Phantom puncture?

[Steve vRS]

I had a puncture this afternoon, luckily just 2 miles from home. The tyre wasn't completely flat. I put in a bit of air with my hand pump and nursed it home.

When I got home I used my track pump to put 8Bar in. That was 3pm and it is still rock hard (the tyre - fnarr, fnarr).

Is that just because there is no weight on the bike or is there a chance that the valve leaked a bit of air?

I'm just dreading changing the tube as I've not worked on a 700x23 tyre and it looks a tight fit on the rim!

Steve

[cst]

I had slight bend in a valve which caused me a few problems recently. Would hold pressure for days then all of a sudden it would drop.

They are not that difficult to change, better to swap it home rather than do it on the roadside in the rain though.

[Steve vRS]

You are right. I suppose I can change it and then stick the suspect tube in a bucket of water o see if there is a 'real' hole.

Steve

[Steve vRS]

Still inflated.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Steve vRS said:

Still inflated.

But would you trust it though Steve? I know I wouldn't - if it happens again miles from home, then that's grief!

It's what - 7 quid for a new innertube and half hour's work to swap it?

[XG332]

6 700c inner tunes - £10
Just change it
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-narrow-...

[Steve vRS]

Will change it in the morning and then give the chain a clean. I might then try and tackle the Wizard in Alderly Edge

Steve

[russy01]

XG332 said:

6 700c inner tunes - £10
Just change it
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-narrow-...

This pack is pretty good, me n my bro use them with no issues.

[Steve vRS]

Changed the tube on Saturday morning. There was a huge hole in it. I was amazed it had held any pressreu over the previous 48hrs at all!

By the way, does anyone repair their tubes or just bin and buy a new?

Steve

[agentnomad]

I repair them and let my son ride on repaired tubes he also gets the job of repairing them and gets to keep them I fit new tubes to my wheels, if he does a poor job I put it down to further character building especialy if it's raining.

We both race on new tubes or at least he races on proven repaired tubes. If he races an event I am not ring he sometimes has my carbon aero wheels fitted with tub's, he will be going to uni in the autumn so he will be sent away with a set of training wheels and all the repaired under tubes and maybe a set of race wheels A level results dependent.

[XG332]

Steve vRS said:

By the way, does anyone repair their tubes or just bin and buy a new?

Steve

Depends how many spares i have left or how lazy im feeling.

[yellowjack]

Steve vRS said:

Changed the tube on Saturday morning. There was a huge hole in it. I was amazed it had held any pressreu over the previous 48hrs at all!

By the way, does anyone repair their tubes or just bin and buy a new?

Steve

I always attempt a repair, if at all practicable. Even at the roadside. There's nowt worse than getting a second puncture during a ride, having already used your spare tube.

Worst example I remember was riding in the hills around Ammanford in S. Wales, when I came across a rather depressed looking chap wheeling his bike, with a punctured rear tube. He had the tube over his shoulder when I slowed to offer assistance. Turns out he had punctured once already, and slung his holed tube into the verge, then the second puncture was too close to the valve to allow for a repair. I gave him my spare to get home, but obviously that was a bit of a risk, if the same happened to me.

I remember trying to be subtle about asking him why he thought it a good idea to dump his punctured tube in the wilderness, but it seemed to go 'whoosh' as he didn't really respond to the point. I'm not a vindictive person, but the older, more confident, me would now be inclined to suggest he walked back to find (and repair) his discarded innertube and wish him luck. I hate the Litterbug more than I hate the Puncture Faerie.

One point to note, with a repair kit, is to replace your vulcanizing solution once it's been opened. I got caught out once with three separate deflations in quick succession. They were all in the same location, and two were caused by failures of the repair to the original puncture. Because I was on a long ride, and not planning to be home until after dark, I persevered with repairing the tube on the wheel until it got too dark and cold to continue to faff about by the side of the road. This left me a spare tube to get me home, should the worst happen. As it was, the third repair held just enough pressure to get me home in the end, but now I ensure that I have a second tube of 'glue' just in case.

I've never tried it myself, but having given thought to being stuck with no spare tubes and no patches, I have wondered whether it might be possible to affect a repair by 'glueing' the innertube directly to the inside of the tyre. Obviously this would ultimately cause the sacrifice of the tyre, but I'm not sure if it would work or not. The other 'dire emergency' get you home method I have heard of is to stuff the tyre carcass with grass or other organic matter, as densely as you can, in order to give the tyre some shape, protect the rim, and keep you in the saddle rather than walking beside the bike.

[CoolC]

Some of my tubes are more patch than tube, one had 7 repairs

I've just invested in a multi-buy of 10 tubes, so starting afresh now.

I carry self adhesive patches for trail repairs, with glue on patches at home, both work equally well in my experience.