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.

Sure, short term. Although they can “hoover” as much stuff up as possible. But long term it might help. Or maybe a section needs priority for resurfacing?

Understand the anger but it's absolutely not his fault. He's done what's possible but no one can magically stop punctures if they're a high risk on this route. It doesn't sound viable without some other way to get there. Hope you get home safe.

It doesn't sound like a safe commute at all.

Is there an alternative route you could take? I used to cycle a 15 mile round trip to/ from work and only had 3 punctures in about 4 years. I did have slime and it came with something like a 12 month guarantee from the bike shop I bought it from and when I did get a puncture they sorted it for free. I probably would contact the bike man, but obviously not on Christmas Day! Also check your tyres pressure, if they are over or under inflated it can make punctures more likely.

That said, the issue must be with lots of sharp stuff on the ground on your route, slime and puncture resistant tyres help against things like stones but can’t protect against everything. What are you puncturing the tyres on? Nails? Glass? I think you need to find a different route as if there is lots of sharp stuff on the ground it’s going to keep happening and there won’t be much anybody can do, there is no magic protection against very sharp things!

Hawthorn did for my wheelbarrow tyre!
Nasty stuff.

Are they Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres? They are very good imo.

Usually on the tyre it is written the psi to pump them up to. Make sure you follow that.

2 miles. I may be wrong, and don't want you to damage your wheel, but could you ride it at a slow pace for 2 miles, like 5mph and be home in less than 30 minutes. At least then you can swap the tubes in the relative warmth and dry with a mug of tea.

It sucks, I also don't have any for ages, even years, and then a few within a few months. As said, make sure whatever caused it is not still in the tyre otherwise it will happen again straight away.

Don't text the mechanic. Maybe try a bike maintenance course.

I'm home. Just gonna have a minute then try to repair the puncture/get a proper look in the light.

Thanks for the various links posted. I will take a proper look when I'm less pooped/pissed/in pain.

Wish me luck on getting a good enough fix to get me to whenever I can get I new tube (not sure if the shops open before new year, I shall Google)

Doesn't sound completely relevant here, but when I change a tube, I keep the tube in the tyre as I take it off the bike, then reinflate it slightly to find the puncture. Then I look at the tyre where the puncture is and try to find the cause of the puncture. It can be hard to find things embedded in the tyres that will cause another puncture unless you are looking in exactly the right place.

Because of this, it takes me ages to repair a puncture...

It's fixed and inflated. Had to bodge it though. Kept finding more holes to patch and I ran out of patches. This some are patched with glue and electrical tape.

Pray for me getting to work and back tomorrow!

I checked the tyre, inside and out and couldn't find the cause. Hopefully it got dislodged on the walk home or during my fiddling.

I would buy some new inner tubes - are you sure you’re getting new punctures if you’re reusing a patched tube? Electrical tape won’t cut it so I imagine your tire will go down overnight.
Long term I’d look at Tagus inserts with your new tyres and I wouldn’t use slime but do carry a spray to use as soon as I get a puncture. Good luck!

As someone who just spent 4 hours learning the ins and outs of tubeless tyres, sealant works for small punctures but for larger ones, it needs plugs and boots.

It sounds like you're riding on a route with a lot of glass or sharp stones?

I know I will need to replace the tube. But it's not something I can replace until shops are back open. I've done what I can. Hopefully the glue and tape will hold until the shops opens Friday. Though I do only need to cycle tomorrow, I can be a bus wanker on Friday until I source a new tube (and more patches for future punctures).

It has been new punctures in new tubes too. The holes I was getting pre-new tyre were too bad to try and repair. And this is the first since the new tyres went on last week.

There's a fair amount of hawthorn, but tonight it was a tree route that had broken through the path. I suspect a sharp/pointy bit of upturned path.

Sounds really grim. Make sure you’re using the biggest tyres your bike can clear. If you can put 40 or 50mm tyres in that’s better than 32s or 28s. You can also get special plastic inner tubes that are more puncture resistant. Tubolito are a good brand that does these.

As others have mentioned, if possible tubeless tyres are the way to go, if you can afford them. You might need new wheels if yours aren’t compatible. With sealant in, they get fewer punctures than tubes, but more importantly if you get a big puncture that the sealant can’t fix on its own then you can plug it without taking the wheel or tyre off. So a puncture becomes a 60 second fix rather than a ten minute one.

Something is not right here. A tube with multiple punctures, but no source would worry me. Patching it with modern kit would worry me more. Patching it without a patch would mean I wasn't going to ride it.

Save yourself the pain tomorrow. Either walk the whole way without a bike or make some other plan.

Then you need to bulk buy tubes online.

Get your puncture repair kit out. Decent lights and avoid glass are about the only way to stop them....unless someone has it in for you.

@SpicyTomatos it's a 15 mile round trip so not gonna walk it. Not in London so no public transport tomorrow. And I could do without £60 on taxis.

I'm not riding tomorrow out of choice, it's necessity. Then I will replenish my tube and patch stock when shops open. I normally have extras of everything but the past few weeks have absolutely rinsed me.

If you’re getting a lot of punctures are you certain that your wheel rims aren’t the problem? A decent mechanic should have checked. IME the puncture resistant tyres are pretty good, I’ve not had a puncture in years with mine, despite regular glass on the cycle lanes. But I’m not going on woodland trails so may be your commute is particularly challenging. So frustrating. You should have a good light or torch with you too to do roadside repairs. Not ideal I know but in case you can’t get a taxi and get stuck. My preference would also be to repair at home so don’t blame you but sensible to have a back up in case. Hope you get it sorted.

Sorry to hear you’ve had a shit few weeks of riding - my sibling had epilepsy so I have some understanding of how helpless you feel when there’s no public transport.
Not sure what kind of bike you’re using - I use Gatorskin tyres for road and something Kevlar and nobbly when I’m commuting off road.
Also check that you are inflating enough - I run at 100psi on my road bike and 60 psi on my cyclocross bike. I pump up every Sunday night without fail, even if it doesn’t feel like they need doing.

Sympathies OP

As a pp suggested, run your fingers round the inside of the tyre, check there aren’t any thorns/other things stuck in the tyre, can cause repeat punctures.

Get heavier duty inner tubes. Speaking as a mountain biker that’s commuted on it for years, bigger, aggressive tread tyres can help, as the crap on the road is less likely to get through and puncture…So get big tyres, as another pp said.

I think it is highly unlikely the repair you have described will last overnight let alone a few miles, so then the bike will cease to be an option and is more likely to become an additional burden/stress. I hope for your sake I am wrong, but I would go for the sub-optimal less stressful option in your shoes including walking one way if necessary.

Perhaps an electric scooter/bike could be of use?

Last summer, puncture right on inlet valve. Dont worry thinks i, I carry a spare inner tube....yeh, I didnt. So sat in a small village miles from anywhere trying to fix with repair kit. Several people did interesting things in their gardens to see why I was there. No fucker offered help.

Ended up cycling 5 miles on the rim of the wheel to a point where my wife could pick me up. She's not confident in driving new places and I wasn't 100% sure where I was. Good old Tesco mobile reception!

Moral of the story is always carry inner tubes, even expensive tyres can be shit. And find a better brand of tyre

If by any chance you're NHS, our Trust are paying for taxis if you have no other transport options for work tomorrow. Just a thought.

It's held pressure over night. Now for the ultimate test. Pray for me. At the very least, however far I get will be less to pay the taxi. 🤞