Cycling UK Forum

Well, my missing-keys saga continues. I don't have the Pitlock key to take the wheel off the bike; Pitlock says estimated delivery 1 week :-/ And I have a p*nct*re on the back wheel.

Is it possible to mend it without taking the wheel off? Eg, I think I've seen some kind of slime advertised that you can spray into the tube and mend it from the inside out?

Any help gratefully received! Otherwise I'm going to be pouring money into bus and tube fares...

Assuming it is a repair you can patch, and not one that needs a new tube, it is often quite easy to do with the wheel in situ, you should be able to get the tube out of the tyre to patch it, it is just a bit awkward.

Cheers

indeed; 'with the wheel in' was the traditional way, before the advent of QR wheels, and still is the best way for the rear wheel on utility bikes with brakes, IGH and chaincase to contend with.

cheers

All you have to do is to remove the tyre on one side only, pull the tube out and locate and patch the hole. Then check for the cause of the puncture in tyre and remove it. Put the tube back and put the tyre back on. If it's the back wheel, remove it from the left as you don't want to get chain oil all over the tube.

If you can clearly see the cause of the puncture before you start, such as a thorn sticking out of the tyre, you only need to remove that small portion of the tyre and tube.

I do this all the time on any bike without quick release.

Brucey wrote:indeed; 'with the wheel in' was the traditional way, before the advent of QR wheels, and still is the best way for the rear wheel on utility bikes with brakes, IGH and chaincase to contend with.

cheers

Absolutely. That's certainly how I learnt to mend a puncture. Having said that I always take the wheel off now and pop a spare tube on. In the event of having to mend it in situ either wheel on or wheel off, my plan was to use my sandwich box as a water container and water from my bottle to locate the puncture. But I've never done it and there must be easier ways (e.g. the local Gents). I dreamt it up on a long stretch one day on the tandem.

Wow, I didn't know it was so easy. Thanks, guys - I thought this was a biggie.

You can even buy non-continuous inner tubes.

Hi,
Even if you can see the offending sharp whatever, never fully deflate the tube unless already is, just enough to remove bead, thats get the lever in easy.
Then always look for any other objects and run your fingers on inside of tyre carefully to feel for any objects.
Then inflate the tube to form tube softly (brake gets in the way) less chance of nipping and twisting tube.
When trying to locate small holes inflate the tube to 1 to 1 1/3rd times the tyre diameter and run the tube past your lips close to, even small holes can be located that way. that part of face is very sensitive to small air flow etc.

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Even if you can see the offending sharp whatever, never fully deflate the tube unless already is, just enough to remove bead, thats get the lever in easy.
Then always look for any other objects and run your fingers on inside of tyre carefully to feel for any objects.
Then inflate the tube to form tube softly (brake gets in the way) less chance of nipping and twisting tube.
When trying to locate small holes inflate the tube to 1 to 1 1/3rd times the tyre diameter and run the tube past your lips close to, even small holes can be located that way. that part of face is very sensitive to small air flow etc.

Though be careful who's watching if you don't want some derogatory comments about what, erm, floats your boat...

Job's a good 'un. Thanks guys!
Ed

I find that modern tyre rim combos seem to be getting tighter (am I just unlucky with the ones I choose?), and this means that it's a lot easier to get the wheel out to get the tyre off. Trying to chase the bead into the well all round the tyre is a pita on a bike with full guards, rack and that weighs a fair bit. Hence I've quite gotten out of the habit of doing it with the wheel still on, despite having bolt on hubs.

It may be of course that taking the wheel off implies that you don't really intend to mend the puncture - you bung the new tube on, the old one gets stuffed in a pannier and later put in a large box marked "Tubes to be mended". Punctures are now rare enough and tubes cheap enough to make mending one a bit pointless (not my POV of course ).