Puncture repairs - does anyone care?
thirdcrank: I have a useful piece of software (called My Brain) that quickly spots references to puncture repair, cotton tents, handlebar height, steel v alu frames, low gears and panniers. In this case, it quickly homed in on your topic title: "Puncture repairs - does anyone care?" and the rest followed. So was your post, which BTW made an excellent point, about the obviously useless video or the frustration of getting something done about it? In either case, "This Message Board" may have been a better section to put it on. In the event, the pleasure was all ours.
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36740
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
(I will allow myself a silly face. And thanks.-
reohn2
Just a couple of points raised;-
1)Tubes sticking themselves to the inside of tyres.
I find a liberal coating of talc inside the tyre when putting it on new solves this problem.
2)On getting hands dirty when carrying out repairs at the roadside
A film cannister(if you've not got one ask at Max Spielman) filled with Swarfega or similar gets hands spotless washed off with water from your bottle.
As for puncture repairing:-
If you're a woman and can't/don't know how to,use your head every man wants to help a lady in distress so bat your eyes and look forlorn.
If your a man and can't mend a puncture, you should be ashamed of yourself.
This particular repair is not rocket science.
Its got to be said that with the tyres available these days punctures should be at an absolute minimum, if tyres are checked regularly for bad cuts and forigien bodies.
As for tubes, for a good tube it costs £2.99 at my LBS and the most I've ever payed (and I was robbed)was £4.50.
Tyres similarly cost on average £15 to £20max, it doesn't have you crying your beer to change a tyre when its looking a bit ropey.
1)Tubes sticking themselves to the inside of tyres.
I find a liberal coating of talc inside the tyre when putting it on new solves this problem.
2)On getting hands dirty when carrying out repairs at the roadside
A film cannister(if you've not got one ask at Max Spielman) filled with Swarfega or similar gets hands spotless washed off with water from your bottle.
As for puncture repairing:-
If you're a woman and can't/don't know how to,use your head every man wants to help a lady in distress so bat your eyes and look forlorn.
If your a man and can't mend a puncture, you should be ashamed of yourself.
This particular repair is not rocket science.
Its got to be said that with the tyres available these days punctures should be at an absolute minimum, if tyres are checked regularly for bad cuts and forigien bodies.
As for tubes, for a good tube it costs £2.99 at my LBS and the most I've ever payed (and I was robbed)was £4.50.
Tyres similarly cost on average £15 to £20max, it doesn't have you crying your beer to change a tyre when its looking a bit ropey.
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36740
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
r2
I don't often disagree with you but I am not sure the advice for women is right. I would say, ' Get somebody who knows how to do it to show you. It is much easier than you think. But beware, if the word gets round you can do it, you may have idle men queuing for help'.
My next project may be a video to demonstrate the bits the other skipped. I may get an award - probably a Dafta.
I don't often disagree with you but I am not sure the advice for women is right. I would say, ' Get somebody who knows how to do it to show you. It is much easier than you think. But beware, if the word gets round you can do it, you may have idle men queuing for help'.
My next project may be a video to demonstrate the bits the other skipped. I may get an award - probably a Dafta.
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Mendologist
Perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree here, and taking the risk of being accused of teaching you guys to suck eggs and all that, but here goes anyway;
When fitting tyres with out tools, In order to get the cover to slip over the last section of rim easily, you must ensure that the bead of the tyre you have akready managed to fit to the rim, drops down onto the centre of the rim where the rim tape is. This gives enough slack to be able to gently push the remaining cove over the last bit of rim with your thumbs.
Time after time, I watch people put the tube in, and then slightly inflate it before trying to fit the cove back on, inflating the tube stops the cover dropping to the centre of the wheel, and makes the tyre very tight to get back on.
The exception to this rule is with Continental tyres (the manufacturer) they manufacture to extremely tight tolerances, and can be a nightmare what ever way you try.
Hope I havn't offended any one. 
When fitting tyres with out tools, In order to get the cover to slip over the last section of rim easily, you must ensure that the bead of the tyre you have akready managed to fit to the rim, drops down onto the centre of the rim where the rim tape is. This gives enough slack to be able to gently push the remaining cove over the last bit of rim with your thumbs.
Time after time, I watch people put the tube in, and then slightly inflate it before trying to fit the cove back on, inflating the tube stops the cover dropping to the centre of the wheel, and makes the tyre very tight to get back on.
The exception to this rule is with Continental tyres (the manufacturer) they manufacture to extremely tight tolerances, and can be a nightmare what ever way you try.
Hope I havn't offended any one. 
All true...but it does happen that you can do everything right and the last couple of inches still won't go over. This is why talcum powder can be a boon in that the soft rubber compound used for tyres these days, sticks to the metal rim and refuses to shift unless lubed with talc.
VAR levers are also a BIG help.
VAR levers are also a BIG help.
Georgew - thanks for the tip about 'Var tyre levers' will try and get some - I expect Wiggle will have them.
R2 - not sure about the advice to 'bat eyes and look forlorn'. Could wait a very long time for another cyclist to pass by and dont think I would feel safe waylaying a motorist on a lonely road.
Would rather have the confidence of being independant.
My husband has shown me how to do it on several occasions ( every time we have had a puncture ) dont know whether it is a lack of strength or technique.
Will try the Var tyre levers and Methodologist's tip to gain extra slack.
R2 - not sure about the advice to 'bat eyes and look forlorn'. Could wait a very long time for another cyclist to pass by and dont think I would feel safe waylaying a motorist on a lonely road.
Would rather have the confidence of being independant.
My husband has shown me how to do it on several occasions ( every time we have had a puncture ) dont know whether it is a lack of strength or technique.
Will try the Var tyre levers and Methodologist's tip to gain extra slack.
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Kentish Man
reohn2 wrote:Just a couple of points raised;-
1)Tubes sticking themselves to the inside of tyres.
I find a liberal coating of talc inside the tyre when putting it on new solves this problem.
2)On getting hands dirty when carrying out repairs at the roadside
A film cannister(if you've not got one ask at Max Spielman) filled with Swarfega or similar gets hands spotless washed off with water from your bottle.
.
1. why not buy pre-talced tubes?
2. wear your grime with pride!
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36740
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Jac
Mendologist is spot on. Some of my posts should now come with a little 'r' to indicate 'repeat' but on the basis you missed the programme last time, here is another chance to see classic t/c footage....
'A lot of this is in the mind. People concentrate on the hard rim and the inflexible bead. The problem is the soft, flabby innertube. Try fitting the cover without the tube. It will normally slip on and off without tools. So it must be the tube. So the plan is to get the tube out of the way so the bead can get right down in the well of the rim, to provide the slack to get the bead over that last bit of rim.'
And remember, if you can achieve this, you have started to breach one of the last bastions of male whatever you call it.
And getting back to where we came, it is very sad that a video produced specially to deal with this should resort to maji.....
Mendologist is spot on. Some of my posts should now come with a little 'r' to indicate 'repeat' but on the basis you missed the programme last time, here is another chance to see classic t/c footage....
'A lot of this is in the mind. People concentrate on the hard rim and the inflexible bead. The problem is the soft, flabby innertube. Try fitting the cover without the tube. It will normally slip on and off without tools. So it must be the tube. So the plan is to get the tube out of the way so the bead can get right down in the well of the rim, to provide the slack to get the bead over that last bit of rim.'
And remember, if you can achieve this, you have started to breach one of the last bastions of male whatever you call it.
And getting back to where we came, it is very sad that a video produced specially to deal with this should resort to maji.....
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reohn2
Jac wrote:Georgew - thanks for the tip about 'Var tyre levers' will try and get some - I expect Wiggle will have them.
R2 - not sure about the advice to 'bat eyes and look forlorn'. Could wait a very long time for another cyclist to pass by and dont think I would feel safe waylaying a motorist on a lonely road.
Would rather have the confidence of being independant.
My husband has shown me how to do it on several occasions ( every time we have had a puncture ) dont know whether it is a lack of strength or technique.
Will try the Var tyre levers and Methodologist's tip to gain extra slack.
Jac
carry a little fairy liquid in a film canister (put that in a plstic bagin case of leakage).When replacing the tyre and you get to the hard bit get abit of fairy on your finger and smear it on the tyre to lubricate it(where its going to slip over the rim edge on the inside of the tyre bead)you may be surprised how easy it goes on.
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reohn2
I've found the best way to put a tyre on is with the tyre off the rim and a little air in the tube(how much is trial and error but just enough so it forms into a tube)then put the tube in the tyre.Then put the tyre on the rim(at this point you'll know if theres to much air in the tube(one gets a feel for it).then work round the tyre getting the first bead on, making sure the starting point of beading is in the rim well.Then do the same with the second bead,having a bit of air in the tube also helps to stop nipping it with the levers.
almost forgot,finnish off putting the tyre on at quarter past or quarter to the valve NOT opposite it
almost forgot,finnish off putting the tyre on at quarter past or quarter to the valve NOT opposite it
Why do you need to raise the matter with CTC staff? All the compiler of Newsnet did was draw your attention to a possibly interesting video clip. This clip was not produced by CTC and the fact that it carries no recommendation from CTC, might even be a load of tosh, is more than hinted at by the simultaneous invitation to discuss the matter on here, which I see you are all doing very well.
The one valid criticism/point/suggestion that nobody has yet made is that CTC ought to publish a better one, that does show how to get that darned tight bit onto the tyre. As the member of CTC Staff who probably ought to do that, it is a criticism I am happy to take directly upon the chin!
Satisfied?
The one valid criticism/point/suggestion that nobody has yet made is that CTC ought to publish a better one, that does show how to get that darned tight bit onto the tyre. As the member of CTC Staff who probably ought to do that, it is a criticism I am happy to take directly upon the chin!
Satisfied?
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.