First puncture for years

[Biged]

Got my bike out this morning and found the rear tyre flat, I've not had a puncture for at least 5 years so i suppose it was due. I would not mind but I've only just fitted the new schwalbe inner tubes with schrader valves and only done 20 miles or so.
It was in the side wall so puncture resistant tyres would not have helped, tiny hole and the thorn or whatever had gone in and out again, oh well!

 

[morphix]

Got my bike out this morning and found the rear tyre flat, I've not had a puncture for at least 5 years so i suppose it was due. I would not mind but I've only just fitted the new schwalbe inner tubes with schrader valves and only done 20 miles or so.
It was in the side wall so puncture resistant tyres would not have helped, tiny hole and the thorn or whatever had gone in and out again, oh well!

Bugger at least you had it before you set off and not somewhere awkward to repair or get back eh.

 

[subevo]

sounds like sabotage.being on the sidewall.

 

[deadmonkey]

I had my first after 1000 or so kilometres. There were several thorns in mine, but only one which had punctured the tube.

My replacement tubes came swiftly and reasonably priced from chain reaction, hence particularly unfortunate that they've had their troubles since.

 

[tangent]

I got a puncture today. 1/2" screw straight through my rear tyre. I have a Kenda puncture resistant tyre on there and will replace with a Marathon+ next time. Fortuneately I have a slime filled inner tube fitted, which I had forgotten about. I pulled the screw out, kicked the pedal round and the slime did it's stuff. It got me to work and all the way back home again tonight.

I was considering not using slime filled tubes once I fit a Marathon+, but now I am not so sure.

 

[tangent]

I pumped my rear tyre up to 50psi when I got home, just to see what would happen and the tyre has maintained the pressure! This is amazing as it was a very big hole. I will leave the tyre on overnight and may even risk cycling in tomorrow as an experiment.

 

[deadmonkey]

Still working?

You must have been fairly fortunate if so, as some posters here report quite mixed results with it.

 

[tangent]

Yes, I am now seeing how long it takes to go! Over 20 miles so far and no hint of the pressure dropping.

Slime can be good. I think it depends what sort of puncture you have. In this case it was a clean hole, straight through the bottom of the tyre. For side wall punctures the slime cannot get there.

 

[tangent]

Had to happen eventually - the puncture I suffered a month ago, from which I was saved by slime, finally went flat on the way home yesterday. Still not bad though, I did about 300 miles on it after a pucture that would have required immediate attention were it not for the slime. I have put another slime filled tube in and I may repair the old one (I hate throwing away tubes).

My rear tyre is quite worn out now, so I will be getting a Marathon+ to match the front. Even so, I think I will leave the slime filled tube in place as a "belt and braces" approach.

Other than being slightly heavier, are there any reasons to not use slime filled tubes?

 

[Scottyf]

They sometimes block the values. Thats all really. And don't protect the side walls of the tire. Other than that there fine to use.

I just carry a spare inner tube but i'm running marathon + tires anyway.

 

[tangent]

I have been using slime filled tubes for over 5 years and have never had a blocked valve. It is important to inflate them with the valve in the "5 o'clock" position though so the slime drains away.

The main reason I started using them was to reduce the likelihood of having to fix a flat until I get home. Sod's law usually means a puncture happens when I am late or it is freezing, or in torrential rain, etc. This strategy does seem to have worked.

 

[z0mb13e]

I meant to post a warning about the Tescos inner tubes but didn't think it warranted a thread of its own and this seems as good a place as any (sorry, hi-jacking a thread again).

I bought 3 of them (they were cheap - £1.65 ea) and figured they would do the job with the marathon pluses. I fitted one a while back after getting a 3" long rusty screw through the marathon and it lasted about 3 weeks. I found it flat in the morning. Fitted another one and it was flat the following day. Fitted the last one and hey presto, it was flat within minutes. All of them had tiny holes along the seams (or is it the flashing/mold lines?) within a few inches of the valve and repairs didn't seem to hold either.

Anyway, it might have been a bad batch but I won't be buying any more.

 

[Scottyf]

To be fair Zombie doesn't sound like it was a great expense just false economy and time wasted.

You definetly removed all possible bits in the tire to stop it puncturing again?

 

[z0mb13e]

To be fair Zombie doesn't sound like it was a great expense just false economy and time wasted.

You definetly removed all possible bits in the tire to stop it puncturing again?

Yeah, definitely a false economy. Too cheap to worry about finding the receipt and taking them back, besides I tried to patch two of them so figured it wasn't worth the hassle.

And I was meticulous about checking the tyre, but seriously considering that I had missed something after the third one failed. Oh well, you live and learn...

 

[kitchenman]

s once I fit a Marathon+,

I've been having some punctures in my rear tyre and have just switched to Marathon+ Hoping that'll do the trick.