Nigel H

Advice please.

I've just got myself an MTB and after having got to grips with it I'm now starting to use it properly Last Sunday a couple of miles from home I got a front puncture and the tyre went flat with a minute or so. No great problem, I was able to ride it home and pop a new tube in.

Now, if this had happened 20 mins later I'd have been in trouble, as I didn't have anything to repair the tyre with. So what would you recommend I carry? Spare tubes, levers, and pump? Or is this green gunk any good.

Slime Tube 237ml Tyre Sealant for £7.99 | Slime Puncture Kits And Levers | Cycle | Wiggle

Leslie

I always thought an MTB was a motor torpedo boat!

I should try Halfords, they will stock sealant I imagine, buty if it went down that quickly, I doubt that the slime stuff would do the job. I think that is largely meant for tubeless tyres.

Glad you did not fall off anyway.

Les

r32

Dont use slime in the tyres, I always carry a small pump, a spare tube and a puncture repair outfit. You wait till those damn farmers flail the hedges .....!

David_Dickson

I will probably get screamed at from the MTB crew, but I used to get a LOT of punctures, so instead of patching or changing tubes, I got a can of that emergency tyre repair foam for cars. (tyreweld)
Used enough in both tyres on the bike a long time ago, and have never had a puncture since.
In cars its only good for getting you to the narest garage for proper repair, but on a bike it seemsgreat as a permanant solution.

SJ_Skyline

Evans Cycles: Product: Topeak Expanding Wedge Seatpack Large

I use one of these. It fits to the underside of the saddle and contain just about all the tools you will need to sort yourself out on the road. There is also room in the pack to carry a spare tube.

There are various small, light pumps that can attach to your frame.


1 word: Hawthorn

andythejock01wrx

As above, although is a "puncture repair outfit" a kind of dress ?

Also, try pumping your tyres up hard (45psi). This prevent the pinch flat punctures which you get where the tyre is squished against the rim when off roading. Doesn't help if you go over glass though !

I once helped my neighbour out by changing an inner tube on his wee girl's bike after a puncture. The next day she had another puncture - I'd forgotten to look for the thorn inside the tyre !

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

My eldest used to get loads of punctures, but we solved it by buying expensive puncture resistant tubes, not cheapo stuff.

You can also place a cut down inner tube in between the tube and the tyre, and buy puncture resistant tyres too.

Nowt will stop EVERY flat, but you can avoid 90%.

Oh, and make sure your TUBE size matches your tyre size. Too small a tube and it will puncture more readily as it's over inflated

Alcazar

Miniman

iTrader: (2)

Spare tube plus repair kit to fix it. Plus I have some hard plastic shields between the tyre and tube to try and prevent punctures in the first place. I've only ever had one puncture on a ride, I think you'd be unlucky to get more than one. The tube takes only a couple of minutes to fit and you have the backup of the repair kit if you are unlucky - they don't take up much space in your pack/bag.

Mogsi

Decent tyres and tubes at the correct pressure will stop the majority of punctures.

I always tend to carry 2 x spare tubes, C02, patch kit, levers and a pump, that should cover all events and fits in a saddle pack...

ChrisB

I punctured twice (two snakebites) last time I rode the Marin trail at B-y-C. I usually have 3 tubes and a repair kit with me though.

I was patching my pile of inner tubes at the weekend and found one tube with four snakebites and one hawthorn sized hole. Costs me a small fortune in patches!

Nimbus

I was looking at getting some slim, but instead went for a puncture guard between the tube and tyre and make sure I have a kit with me at all times (with levers) I already have a pump on the bike. One day I got 5 puncutes in one day. Not a happy bunny

speedking

You used to be able to buy plastic tape that prevents a lot of punctures. I used that with great success. It goes between the tube and the tyre. Found that tubeless tyres were forever breaking spokes, that was more of a pain to fix than a few punctures

When you get a puncture, fit the new tube and repair the punctured one. You don't have to wait for it to dry before you carry on. Then when the next puncture strikes you have the repaired tube ready to go

As above, don't forget to look for the thorn in the tyre before putting your new tube in.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Hah!

You should try proper tyres!!! 120psi and a blow out is REALLY not nice!

Front tyre blow out at 30 mph on a hill with a bend coming up. I ended up in the hedge. Upside down with the bike on top of me.

I bought kevlar lined tyres after that and rarely get a puncture now (although the underslung bag with repair kit is something I already do)

Nigel H

Thanks.

I like the sound of the inner liners, I'll see what I can find. I'll also take a spare tube or two with me. Sounds like I've been lucky to date in not picking up any punctures.

I'm fairly sure it was a hawthorn so I'll be more circumspect in future.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

The local farmers and dog-walkers regularly spread hawthorn, blackthorn or dog rose clippings where MTB'ers ride

Alcazar

Graz

Doesn't do much for your grip though. I set my tyre pressures according to the conditions, trail, etc. Punctures are just a fact of life with mountain biking, I always carry a spare tube, some self adhesive patches, pump etc. Get back to the car / home eventually

Not tried tubeless, no idea what they're like for punctures, though I understand that carrying a tube is still required to fix puncture out in the field, just patch up the tyre when you get home.

Jamie

Pack a spare tube job done

yoza

I use my Banshi X to get the papers on a Sunday morning.

Its never seen a mountain, or a hill coming to think about it.

I always carry an alternative to a puncture repare kit....I use a mobile phone.

"Pick me up in the van..............Ta."

Later Lazy Yoza

SiPie

Until you puncture that later in the day

Spare tube along with Parks pre-glued patches is my safety net when in the middle of nowhere.....

Park Self Adhesive Patch Kit (£1.95)

.....along with this pump

Cyclaire Pump With Frame Carry Case (£19.95)

And if it's on-road punture avoidance to save the hassle when I'm commuting it has to be either these:

Schwalbe Marathon Plus Reflective Tyre 26" (£24.95)

or these:

Specialized Nimbus Armadillo '07 Tyre (£18.95)

I've found the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are a bit faster but wear a bit quicker, maybe slightly better feel....

MooseRacer

Tube, patches as above, tyre levers and a pump.

Nigel H

SiPie

Are those Schwalbe tyres heavy? I picked up some cheaper ones in a bike shop once and they weighed a tonne, so I put them back.

SiPie

Can't comment on the cheaper ones I'm afraid Nigel but the more expensive ones (Marathon Plus) use the smartguard technology (effectively a 5mm thick rubber beading which accounts for the weight......)

They may be heavy but not as 'heavy' as freezin your ***** off trying to change a puncture in the pissing rain and howling wind at 7am on a Monday morning

Bit of Tyre techno waffle about how they work taken from Schwalbe's website

A new Marathon with revolutionary puncture resistance!
The technicians in the Bohle laboratory had to redevelop test procedures in order to puncture the tube inside the Marathon Plus. None of the usual tire destroyers like glass, flints or shards would penetrate the tread and only by extreme application of force could the technicians break through the protection, which in everyday life would be extremely improbable. To back up this trial numerous test riders are still waiting for the first flat on their daily travels. This new advance in puncture protection is due to the five millimeter thick Smart Guard puncture protection belt made from special india rubber that in conjunction with the tread and carcass brings the total to almost a centimeter of material between the tube and road. “So strong nothing penetrates”, assures Bohle technician Markus Hachmeyer. For example a thumbtack will remain lodged in the rubber and cannot penetrate.

Smart Guard also protects against the biggest puncture problems experienced by everyday cyclists. Objects that embed in the tread and that insidiously work their way through even the most sophisticated puncture protection belt, promoted by the constant rotation of the tire on the road”. Against ‘time bombs’ such as shards, flints and glass, only a thick rubber belt like Smart Guard will work.

A patent for Smart Guard has been applied for
Actually it is not unusual and it is quite simple to make a thick puncture protection layer. “Other manufacturers can do that”, said Hachmeyer. “What is revolutionary in our puncture protection process is its enormous flexibility”. The special india rubber is so flexible that tire rolling resistance with Smart Guard remains unchanged. Because the more flexible the rubber mixture is, the lower rolling resistance becomes. Other puncture protection inserts currently available in the market increase rolling resistance, but the Marathon Plus with Smart Guard runs as easily as a tire without a protection belt. Pointed or sharp objects stand little chance of penetrating the tire”. Because of its unique characteristics Bohle decided to apply for a patent.

Marathon Plus is the Top tire of 2004
“Smart Guard is more than just a thick rubber belt”, summarized Markus Hachmeyer. “It was not just conceived in the sense of ‘the bigger, the better’, but actually represents the latest technical advances in rubber compounding and puncture protection. The approximate 200 gram extra weight compared with the ‘classic’ Marathon is hardly noticeable in everyday use”. Bohle anticipate this new Marathon will become the top touring and everyday tire for the 2003 season. Apart from the special puncture protection the tire offers numerous other advantages:

- low rolling resistance,
- high mileage,
- modern, easy-rolling tread,
- standard 3M-Reflective line
- diamond textured shoulders for good cornering and
- a tread compound, less inclined to harbor foreign bodies (pieces of broken glass, flints and shards).

Jamie

I use to ride a lot rough riding ie down hill jumps ect only had one puncture over the last five years,so two in a day will be bad luck

andythejock01wrx

True, that's my summer PSI - I let some air out when it's muddy cos otherwise you have wheelspin up muddy hills and downhill over shale is just plain hairy !

GrantyBoy

go tubeless with a UST setup