Today's tip

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fausto99
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Joined: 19 Sep 2011, 10:06am
Location: NW Kent

Today's tip

Post by fausto99 »

Had an encounter with a flint today and lost. Took me a while and another tube went bang before I found the small u-shaped cut in the tyre sidewall, I'd missed on first inspection. I was in minimalist mode. I did not have a tyre patch or emergency boot and my spare tubes were minus their cardboard boxes. I was, however, carrying cash for lunch in case they didn't take cards, so, I folded a five pound note into 3 and put that inside the tyre at the appropriate spot and pumped up the 2nd spare tube while watching carefully. It held and got me back home.
tatanab
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Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by tatanab »

That is an old trick in countries whose "paper" money was not actually paper, decades before ours changed. I came across it in the USA in the early 90s where it seemed to be commonly known.

Nevertheless - -- a good post to inform UK riders who may not otherwise be aware.
Mike_Ayling
Posts: 385
Joined: 25 Sep 2017, 3:02am
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: Today's tip

Post by Mike_Ayling »

No need to fold the plastic notes a single layer is strong enough.
peetee
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Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Today's tip

Post by peetee »

Mike_Ayling wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 1:34am No need to fold the plastic notes a single layer is strong enough.
Against flints, are you sure? There’s not much out there that’s sharper. Neolithic humans knew a good thing when they found it.... Which could explain why the bike was invented so late. But that’s another story.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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fausto99
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Joined: 19 Sep 2011, 10:06am
Location: NW Kent

Re: Today's tip

Post by fausto99 »

Mike_Ayling wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 1:34am No need to fold the plastic notes a single layer is strong enough.
It was only a 25 wide tyre!
Valbrona
Posts: 2694
Joined: 7 Feb 2011, 4:49pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by Valbrona »

I've never noticed that a tyre boot takes up much space.
I should coco.
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by Jdsk »

peetee wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 7:28amAgainst flints, are you sure? There’s not much out there that’s sharper. Neolithic humans knew a good thing when they found it.... Which could explain why the bike was invented so late. But that’s another story.
I can just see the grumpy old men sitting round the fire... "What have you got there... typical, the Oldowan Model 1 was good enough for 1,600,000 years and it's good enough for me... why do they have to keep changing everything... ?".

Jonathan
peetee
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Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Today's tip

Post by peetee »

Jdsk wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 8:53am
peetee wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 7:28amAgainst flints, are you sure? There’s not much out there that’s sharper. Neolithic humans knew a good thing when they found it.... Which could explain why the bike was invented so late. But that’s another story.
I can just see the grumpy old men sitting round the fire... "What have you got there... typical, the Oldowan Model 1 was good enough for 1,600,000 years and it's good enough for me... why do they have to keep changing everything... ?".

Jonathan
Ha ha.
“...And isn’t about time someone tidied up that gorge!”
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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TrevA
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Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Today's tip

Post by TrevA »

I used a dentist appointment card for the same purpose in an emergency. It’s not to prevent further punctures but to stop the tube from poking out of the hole in the sidewall to prevent it blowing out. I’ve since started carrying a bit of old tyre as a boot, just in case.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
Mike Sales
Posts: 7882
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by Mike Sales »

I once used a piece of a plastic bottle I found at the roadside. There was a choice! It had been there long enough for UV to weaken it.
A friend cut off a piece of his mudflap on another occasion.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
rjb
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Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: Today's tip

Post by rjb »

As a last resort I have unwound a length of handlebar tape and wrapped it around the tube when the sidewall split on my conti top touring tyre. :o
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
mattsccm
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Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by mattsccm »

Those bikes with mudguards in my shed all have long mudflaps made of damp course membrane. Easy to rip of and makes perfect tyre repair material.
gxaustin
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Joined: 23 Sep 2015, 12:07pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by gxaustin »

Mike_Ayling wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 1:34am No need to fold the plastic notes a single layer is strong enough.
So how do you get an unfolded note into a road bike tyre?
rogerzilla
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Joined: 9 Jun 2008, 8:06pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by rogerzilla »

I once used a piece of fag* packet found at the roadside. Cardboard isn't great because it rapidly gets shredded between the tyre and tube, but it got me within half a mile of home before the new tube poked through and exploded.

*cigarette, for US readers
pwa
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Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Today's tip

Post by pwa »

I think using a fiver is an excellent idea. They make them out of tough stuff. What does a tyre boot cost? Because I bet a fiver is just as effective and I do tend to have one with me at all times.

Edit.
Okay, 3 tyre boots for a fiver, so using an actual fiver isn't the cheaper option.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/inner-tubes ... tyre-boot/
But when I think about it, you don't really lose the fiver. You get it back when you return home and bin the tyre, so cost is zero. Compared to paying a fiver for 3 dedicated tyre boots that will not be used for anything else.
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