Cycling UK Forum

Poundland sell kits for a pound. Selection of differents sized patches with chamfered edges, 2 tubes of solution which seems as good as any other, metal device for roughening inner tube and 2 steel tyre levers.
These kits work as any other I've used and the levers are vastly superior to plastic ones after you round the edges with a file.

In my experience the usual cause of a repair failing is not the kit used but poor preparation.

mark a. wrote:I forgot to mention that it was a rear puncture on a hub-geared and hub-braked bike, so there's no chance of replacing the inner tube in the street. I even had to give up when I eventually walking it home - Halfords had to do the rest for me cos it was a nightmare.

I remember some years ago there were tubes that did not join all the way round. like circle with a gap. It was possible to take off one side of the tyre, remove the old tube and then put in this split replacment, all without removing the wheel. Do they still exist?

Beakyboy wrote:Just replace the inner tube. Inner tubes can be picked up for a couple of quid each now.

I always replace the inner tube to get going but later repair the puncture in the one I have taken off the bike. There is no limit in the number of times a tube can be repaired.

MM

I carry spare tubes but have just bought a weldtite pressurized repair can which claims to give an instant roadside repair - by virtue of blowing up your tube and inject a load of latex to repair the leak/puncture.

They're not cheap at £7 a pop, but if I'm on the way into work and it saves me 10 - 15 minutes faffing about with tyre levers in the cold/wet I'll be happy. Has anyone tried these things? Not sure if you can try a normal repair once you're home with these things either.

I used an aerosol / latex repair kit from decathlon on Thursday night in the rain, it worked well enough to finish the ride and get us home. The tyre was flat by the morning, but when it wet, cold and dark it did the job. At £1.99 a go well worth carrying.

michael Bloxham wrote:I used an aerosol / latex repair kit from decathlon on Thursday night in the rain, it worked well enough to finish the ride and get us home. The tyre was flat by the morning, but when it wet, cold and dark it did the job. At £1.99 a go well worth carrying.

I'd never heard of these but if reliable then they may be an alternative to carrying pump, levers, spare tube and repair kit. Sounds wonderful!
Any views on whether that would be a sensible way to go please?
Also, what to you get from the £9 Vittoria one from Wiggle that you don't get from £1.99 version?

decathlon sell small canisters of foam that you spray in through the valve and it re inflates the tyre good enough to get you back [to the comfort and warmth of] home where you replace the inner tube with a new one

With regards to the foam cannister I 've heard mix reports so always carry tubes and patches. but the cannister was my first choice on a cold wet dark night and it did the job.

michael Bloxham wrote:With regards to the foam cannister I 've heard mix reports so always carry tubes and patches. but the cannister was my first choice on a cold wet dark night and it did the job.

Thanks Michael - I'll give them a whirl, but not dump the pump just yet.

yes that's what i think too; better nto be a bit cautious with new stuff like that.

I've ordered the Park Tools kit and the VAR tyre lever, so I'll see how those go. Hopefully more successful than the Halfords kit and fingers crossed that the weather doesn't get as cold.

If those don't work I might try the split inner tube, which sounds great but for some reason I can't get it out of my head that it couldn't possibly work...!

Mark

mark a. wrote:I've ordered the Park Tools kit and the VAR tyre lever, so I'll see how those go. Hopefully more successful than the Halfords kit and fingers crossed that the weather doesn't get as cold.

If those don't work I might try the split inner tube, which sounds great but for some reason I can't get it out of my head that it couldn't possibly work...!

Mark

re the VAR tyre lever - see my contribution on the "most useless purchase ever" thread. I'll keep it short here - not impressed!

pigman wrote:

mark a. wrote:I've ordered the Park Tools kit and the VAR tyre lever, so I'll see how those go. Hopefully more successful than the Halfords kit and fingers crossed that the weather doesn't get as cold.

If those don't work I might try the split inner tube, which sounds great but for some reason I can't get it out of my head that it couldn't possibly work...!

Mark

re the VAR tyre lever - see my contribution on the "most useless purchase ever" thread. I'll keep it short here - not impressed!

On the other hand, I think it is excellent! Putting Conti Gatorskins on Mavic Aksiums was extremely hard and painful until I got a VAR tyre lever. Now it is much easier.

I was working on the basis that Park + VAR means that somethine ought to work! If not then the steel-core levers will be purchased too then I'll have options aplenty.

I recently tried the geax pit stop foam can, I was impressed by how much it inflated the tyre in the first place, but it did all leak out the hole! So it ended in a shortish 1 mile jog home with bike.

Usually don't have a problem with p*nctures since Schwalbe country cruiser protection on my bike about 7 years ago, 2 flats and those being down to glass fragments.
The previous flat was a big wedge of glass, this one quite small, can foam deal with that usually? Maybe I didn't spin the wheel to distribute the foam?


Was I expecting too much or not using the foam correctly?