Tip of the week – punctures
What to do if you get a puncture miles from home !
1 : Always carry at least one spare tube along with a few patches and some solution (glue) . Most people will also need a set of two or three tyre levers and of course a pump .
2 : If it is a rear wheel puncture first drop your gears down into the smallest sprockets both front and rear . This not only makes it easier to remove the wheel but also means that you will always know what sprocket to hang the chain on when replacing the wheel .
3 : Next expell any remaining air from the tube . This loosens the tyre which makes it easier to remove .
4 : Begining at the opposite side from the valve insert a tyre lever under the bead of the tyre . Rotate the lever downwards towards the spokes and hook onto a spoke .
5 : Repeat this process with another tyre lever approximatly 3 to 4 inches from the first .The rest of the tyre should now pop off quite easily .
6 : Remove inner tube and inflate . Check where the puncture is and locate roughly the same area on the tyre . This will give you a good idea where the offending piece of glass or wire will be located . Even if you now locate the cause of the puncture and remove it always check the full inner circumferance of the tyre for any other potential culprits .
7 : Now slightly inflate the spare tube and insert the valve into the hole in the rim . Work the tube into the tyre .
8 : Begining 3 to 4 inches from the valve begin to work the bead of the tyre back onto the rim . Continue all the way around the rim until it becomes more difficult when approximatly 8 to 12 inches will remain .
9 : This is where a bit of effort will be required to finish popping on the tyre with the last piece going on over the location of the valve . Tyre levers should be used only as a last resort as the chances of pinching the tube will be quite high .
10 : Finally , before inflating the new tube push the valve back up into the tyre which will ensure that no piece of the tube should be pinched under the bead of the tyre . Now work up a sweat re-inflating the tyre to at least 80 psi or 100-110 if possible . Re-fit the wheel and away you go !
Barry
2 COMMENTS
Pat Quirke
Great to see tips for unknowledgeable people such as myself who are late converts to cycling. Keep it up and Ii won’t have to call you early some morning for a lift home!
sam finixx
very good and so much informative. Thanks so much