock wrote:

jmcc500 wrote:

What pressure are you running?

At least 140/90 mmHg by the sound of it.

Keen and mean

Are you putting enough pressure into them tyres, and are you checking the tyre for any objects, also not being funny how much do you weigh.
Take a spear inner tube with a repair kit with you on each bike ride, I never go out on a bike ride with out at least an inner tube..

Gazzetta67

Can i have 1st refusal on your tyre levers - tho you have used them so half price maybe ? 8)

Sussed out

I've never had a puncture while out riding.
I got a bit annoyed once when my front tyre kept deflating over the course of a week.
I had to change the inner tube- Hassle!

(I'm going to have none stop punctures now aren't I?)

t.m.h.n.e.t

Quit riding in the gutter and through potholes?

lone wheeler

Stop messing about and ride Tubs!

MarksMintness

I punctured for the first time this morning on way to work, half way into the 15 mile commute! Had to call wife who came out in the car and rescued me. Got a tyre to repair at lunch and will need to pack repair equipment next time! Doh

capt_slog

Sussed out wrote:

I've never had a puncture while out riding.
I got a bit annoyed once when my front tyre kept deflating over the course of a week.
I had to change the inner tube- Hassle!

(I'm going to have none stop punctures now aren't I?)

Yup.

I realised the other day that I've been carrying a spare inner tube and levers with me BUT I have absolutely no way of getting the rear wheel out because i don't carry a spanner to remove it.

p9uma

Capt Slog wrote:

Sussed out wrote:

I've never had a puncture while out riding.
I got a bit annoyed once when my front tyre kept deflating over the course of a week.
I had to change the inner tube- Hassle!

(I'm going to have none stop punctures now aren't I?)

Yup.

I realised the other day that I've been carrying a spare inner tube and levers with me BUT I have absolutely no way of getting the rear wheel out because i don't carry a spanner to remove it.

A spanner? What is this spanner of which you speak?

capt_slog

p9uma wrote:

Capt Slog wrote:

Sussed out wrote:

I've never had a puncture while out riding.
I got a bit annoyed once when my front tyre kept deflating over the course of a week.
I had to change the inner tube- Hassle!

(I'm going to have none stop punctures now aren't I?)

Yup.

I realised the other day that I've been carrying a spare inner tube and levers with me BUT I have absolutely no way of getting the rear wheel out because i don't carry a spanner to remove it.

A spanner? What is this spanner of which you speak?

That's right, no quick release. I'm going to have to fit one.

daviesee

Use a pressure gauge to make sure that you have adequate pressure.
Pressing your thumbs onto the tyre doesn't cut it.
Watch where you are going.
Always carry at least one spare (or one spare & patches), levers and mini-pump.

p9uma

Capt Slog wrote:

p9uma wrote:

Capt Slog wrote:

Sussed out wrote:

I've never had a puncture while out riding.
I got a bit annoyed once when my front tyre kept deflating over the course of a week.
I had to change the inner tube- Hassle!

(I'm going to have none stop punctures now aren't I?)

Yup.

I realised the other day that I've been carrying a spare inner tube and levers with me BUT I have absolutely no way of getting the rear wheel out because i don't carry a spanner to remove it.

A spanner? What is this spanner of which you speak?

That's right, no quick release. I'm going to have to fit one.

Crivens! That is old school.

CiB

Punctures are avoidable.

Tyres need to be inflated to around 100-110 psi to prevent pinch flats.

Rim tape should be smooth, free from cuts & nicks and cover the spoke & valve holes properly. If there are cuts & nicks showing, cover them with plastic insulating tape a bit of duct tape cut nicely to size.

Check tyres thoroughly for any pointy objects. Best way is to remove the tyre and slide your finger round the inner surfaces pressing very firmly. When you bleed, you've found a pointy object. Do the same on the outside too. If you don't feel anything, go round it again in bright sunlight with your mum's glasses held at an awkward angle to magnify the inner side of the tyre. Look for thorns, tiny shards of glass, anything that's not smooth tyre in fact, and remove it.

Check the rim for any sharp things that shouldn't be there. A nail file is enough to take down any burrs or rough edges.

Make a habit of clearing road grit from the tyre. Do it on the move, at traffic lights, at cake stops.

Watch where you're going. There's no need to ride through a pile of gravel, a broken beer bottle or the hedge cuttings left behind by a farmer's hedge trimming exercise. Watch out for debris, and avoid pot holes too.

Mend punctures properly with vulcanising glue & patches, following the right method. A proper repair is stronger than the original and better than those self-adhesive things. Before you refit the tube go back and do paragraphs 2 & 3 above.

If your tyres are hard to fit, use a finger smear of washing up liquid inside the bead to help it slip over the last 3 or 4" of rim, rather than forcing it with levers. Washing up liquid doesn't cause punctures.

That should keep you going.

byke68

Get the missus or kids to go out and sweep the road just before you go out, sorted!

rolf_f

Sesquepidilian wrote:

This bloody thing is cursed; it's cost me £50 in tubes and £50 in tyres in less than a month and I've probbably only ridden 3 or 4 days in each of those weeks while waiting for stuff to arrive.

That's impressive - I'm covering 7000 - 10000 miles a year and I doubt I'll use £50 worth of inner tubes in ten years

MarksMintness

Rolf F wrote:

Sesquepidilian wrote:

This bloody thing is cursed; it's cost me £50 in tubes and £50 in tyres in less than a month and I've probbably only ridden 3 or 4 days in each of those weeks while waiting for stuff to arrive.

That's impressive - I'm covering 7000 - 10000 miles a year and I doubt I'll use £50 worth of inner tubes in ten years

What's your secret Rolf? Any recommended tyres/tubes general tips etc?
Teach us your way Jedi master!

jgsi

He probably just knows how to fit a tyre and tube correctly.
Ride and forget.

mudcow007

are you making sure the tyres dont anything embedded in them?

are you making sure the tyre bead is sat correctly an not pinching the tube when you re-inflate?

Pross

So having had to walk home once as a result of not carrying spares the OP failed to learn their lesson and has had to walk home twice more? That's unbelievable! Puntures happen unfortunately but the amount above in a short time suggests something is being done incorrectly when fitting new tubes.

pinno

After riding the Caledonia etape and dodging carpet tacks (3 punctures), I upgraded to latex inner tubes. Worth every penny. Roll like tubs and are far more puncture resistant. I have had one leaky valve and 2 punctures since 2009 and the roads around here are third rate.

MarksMintness

pinarello001 wrote:

After riding the Caledonia etape and dodging carpet tacks (3 punctures), I upgraded to latex inner tubes. Worth every penny. Roll like tubs and are far more puncture resistant. I have had one leaky valve and 2 punctures since 2009 and the roads around here are third rate.

Interesting... Well I got mine repaired at Halfords at lunch and am about to ride home. Looked at some Conti Gatorskins at lunch, they look like a sensible upgrade later down the line, as everyone seems to speak very well of them as good year round commuting tyres for road bikes.
Cheers,

Redhog14

Keen and mean wrote:

Are you putting enough pressure into them tyres, and are you checking the tyre for any objects, also not being funny how much do you weigh.
Take a spear inner tube with a repair kit with you on each bike ride, I never go out on a bike ride with out at least an inner tube..

MMM not sure you've got the gist of this, he doesn't want more punctures

nevman

Damn it now Ive got one-how can you ride 114K then leave it for 4 days to find it flatted.Its catching.

Sesquepidilian

Pross wrote:

So having had to walk home once as a result of not carrying spares the OP failed to learn their lesson and has had to walk home twice more? That's unbelievable! Puntures happen unfortunately but the amount above in a short time suggests something is being done incorrectly when fitting new tubes.

No I had one tube and one can of fizz/CO2 but wiped-out two tubes at the same time. The tally so far is;
2 that I have no doubt were punctures
pinched 1 maybe 2 replacement tubes
had a flat-spot on a tyre let-go taking 1 tube with it
and walloped a pothole that wiped out 2 more.
Anyway I'm in a better mood today. I now have two (repaired) spare tubes, a can of fizz/CO2, repair patches and tyre levers in my saddle bag and a mini pump on the frame. If I had had both spare tubes and the pump last night I would have been okay.

It was a bad ass pothole; nearly broke my wrist. Right on the start of the cycle lane, too.

pinno

nevman wrote:

Damn it now Ive got one-how can you ride 114K then leave it for 4 days to find it flatted.Its catching.

Dunno if your running on latex - but that is the downside of them: they do not stay fully inflated for more than 12 hours.
But hey my backside is happy 'cos I have a carbon frame, carbon seatpost, gel/cork/elastomer-fanny pad core handlebar tape/saddle of the same construction, latex inner tubes and I am now riding at the proper 110-115psi and according to my nerdy anorakish spreadsheet/log, 1.7 mph quicker on average than I was on my steel frame 5 years ago. Down to just technology and tyre pressure. I am no fitter.
Just fitted a set of ceramic bearings to my hoops and gagging to get out on them... maybe 1.8mph quicker... soon, I am going to be a real cyclist !