Fed up with punctures (4 Viewers)

[Ant]

Okay, just got back from a 10 mile ride, the bike felt a lot better.

 

[Karl J]

Good to hear that Ant

Hopefully it won't be too long before all tubes are made out of this stuff

 

[Ant]

looks good.

 

[Ant]

I wonder if the fact the tires on my bike were not properly inflated that caused the uncomfortableness on yesterdays ride.... Tires now pumped up as much as I could (be bothered) by hand (can just push the sidewalls inwards). Will find out tomorrow... Oh, using a mini hand pump...

Okay, just got back from a 10 mile ride, the bike felt a lot better.

The first quote was a 16 mile ride, the second was infact 15 miles, as I went out again on a 5 mile ride after I posted so, making sure there's enough air in the tires makes a huge difference to the comfort.

 

[ColinD]

The first quote was a 16 mile ride, the second was infact 15 miles, as I went out again on a 5 mile ride after I posted so, making sure there's enough air in the tires makes a huge difference to the comfort.

I've found it a lot easier to ride since I pumped up my tyres, and I can go a lot faster. Obvious really I suppose. I'm not sure it is more comfortable though.

Are you checking the pressure of your tyres now, or just pumping them up as much as you can?

 

[Ant]

just pumping them up as much as I can... my little hand pump is surprisingly effective!

I've noticed the same about going faster, and riding in general feels a lot easier

 

[ColinD]

just pumping them up as much as I can... my little hand pump is surprisingly effective! ....

If you can get hold of a pressure gauge from somewhere, try testing your tyre pressure after you have pumped them up. Then compare it to the recommended pressure on the side of the tyre. I'd be interested to see how close you get.

 

[Karl J]

a decent floor pump (often called a Track Pump - i think the subject was brought up a page or so ago) will probably have an integral pressure guage. FWIW i've never got a mini-pump anywhere near the max. its supposed to do

 

[Ant]

forget puntures. how about a buckled front derallier?

 

[Keith Reeder]

How on earth did you manage that, Ant?

 

[Ant]

I havent got a clue.. I was changing gear as always, overshot, did my usual tick of dropping down to the bottom ring to get the chain back on. and it buckled. I was close to home so keeping it on the middle ring I managed to get home with a bit of scraping. i suppose thats what you get with a cheep bike...

 

[Ant]

forget puntures. how about a buckled front derallier?

fixed...

but..
A punture.... at the valve.. I'm not sure if its the rim cutting into the vavle, or from putting too much air into the tube... I guess its the former.

 

[Karl J]

Ant its not the valve pulling away from the tube is it ? That was quite a widespread problem about 18 months - 2 yrs ago, so widespread it even had its own name - Valve Separation (or something similar).
Unfortunately it's totally irrepairable although there is a preventative measure you can take before you put a new tube on

 

[Ant]

um, I assume that is where the rubber of the valve seperates from the rubber of the tube? if so that is not what is happening. The rubber at the base of the valve has split (sliced through from rubbing) I'll cover the edges of the hole in the rim with duck tape which should prevent it reoccuring.

 

[Penny Clarke]

I use Armadillo tyres, £20 each, but BRILLIANT. See review I just found.


http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/review...alized-armadillo-tyres-cycling-puncture.phtml

 

[Karl J]

um, I assume that is where the rubber of the valve seperates from the rubber of the tube? if so that is not what is happening. .

Yes that's right, but i've also seen it where the actual valve pulls away from the rubber too. But i'm glad to hear thats not the problem with yours.

Yep Penny they're the ones

 

[Karl J]

a bit more on the valve-seperation problem i mentioned before.

first pic shows the problem, the split in the tube at the base of the valve. As far as i'm aware this is not fixable - at least i've never found a way to do it

second pic shows a little (hopefully) preventative thingy you can do , put a small patch of an old tube over the valve area before siting the tube on the wheel as normal

 

[ColinD]

My inner tubes came of age today, with 21 bike rides (or 315 miles) since my last puncture. I took them down a particularly rough track to celebrate and still they survived.

Looks like it really was a good idea to pump up my tyres!

B

 

[ColinD]

My bike ride today took me to over 1000 miles since my last puncture. Thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread. I can't begin to tell you the enjoyment I've had this year so far, and to think I almost packed in biking at the start of the year.

Recently the bike rides have been superb. My route currently takes me past 10,000 Pink-feet and a Ross's Goose! Clike here for more details.

I'm off out to celebrate tonight! B