To text bike mechanic on Xmas day!

[Mmmcheese89]

Ok, I know I am, but I need to rant and scream so I'm putting it here.

Recently changed jobs, which changed direction of my commute. I commute by bicycle right now as I'm temporarily not medically allowed to drive. New job has shifts including bank holidays. I didn't have problems with my bike on my old commute but since travelling in a new direction I've had over 6 punctures in as many weeks.

Spoke to mechanic. Was advised that puncture resistant tyres would be best and would stop as many punctures, and also slime in the tubes as a back up. I picked the bike up last week after getting the upgrades.

I'm currently sat in a dark corner of the transpennine trail, 2 miles from home, with a fuck off huge puncture in my rear that won't reinflate, despite the slime. I don't know how I'll get to work tomorrow.

My anger wants me to text bike man. I have his personal number for complicated reasons.

Some will say I shouldn't have taken the job but I couldn't stay at mine any longer for the same reasons I can't drive right now.

Just AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!

I can't keep paying to repair this bike or get taxis to work. I feel like I've been sold a fallacy.

They're puncture resistant not puncture proof.What do you expect him to do? Also where on earth are you cycling to get so many punctures?

They side fewer punctures, not none.

First of all concentrate on getting home safely.

It's not his fault

No. You absolutely don't text him on Christmas day because you have a puncture. Obviously.

Like with a car, you need to carry spare bits in case of bike breakdown. A spare inner tube, pump and tyre levers will get you home.
Unfortunately nothing is puncture proof especially if the terrain is quite stony.
It sounds like you have a good set up with the tyres/slime etc but no bike mechanic can predict the terrain that you ride on.

I know they're not puncture proof. But I'm currently no better off than with my old ones if I'm getting a puncture in a week. I'm actually worse off for having spent £150 on tyres and slime. It's a lot of money for me. Especially when I've also got to pay for taxis too every time. It's just broken my cycling spirit.

It’s not his fault. Nothing he can do about it today anyway, he is not working. Why are you so angry at him?

And of course I'm not actually messaging him. I'm just so infuriated. Apparently they would change everything (his words) but they've changed nothing!

If you are reliant on cycling for commuting to work then you really ought to learn how to change an inner tube

Do you have any house mates or neighbours who could help before tomorrow?

Puncture resistant tyres are usually pretty decent but slime is a complete waste of time. Carry a spare inner tube or two and learn how to swap them out, it should only take a few minutes, and then fix the punctured tubes as home.

If you are getting that many punctures then you want to be checking:

That you don't have glass or something still embedded in your tyres. If you have new tyres then you can probably discount this.

That you don't have a sharp edge on your rim that is causing it.

That you are inflating your tyres properly and not getting pinch flats.

That you aren't cycling on a route which is just covered in glass or debris.

I know how to change a tube. But I'm on a dark unlit trail. I will be until meters from home.

I shouldn't have posted. I'm exhausted, in pain and I have to get walking/pushing. Thanks for showing me the light in that I should expect things to improve when I'm advised they will.

What’s the surface like, why all the punctures?

Apparently in our area lately, there have been dodgy people sabotaging the cycle paths with little spiky things called caltrops in order to discourage and ‘punish’ cyclists. Some sort of misguided activism. I don’t exactly know the back story but it’s obviously super dangerous and disturbing. Dangerous for children/pets too.

A long shot obv but could there be similar stuff going on where you are?

Puncture resistant tyres are normally good. I do actually have slime in my commuting bike, no idea if it’s any use. All my other bikes have tubeless tyres and they’re the nuts but you need a bike which can take tubeless tyres.

I haven’t had a puncture while commuting in 7 years and I commute down a track 7 miles each way, similar surface to the transpennine trail. There must be something you’re going over. Or some bike hating local is scattering tacks over the path.

(Also I hope you get safely home and I’m sorry things are so crap)

Ack, i know punctures suck. I commuted on bikes for years and it's a dreadful feeling. Hope you get home ok.

The slime stuff I find rarely works and when it doesn't unfortunately it just makes a mess everywhere. I wouldn't bother with it.

When you get a chance at home, take the tube out and find the puncture. If it looks like the teeth marks of a vampire then that's a pinch flat, and is more likely due to your tyres not being inflated properly. If you only have a little handpump this might be the problem if you can't get the pressures up enough - get yourself a trackpump with a pressure gauge and make sure your tyres are pumped up to the pressure marked on them.

If it's on the inside of the tube, not the outside, run your finder around the rim and check there are no sharp bits. If you don't have rim tape on your rims, get some on there and that will help as well.

If it's on the sidewall or running surface, check that there still isn't a bit of glass or something stuck in the tyre before you replace the tube.

Finally, if it's always the same wheel getting punctured i would again suspect it's more likely to be an issue with the tyre/wheel.

The trails here aren't great in parts and I go on the roads where I can/feel safe to do so. Unfortunately there's a lot of debris right now from the storms.

The puncture is on the main part of the tyre. It's quite obvious. That's what's so infuriating. Puncture resistant but it's right through the nylon band like butter.

I do use a track pump at home. Just carry a little one for this kind of thing, that that it's made any difference.

Both wheels have been bad as one another. It's definitely a current route issue. But short of a car or a witches broom there's not much else I can do.

I used to commute by bicycle years ago and never had this many punctures. Nor did I have any on my old route.

I feel like something is telling me I can't keep my new job, even though I'm loving it and it's so much better for me.

Sorry I'm such a whiney bitch. It's been a not so lovely few weeks and the punctures are a big shitty cherry on a cake of shit.

Have you heard of Access to Work? If you can't drive for medical reasons and public transport isn't an option you may well qualify for them to cover cost of taxis

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

If it is down to debris rather than anything else then can you change your route? Easier said than done, perhaps, I know.

Your other option could be tubeless tyres, but if you have already splashed out on kit i imagine this would not be a popular suggestion.

Bless you, sounds shit. The TPT are active on Twitter and Facebook talking about what route maintenance they’re doing, etc. I’d get in touch and explain the issue and see if they can help….maybe something needs looking at, cutting hedges back, etc.

Yes my previous job, we had a young lad on placement and then part time job after local SEN college and he used access to work- bit of a pain to set up but then fairly easy to get sorted each month

if it's hawthorn, that's likely to cause more of a problem as hawthorn can easily puncture a bike tyre

01226 772574 Is their office phone number.
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