Fixing a puncture on the road

[661-Pete]

Well, everyone seems to have a different story about pumping up tyres.

While I was doing my 10-mile e/w commute (now alas no more) I found that a top-up before the morning start, every three cycling days or so (I didn't cycle every day), was worthwhile. But then, I use a track pump when at home, I find a few strokes easily gets me to my preferred 110psi, whereas as I get older I'm finding a portable pump increasingly hard to use!

And I find that a tyre goes down more quickly when in use.

Note that I'm referring to 700x23 road tyres.

[Mick F]

I typically pump my 700x23C tyres once a month or so, but perhaps I am less fussy.

Again, give me some figures.

What pressure do you put them to, and what pressure are they after a month?

Mine will drop from 120psi to 100psi in a few days. 100psi in the rear isn't hard enough as there's too much tyre drop with my 12st 5lb on board.

[bazzo]

Before you do anything make sue you remove what ever caused the puncture.

[[XAP]Bob]

I run 20" wheels - 40*406 (Tryker) with Shcwalbe tubes.

I'll pump them to anywhere up to 75 psi, but more importantly I can deal with them down to 40 psi (although it's much harder work at low pressure).

They'll hold to 60 psi for at least a month though (with regular commuting mileage)

[Mick F]

Mine would hold 60psi almost indefinitely I'm sure.
Trouble is, with 60psi in the rear I'd be almost running on the rim.
Lightweight narrow thin-walled tyres have no intrinsic strength in them. They need HP air to hold them up.

I've had very very very few punctures with my Vittoria Rubino Pro tyres, but when I have had one, the tyre is down in one or two seconds, if not almost instantaneously.

[AndyBSG]

I have my tyres up at 100 psi and pump them up roughly every two weeks.

As Mick says, they don't defalte a huge amount in that time but even 10 psi is noticeable to me.

[661-Pete]

Incidentally, I've found it very useful to have a gauge (assuming it's reasonably accurate). Almost all track pumps come with a gauge, but most road pumps don't (the Topeak Morph is one exception: there's a with-gauge and a without-gauge option). Since I got into the habit of using a gauged pump, I find I inflate my tyres a lot harder than I used to - what 'feels' hard usually isn't high enough. And the ride feels better for it! I carry a Morph Road, with gauge, on the ride but I can't get above about 90psi with it. At least it will get me home...

[Mick F]

Yep.
Get 'em hard - or at least the correct pressure - and the bike feels so much livelier. Let 'em drop a bit, and the bike feels dead in comparison. With narrow tyres, there's not much air in there to loose.

[[XAP]Bob]

Agreed that you can feel lower pressures, but I couldn't be doing with tyres that needed pumping up two or three times a week.

Then again, I'm commuting and you're not, our families are of different ages as well.
I'm just surprised at how often they need pumping up - I think it'd be looking to design a self pumping wheel - something that sits at the hub and uses the rotation around the axle to provide a pressurised air source to the tyres - with an automated control valve obviously.

Then they'd always be pumped up, and on replacing a tube, you'd just spin the wheel for a while

[Mick F]

Good idea!
It could be electrically driven off the hub dynamo instead perhaps.

[brizgazelle]

I've not had one since 20th July 2012.
I've done nearly 5,000miles since then.

They mustn't bother with hedge trimming in Cornwall then.

[Mick F]

Yes, they do, and lots of it!

I use "puncture resistant" tyres, they are narrow and smooth, and they are hard. They won't stop fine shards of glass or drawing pins, but thorns and hedge-trimmings don't seem to get in.

[cyclop]

Haven,t read every post but has anybody mentioned a split tire,potentially a real showstopper?Carry some rectangles of canvas or similar to get you home.

[[XAP]Bob]

Just replaced all 3 tyres (old rear will stay as a spare).

Schwalbe recommend checking pressure every 30 days

[Mick F]

30 days makes me giggle!
If I inflated mine to 120psi and left them for 30days before checking them, they'd be flat when I sat on the bike.

I must say in their defence, that since going over to Schwalbe inner tubes, I only need to pump up my rear tyre two or three times a week, and the front one once a week. Prior to that, it was daily.