Roadside puncture repair.

[Brian]

As a result of me having a puncture and having to get a friend to come and get me, a 200k round trip for him, plus Darren's intended "long ride" and asking what he should carry, I have put together a puncture repair kit to carry on the bike and thought it may be of interest to others.

I live in the country so are quite often 4 or 5 hundred k's from home, I've often thought I should carry puncture repair stuff but havent, I should have ! I was on my 61' Flash doing about 70mph when the rear tyre let go, it must have had a small leak that let it deflate to the stage the tyre turned and ripped the teat out, instant deflation at 70mph, not an experience I would recommend. Anyway I have since changed my undies so back to the repair kit.

This is what I have bought. It consists of a small device that the cylinders screw into and attaches to the teat. You attach it to the teat, screw in the cylinder and turn it on. I had a trial run on a 3.25x19 tyre and each cylinder put 10 psi in, three inflated the tyre to 30 psi. The kit came with glue and patches but I have disgarded them and put in a new inner tube, I've wrapped it in a piece of an old tube to stop any chance of it chaffing. I will also add a pencil type pressure gauge. I carry a shifting spanner (adjustable) in my tools but will grind the handle down to work as a tyre lever, so it and a screwdriver will be my levers.

The reason I discarded the patches and glue was when I had my puncture last week by the time I got the bike stopped the inner tube was shredded and well beyond any form of repair, also the rim band was broken. Its always a problem knowing just what to carry but if, like me, you live and ride in relitively unpopulated areas puncture repair is probably important. Fortunately I had the most important piece of equipment with me, my mobile phone. I am also lucky to have a good friend who was prepared to drop what he was doing and drive 100k's to where I was.

This kit fits in the toolbox of the swingarm bike with the tools. I dont have a regulater in mine as I run electronic ones and have removed the tin shield to give more room. Unfortunately it wont fit in the plunger toolbox with tools so I will have to carry it in a shoulder bag for now until I work out a easy way to carry it.

[A10Boy]

Brian

Very useful info. In my experience most punctures are the slow ones that you find in the morning after it has stood over night. maybe I've been lucky but I've only had 2-3 rear blow outs like you describe, so personally I wouldnt throw away the patches and glue. Anyway, all this talk of teats is making me thirsty.

[terryk]

Hi Brian, you could weld a tyre lever to shifting spanner handle instead of grinding it to shape of a lever. You can also weld another lever to something else to like socket ratchet handle.

[Goldy]

This sounds good Brian. I remember many years ago riding over the Runcorn bridge in uk and a police car pulled me up. You seemed to be sliding about a bit son said the Constable ( I was young once) and I then realised I had a rear punchure. Always prepared I had the tools and repair kit, but by the time I had removed the wheel, removed the tyre, mended the punchure and then found a garage to pump it up again it took all day. So a quick fix sounds good to me.

[Brian]

DOH !!!! Talk about losing the plot, I didnt put the pictures with my original post, only took me two days to realise.

[muskrat]

Good one Brian.
 My kit would need to be a lot bigger. Last time I had a flat (25years ago) ((just jinxed myself)) and using screw drivers and shifter handle, I pinched the tube 8 times. The tube looked like a patchwork quilt.
 Cheers