To think in 2014 there would be a quicker and easier way to mend a bicycle puncture?

[Sparklingbrook]

Pain in the arse.
I bought puncture proof y tyres amazing

They're a real faff, aren't they? DH actually enjoys doing them though, so he gets to do them all - 4 bikes here in fairly constant use.

Is yours front tyre or back tyre?

Annoying isn't it? Especially if said punctures have been caused by something like thorny hedges being cut.

You can get puncture resistant inner tubes, or various 'slime systems'. Expensive and fiddly to use, but they really work:

Link 1

Link 2

DS2's front. I got the inner tube out. Did the bowl of water bubble thing, found the hole. Glued my fingers together and did the sandpaper thing, and finally got the patch on although it's not great. Forgot the talc bit.

Then I accidentally blew the inner tube up before reinserting which I have no idea how to do anyway and now I just hate it all and want to throw a massive tantrum.

What are these puncture proof tyres?

Quick-release skewers to speed up getting the wheel off.
Decent tyre levers (Park Tools are good).
Life's too short to patch a tube, so I just buy cheap ones from Decathlon and bin them.
Track pump for home and a good mini pump/CO2 inflator for on the road.
Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres and decent rim tape to reduce the number of punctures you get.

I used to have a three wheeler pram. You only had to look at the tyres and they punctured. Dad bought me some green gunk that he filled the tyres with. Looks like it could be Link 1 of yours Ilkley.

You can also get self adhesive patches so you don't have to glue your fingers together .

Thanks for all the suggestions. I like the sound of just getting a new inner tube every time.

It's the bike he uses to go to school so got until Monday to sort it all out. I will go back out there and carry on when I have calmed down a bit.

How old is he? If he's old enough to ride a bike with inflatable tyres, he's old enough to learn how to fix a puncture .

He's 12. With less patience than his Mother. [blush

TBF if i was totally sure of what I was doing I would do a Masterclass for him. He did come out and saw me all cross and came back in.

either get the self adhesive patches, or replace the inner tubes.

Incidentally, Halfords were running masterclasses over the Easter holidays, for free! My three boys went (aged 9 and 11) and learned how to repair a puncture, adjust seat and handlebars, and a few other bits. It was fab.

DH swears by the slime. I am thinking about buying a new bike, I will be quizzing the man in the shop about all this I think. It's getting the tyres on and off that I find hard. Maybe I should look for a better set of tyre levers.

this was it, might be worth looking out to see if they run it again.

Yup, if he's old enough to cycle then he's old enough to learn to mend his own punctures. ( I've earned the right to Gatorskins and a ready supply of fresh inner tubes. The kids need to learn the hard way.) And don't bother with the self adhesive patches. They're rubbish.

Replace the inner tube don't patch.
Puncture proof tyres are fantastic.
Avoid slime filled tubes- if you get a puncture it will still go flat, with the added bonus that your inner tube will be stuck to the tire with green gunk. Or when you try and inflate the tube it will explode green gunk everywhere, or will block your pump

Errrm, there is a better way: Tubeless tyres

DH and I both cycle so we bulk buy inner tubes. They are only a few quid to replace. I suppose it is not the most frugal or environmentally friendly way of doing things but it beats the faff of trying to do patches. Off and on again in less than 5 mins! I'm not sure how much I would trust patched tubes anyway.

Where is the best place to get inner tubes from? Bearing in mind this is a child's Halfords bike, not a posh one at all, and is used mainly for canal/road. No off roading as such.

The self adhesive patches work well. I generally carry a spare tube so I can replace straight away and then patch at leisure.

I just replace the inner tubes and have puncture proof tyres - which do cut down the rate of punctures amazingly, I only get about one a year now. I consider the time saved in not mending punctures the old way makes it economical, inner tubes don't cost much.

I think more than on inner tube seems sensible. I wonder how good my patching is? I found the hole then patched it without considering there may be any more. Bum.

And here are some ideas for what to do with all those old inner tubes!

My children rode isla bikes ( inner tube tyres) from 20months...not sure I would give them superglue!