Puddle puncture!!!!

pedarby

I had my first experience of commuting to work in the pouring down rain last week. Determined not to become just a fair weather cyclist I set off in an absolute downpour. The rain eased off quite soon but actually I did not mind the shower anyway - quite cooling and refreshing!!!

Anyway the problem was that I also experienced by first puncture out on the road :shock:

It was to the rear wheel. Loads of fun changing an inner tube in the rain :?

I was approaching a puddle with a vehicle approaching to overtake me from behind so I could not swerve to avoid said puddle and ended up going through it, which happened to be disguising a large pothole.

Was I just paying the price for the novice mistake of riding through a puddle? Surely they cannot all be avoided in case they are disguising a pot hole?

Any advice? I've been told to lift bum off seat to take weight off the back wheel. Is this correct?

wongataa

You can't always avoid puddles but you have to be wary in the wet as they can disguise things such as potholes as you have found out to your cost.

jimothy78

Learn to bunnyhop, or failing that at least get in the habit of unweighting your wheels one at a time.

cougie

Or plan ahead. Take a line that will avoid the upcoming puddle and then the overtaking vehicle doesn't have to deal with you swerving out last minute.

haydenm

I hit a pothole and got a front flat in a cycle lane at the side of a road. The lane usually ends up covered in gravel and overgrown and I had been very vigilant the whole way along due to the biblical flood in progress. Sometimes it's unavoidable to be honest!

slowbike

I commuted home in the downpour last night - water everywhere ... loads of puddles - no way could I avoid them all ...

however, as I ride the route regularly I know where the potholes are - well, the existing ones anyway - so I can ride through any puddle knowing there's no pothole to hit - stones, flint and other debris - well - that's a different matter ...

andcp

Be careful out there:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... later.html

drlodge

Of course if you ride tubeless, you cannot pinch flat. But hidden potholes are a nightmare, be careful out there.

keef66

I find this is worse in the winter as I do a lot of my riding after dark, and they are even harder to spot. A couple of times I've managed to hop the front wheel over a pothole only to have the rear crash into it and pinch flat. Sometimes I'm unsighted by oncoming vehicles with lights on main beam or badly adjusted, and I really cannot see what I'm riding into; then I just cross my fingers and hope.

In daylight I look much further ahead and ride assertively, pulling out to ride round puddles, potholes etc in plenty of time

drlodge

Certainly in the dark its hard to see very far in front, and impossible if it starts to rain. Then you need bomb proof wheels/tyres, a lot of confidence and the good fortune to not hit something big.

svetty

Plenty of people killed by hitting potholes and being thrown off or into the path of cars. Ride nearer the primary position and try to avoid puddles....

pedarby

Thank you everyone, appreciate all the replies!!