puntures

[ditto]

Hi, im new to this forum and just got back on a bike after many years, anyway i went to go to work this morning and my rear tyre was flat, i phoned a local bike shop and they said they wouldnt repair it because an R1 is a powerful bike, so it cost me a new tyre, is that right?
The other question is, is there anything i can buy to get me out of bother if it happend on the road i dont fancy walking home
Thanks for any advice
Keith

[black-k1]

Sounds about right! There appears to be very few occasions when punctures in bike tyres can be repaired and my experience shows that the larger/sportier/more powerful the bike, the less likely a repair is. I’m no tyre expert but my guess is this is as much about potential law suit avoidance as it is about engineering requirements.

You can do a number of things as a “get you home” solution.

1. There are various products that you put into the tyre which are designed to seal the hole before anything serious happens. The issue is you likely won’t even know you’ve got a puncture, or that there is something potentially stuck in your tyre!!!
2. You can use the likes of Tyre Weld to fill the trye, seal the hole and get you home.
3. You can get tyre “mushrooms” that plug the hole. Most kits also come with CO2 canisters that can then be used to pump the tyre up.
4. You can join the AA/RAC/Green Flag …… to come and either take your bike home/to work/to the tyre fitters or help you get the wheel out to get the repair/replacement done.

There may be more but I think those are the most common options. The problem with 1,2 and 3 is that they only sort small holes in your tyre. Anything “substantial” and 4 is the only solution.


>> Edited by black-k1 on Tuesday 4th April 14:09

[Rawwr]

It's the same reason they won't repair a puncture in the sidewall of a car tyre. A puncture on the face of a car tyre is okay as it has a (mostly) even distribution all the time it's in contact with the road. If you think about the forces applied to a bike tyre on the road, unless you're riding in an absolutely perfect straight line, any compromise in the tyre is going to get worse.

[ditto]

Thanks for your help, ive got breakdown cover for my cars and i think it covers me for everything, i think i will buy one of those mushrooms kits, i could use it in my car as well as i cant carry a spare
All i need to do now, is srub in the new tyre, the bloke in the shop said i should take it easy for the first hundred miles, lets hope i dont end up on me arse
Keith

[sjtscott]

ditto said:

Hi, im new to this forum and just got back on a bike after many years, anyway i went to go to work this morning and my rear tyre was flat, i phoned a local bike shop and they said they wouldnt repair it because an R1 is a powerful bike, so it cost me a new tyre, is that right? The other question is, is there anything i can buy to get me out of bother if it happend on the road i dont fancy walking home Thanks for any advice Keith

Riding in London daily for 6 years on sports bikes I've had more than my fair share of rear punctures (i.e. loads) so feel qualified to comment. The place I get my tyres from will professionally repair puntures on Z-rated sports bike tyre provided they are within the centre-ish section of the tread of the tyre, too close to the edge of the tyre is a no no. Also two punctures in a tyre are ok to be fixed just as long as they are not within the same quarter of the tyre tread, again I know cos I've had a number of rear tyres with two puntures. To be honest I've had a couple which could not be repaired and had to be ditched which had plenty of tread left which is gutting. Also I personally ditch tyres if I'm unlucky enough to get a third and yes had a couple like that too!

[fergus]

there's nothing wrong with plugging a tyre! Have seen people race on plugged tyres...

PS I think you mean 'punctures'?

>> Edited by fergus on Thursday 6th April 21:05

[ditto]

fergus said:

there's nothing wrong with plugging a tyre! Have seen people race on plugged tyres... PS I think you mean 'punctures'? >> Edited by fergus on Thursday 6th April 21:05

yep i had one of those as well