How do you deal with a puncture/breakdown when out?

[Az.]

Thanks for reply. I have heard stories of air getting into the brakes and having to bleed brakes after bikes being upside down which puts me off upgrading to hydraulic brakes. Is this a regular or a rare occurrence?

I keep all my bikes in vertical position. Flip them as many times as I like and never had any problems with air getting in.
Upgrade to hydraulics and don't look back. It is one of best upgrades you can make.

Edit: The only inconvenience I see is when you remove wheel and keep it that way for a while (for example for transportation) it is good to put something between brake pads. For example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/huiouer-Bicycle-Pressure-Accessories-Protector/dp/B07SBQYWVG/ref=asc_df_B07SBQYWVG&mcid=97632a54079f3240835329ba37a78a25?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80058318275472&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657841521099&psc=1

 

[matthewslack]

I've got two similar ones. I haven't got the strength to push air in and the hissing as the tyre slowly deflates is funny

This £6 when I bought it works for me. Not tiny, but 235g light. Large ish volume means not too many pumps to get me home, foot pad leaves both hands free to pump, and connector has ready to use holes for Schrader and Presta, so no fiddling around with little loseable objects.

Not perfect, the T handle is flimsy, but has done the job for about a dozen punctures over 10,000 miles.

Many resellers, look for the connector with both holes and 235g referenced in the description to have a good chance of matching mine.

Mini Bike Pump Portable Bicycle Tyre Inflator Hand Pump Schrader Presta Valve 5055644847479 | eBay

It is super durable, lightweight and compatible with Air Hole for Schrader & Presta Valve. Include two inflating needles perfect for basket and foot balls or toys.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Nealh]

Mini mighty morph pump works fine or a similar make out on the road or even trails.
One can as a back up carry co2 as well.

The only air in a HDB system is that which may be in the main reservoir, one may temporary get poor brake feel if up turning the bike but often after a few careful lever pumps air will rise back to the top. If one finds air is affecting the braking after up turning, ride carefully and thoughtfully and pump the brakes .
Air in the pipe line should rise to the top eventually.

The best best bet to prevent any air issues is to carry something to keep the brake lever fully depressed when up turned . Any tie back will do, velcro, reusable cable tie or a strong elasctic band to keep with your kit.

 

[esuark]

When I got my hydraulic brakes they came by post in a box already filled with fluid (I had to shorten the hydraulic lines to fit) no where did I see a "this way up" and even if there was do you think anyone in any delivery service would have taken any notice. I have had three bikes with hydraulic brakes and any way up they have been has never been a problem.

 

[saneagle]

Thanks for reply. I have heard stories of air getting into the brakes and having to bleed brakes after bikes being upside down which puts me off upgrading to hydraulic brakes. Is this a regular or a rare occurrence?

If the air gets in, you just pump the lever a few times and it's gone. Weird, for so e reason, I dreamt about that last night.

Hydraulic brakes is the best bang-for-buck upgrade you can make to any bike. Once you try them, there's no way back to cable ones.

 

[afzal]

I haven't got the strength to push air in and the hissing as the tyre slowly deflates is funny

Small size electric pumps might be helpful, like this

I have not used it, but a bicycle mechanic friend of mine has good opinion about it

 

[egroover]

Small size electric pumps might be helpful, like this

I have not used it, but a bicycle mechanic friend of mine has good opinion about it

or this for about a tenner delivered

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! US $12.06 66%OFF | Wireless Car Air Compressor Electric Tire Inflator Pump for Motorcycle Bicycle Boat AUTO Tyre Balls

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a.aliexpress.com

 

[Wayners]

I got yet another puncture today about half a mile from home. Back wheel again. Just went down while riding. I am mad as hell. Feel like I'm being picked on! I mean seriously.
Ordered marathon plus tyre to try. Got some slime bands ( not that slime gunk) to add as well. I can't go on like this so see how it goes when I fit that lot.
3 puncture In 3 weeks. All 3 riding on tarmac

 

[Bikes4two]

I got yet another puncture today about half a mile from home. Back wheel again. Just went down while riding. I am mad as hell. Feel like I'm being picked on! I mean seriously.
Ordered marathon plus tyre to try. Got some slime bands ( not that slime gunk) to add as well. I can't go on like this so see how it goes when I fit that lot.
3 puncture In 3 weeks. All 3 riding on tarmac

• Well that is really unlucky! What brand tyres are you using and how much usage have they had?
• If I get that many punctures in that short space of time, I start to think about changing the tyre on the premise that the centre band of the tyre has worn and got thinner thus offering less puncture resistance.
• In the punctures that you have had, are they in different areas on the tube, always on the outward facing side (rather than the side of) the inner tube, and have you found out what caused the punctures?

 

[soundwave]

super gravity tyres and tubeless = not 1 flat in 10 years, not that you could get the tyre off anyway

 

[Wayners]

Currently have SCHWALBE LAND CRUISER 26 x 2.0

Schwalbe LAND CRUISER 26 x 2.0 Black MTB Mountain Bike TYRE s TUBE s | eBay

The Schwalbe Land Cruiser as always is ready for any terrain. Schwalbe BILLY BONKERS 26 x 2.10 CLASSIC WALL Dirt Jump Bike TYRE s TUBE s. 26" MTB Tyres. PRAM TYRES & TUBES. Much more than just a basic quality, the foundation of all Active Line tyres is a high-quality 50 EPI carcass.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Az.]

Feel like I'm being picked on! I mean seriously.

Did you check the tyre for thorns nails etc? Some people just replace inner tube without checking and then they get puncture after puncture after puncture.

 

[lenny]

SCHWALBE LAND CRUISER

 

[soundwave]

 

[saneagle]

I got yet another puncture today about half a mile from home. Back wheel again. Just went down while riding. I am mad as hell. Feel like I'm being picked on! I mean seriously.
Ordered marathon plus tyre to try. Got some slime bands ( not that slime gunk) to add as well. I can't go on like this so see how it goes when I fit that lot.
3 puncture In 3 weeks. All 3 riding on tarmac

With MP tyres, you don't need anything else, so don't use slime, slime guards or anything like that with them.

 

[AndyBike]

How do you fix a puncture

Im with Soundwave on this, Tubeless is the way to go.

Because its self sealing you can hammer a nail in to your tyre, pull it out and in seconds its sealed itself.

Thanks for reply. I have heard stories of air getting into the brakes and having to bleed brakes after bikes being upside down which puts me off upgrading to hydraulic brakes. Is this a regular or a rare occurrence?

Urban myth, its pretty much a sealed unit.

Shimano make good hydraulics, but currently some of their calipers have been suffering from micro leaks, so if you buy shimano, if you initially find they squeal and lose power, take them back to where you got them from.

When it comes to hydraulic brakes, usually the more you spend on them the better they are. 4 pot is better than two obviously, but two can still be good(and cheaper) if the type of riding you do is basically pottering along.

I've found this to be an excellent brake. its been well reviewed and got really good ratings
Currently 1/2 price on CRC

Bike Brakes | Disc Brakes & V Brakes | Chain Reaction

Disc brakes & v brakes for sale at Chain Reaction. With a wide range of boss level bike brakes for road & MTB available, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

www.chainreactioncycles.com

You can pair it with this. The levers can be swopped about just so long as you have the 4 pot on the front. 4 pot front,2 pot rear isnt an unusual set up

Shimano Deore M6120 Disc Brake | Chain Reaction

Buy your Shimano Deore M6120 Disc Brake from our Brakes range at CRC. £38.99. Free delivery available.

www.chainreactioncycles.com

Alternatively you can get something 2nd hand from ebay, and while I usually advise against 2nd hand ebay brakes, especially if they are shimano because shimano brakes are pretty much disposable, ie they cannot be fixed.(easily)

If you buy 2nd hand Hope brakes, those are still good and with all Hope brakes they are easily serviceable, and the parts readily available. Second hand Hopes I'd point you in the direction of Mono Mini (which are black with gold bore caps)
ie -

Hope Mono Mini M4 disc brakes brakeset front rear pair 200/160mm rotors braided | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hope Mono Mini M4 disc brakes brakeset front rear pair 200/160mm rotors braided at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

If you fancy getting spendy, latest Hope tech4 V4(orE4) are probably in the top 5 most powerful brakes currently on the market. Been compared to trickstuff direttissima power wise.(Trickstuff make the best brakes for bikes)
A bikes worth inc basic rotors will set you back about £500
I've these(V4) on my EMTB, and also on my non E bike, and they really are a hell of a stopper.

Plus they come in a nifty range of colours

Hope Tech 4 V4 Disc Brake | Hope | Biketart

Latest version of the glorious Hope Tech mountain bike brake range Superb craftmanship and outstanding performance make the Hope brakes a contender for the best MTB brakes you can buy Designed and made in the UK V4 is the 4-piston Enduro/Downhill/Race brake - the strongest made by Hope and...

www.biketart.com

 

[saneagle]

Urban myth, its pretty much a sealed unit.

It isn't a myth. I've experienced it many times on my own and other bikes.

Also, it's inevitable, considering the design of most bicycle hydraulic brake reservoirs. I haven't studied many of them, but the ones I did look at have a simple sealed area as a reservoir for the fluid. There is no expanding rubber bellows, like those used on motorcycle brakes. The bellows is to separate the air from the oil, and it adjusts its size as the fluid level goes up or down.

Without the bellows, you must leave some air in the reservoir and not fill it to the top, otherwise your brake will jam on when the fluid becomes warm and expands. As the pads wear, more fluid rests in the caliper, so the level in the reservoir goes down, and there's more space for air. You know if you have a bellows by whether you have to remove it to add more fluid. On the brakes I've serviced and installed, I've never seen bellows, but I can imagine that some high end ones would have them.

How likely the air is to enter the hose when inverted depends on the angle and position of the brake cylinder, whether the brake lever is moved when inverted, and the level of fluid in the reservoir.

 

[Wayners]

Just taken wheel off and look what's inside tyre. Is anything going to stop this?



I ride past recycling centre. (tip) and it's an industrial estate. I'm thinking change my route to avoid debris like this.

 

[saneagle]

Just taken wheel off and look what's inside tyre. Is anything going to stop this?

View attachment 55789

I ride past recycling centre. (tip) and it's an industrial estate. I'm thinking change my route to avoid debris like this.

View attachment 55790

That would bounce off an MP. Look here post #7 when a 3" nail tried to attack my inner tube:

Schwalbe Marathon Plus

Anyone here riding with these tyres? Im thinking of changing my mountain bike tyres for a set of these, mainly as a more road biased tyre. I also like their puncture resistant claims..

www.pedelecs.co.uk

 

[AndyBike]

It isn't a myth. I've experienced it many times on my own and other bikes.

Also, it's inevitable, considering the design of most bicycle hydraulic brake reservoirs. I haven't studied many of them, but the ones I did look at have a simple sealed area as a reservoir for the fluid. There is no expanding rubber bellows, like those used on motorcycle brakes. The bellows is to separate the air from the oil, and it adjusts its size as the fluid level goes up or down.

Without the bellows, you must leave some air in the reservoir and not fill it to the top, otherwise your brake will jam on when the fluid becomes warm and expands. As the pads wear, more fluid rests in the caliper, so the level in the reservoir goes down, and there's more space for air. You know if you have a bellows by whether you have to remove it to add more fluid. On the brakes I've serviced and installed, I've never seen bellows, but I can imagine that some high end ones would have them.

How likely the air is to enter the hose when inverted depends on the angle and position of the brake cylinder, whether the brake lever is moved when inverted, and the level of fluid in the reservoir.

Youre referring to 2 systems. 'open' and 'closed'
An example of closed is the Hope C2, one of the original brakes before 100% went to open. But either way with the closed you dont have air in it, you fill it right to the top them fit the master cylinder plunger that is used to adjust the pads. screw the top adjuster in which moved the plunger down, moved the pads in, back it off withdraws the pistons. Though with the closed system you had the pistons on internal springs.
The open system uses a diaphragm, but again there is no air as again you fill right to the top, then 'roll' the rubber diaphragm on to prevent any air getting in. Air causes the brake to have a spongy feel at the lever and the brake wont perform very well. Air is the enemy.
With the closed system, there is no expansion for heat, so as you said when the fluid heats up, the piston is pushed out further and can in some cases unless backed off at the master cylinder end can clamp itself to the rotor.

But thats only going to happen if the fluid is really hot, 150c hot, and then thats only going to happen in long DH runs where youre maybe on the brakes a lot. General bike use commuting its not going to heat the fluid enough where that would be a problem

In my experience brakes like the C2 are ideal for commuting. Its got a massive piston(26mm in diameter) the same size as the later V2 DH and trials calipers and with the ability to set the bite point or manually adjust for any pad wear.

Shame they discontinued it, but thats er.. progress.

All hydraulic bicycle brakes currently available use a diaphragm because they are open system. Clarks, Shimano, Sram, Hope, Trickstuff etc etc. Outwith the C2(which I think came out in about 1996) I've yet to see one without- well there was one made by Giant, but that was the patent they bought from Hope for the C2, but they made an 4r5e of it and it performed nowhere near as well.

Ive serviced a lot of brakes, Hope are by far the easiest. They perform very well, but its more about modulation of speed rather than initial bite. Shimano are a strong initial bite which then ramps up, Hope are a softer initial bit that then really ramps up. Sram are a mix of the two. Many riders I know prefer Sram, but only really high end sram are worth buying.