Repairing flats along the way

[timpel_800]

Hi guys

Just a random question. Don't know if this is the right forum to post in, but i think you're the right ones to ask.

I had a wobble i'm my rear rim, so i took the wheel of and brought it to the shop on monday. Okay, no problem, be ready on wednesday. But no call, so I called them today (thursday) and asked if it was ready. "oh no he did not have a look to it yet".
Well bugger me. Hopefully it will be ready tomorrow otherwise i will be really pissed off. Anyway, so far for today's frustration.

It kinda anoyes me that i don't have the tools and knowlegde to repair a flat while i'm on the road. I just have a tube in my wheel, so i have to take the tyre of to repair it.
Does anyone have a tip, for a tool set to take along on trips, or how to repair a flat.

Otherwise i have to call the AA again, and i don't think they gonna pick me up on the top of the murdersrock. Like they did in Amsterdam once :)

[Spuds1234]

I dont have any advice im afraid, but I must say that Im loving the picture.

[CookMySock]

Bike tyres can be fitted tubeless ay ? If so, don't use a tube. If you do, your tyre will go flat real fast when you have a puncture.

If you get it fitted tubeless, and a nail etc gets in it it will go down, but slowly, so you can blow it up and continue on your way.

Consider also, the "safety seal" tyre repair stuff - you blow the tyre up hard, then route out the hole a bit, then use a tool to force a sticky string thingy into the hole and slice the excess off with a razor blade. Works real good. You need air though. Won't work on tubes.

http://images.google.co.nz/images?q=%22safety+seal%22+repair

HTH,
DB

[JATZ]

get y'self a couple of tyre levers from any bike shop, a small! bottle of dishwashing liquid and a puncture repair kit.Dont forget the right sized spanners to get the wheel off.
try it at home where you can have a lie down if it gets too much, theyre not too hard to do, can be a bit frustrating till you get the hang of it

[Disco Dan]

Get yourself one of these:

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/default.aspx

I have used this several times on the side of the road and it has proven to be lifesaving!!

Those tiny CO2 bottles it comes with is enough to inflate your tires!

I have a 180 tire and just one of them is enough air to ride to the nearest gas station on, while two is enough to continue on riding...

Oh and unlike other products I have seen - you DONT have to get it pulled and re-plugged by the tire shop! Once you have fixed it that is it- it's fixed.

They whole kit is small enough to fit under the seat of almost all sportsbikes too.

[Transalper]

Bike tyres can be fitted tubeless ay ? If so, don't use a tube....
Generally most adventure bikes and trail bikes have to use tubes. The spokes tend to let the air out otherwise.
There are a heap of posts here on fixing flats, it's not hard to do once you've learned and done a couple.
For that specific job I carry a spare tube, some patches incase the tube isn't enough (more than one flat), two tyre leavers, a hand pump and the spanners needed to get both wheels off.
Other handy stuff is soapy solution or something like WD40 to make life easier.

[tri boy]

Check out www.advrider.com and search for threads explaining puncture repairs.
Heaps of good info. Practice on push bikes, wheel barrows etc until you have the hang of it.
All m/cyclist's should be able to fix a simple puncture. MHO

[Motu]

Neduro's tyre changing thread is the best...it's all there.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50717&highlight=neduro%27s+tire+changing+thread

[Crisis management]

All m/cyclist's should be able to fix a simple puncture. MHO

How come you all stood around watching me then? :Pokey:

I hear you may have had some practice later mind!

[tri boy]

I was too busy bashing my hand, instead of peening over the joining link.:pinch:

[trustme]

Crisis
It was poetry in motion & such a beautiful thing to watch, we didnt have the temerity to interfere with the workings of a true artiste.

[Crisis management]

Crisis
It was poetry in motion & such a beautiful thing to watch, we didnt have the temerity to interfere with the workings of a true artiste.

Grovelling will get you nowhere, you can do the next one. :jerry:

Triboy, you're right, I forgot the valiant efforts to rearrange most of the rear suspension!

[trustme]

Okey Dokey

[cooneyr]

Like Transalper said - levers, spanners, tube, patches and a hand pump. You want your gear to be reliable and you dont want to be running out of CO2 in the back country with a half inflated tyre. The best thing to do though is get lots of practice - dont use the shop:D You are much better to practice at home and figure things out than try and do it for the first time on the side of a gravel road.

Cheers R

[Padmei]

Neduro's tyre changing thread is the best...it's all there.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50717&highlight=neduro%27s+tire+changing+thread


Really good thread that. Very easy to follow. We'll see if it is as easy at home on the first one.

[Transalper]

Breaking the bead is often the first place that causes trouble.
On tyres that have been on the bike for a while they are often stuck on and some leaverage can be required, especially for lighter people when jumping on it just isn't enough.
I use a long 4x2 and a smaller piece of wood to leaver the bead on the dr rear wheels (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=66873&d=1185423398)which have a rep for being difficult.
Tryed the jack once but all I managed to do with that was to jack the front of the van off the ground without breaking the bead.
Front tyres are usually easier than rears too.

[Badjelly]

get y'self a couple of tyre levers from any bike shop

Not Wellington Motorcycles when I called in last Saturday. Apparently there's no demand; nobody does it any more.

(The story of how I managed to change my tyre with tiny bicycle tyre levers, muck up the tube repair so it deflated the next time I rode the bike, so I had to be rescued by said Wellington Motorcycles--who are really nice guys--and I'd reassembled the wheel wrongly to boot, is far too shameful to tell here.)

Thanks for the links on puncture repairs, folks. I'm in need of a bit of advice myself.

[Crisis management]

Not Wellington Motorcycles when I called in last Saturday. Apparently there's no demand; nobody does it any more.


You had best find a proper motorcycle shop then!
I hate to admit it but some bike shops are going the way of service stations, all coffee and donuts and nothing usefull to sell.

If you're buying levers, get some with a ring spanner end to suit your axle nut size and kill two birds with one stone, you only need two levers so it ain't a complete financial crisis.

Finally, don't be put off the idea, it's really easy once you get stuck into tyre changing, just make sure you have the correct tools with you (decent tyre levers). The confidence boost, knowing you can fix a puncture anywhere, is well worth having.

[CBobR]

Agree with all the above, with a couple of good tyre levers and the correct spanners (which may not always be included in your bike's tool kit :o), after the first practice tyre change you'll be a tyre changing machine.

If you have painted rims, you might also like to get a couple of rim protectors so you don't have the added pain of scraping the paint off your nice rims with the tyre levers.
http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Tools/rim_protectors.htm
The ones I got are cheap and lightweight and fit nicely around the levers to stop them rattling in storage.

Also, I found it useful to look into how other people temporarily support their bikes with a wheel off, e.g. using sticks to make a temporary centrestand to remove the rear wheel on a side-stand only bike, or loading the cargo rack of a centrestand only bike with rocks to remove the front wheel. Or with friendly terrain you can just put the bike on it's side.

[timpel_800]

Hi guys thnx for the heaps of tips! Great, gives me something to read.

Bin to the bikeshop today and they had the levers but not the repair kit. Nobody does seem to have those things these days. But they told me maybe Repco, so check that out next week.

Is there a size of levers that is recommended?

Mind you guys, maybe you noticed, i'm from Holland, we have heaps of bikes overthere, and one of the first things to learn from your father is to repair a flat :), but I have bin f*king around with motorbike tyres before and just couldn't do it!

Just got my wheel back, it is straigthent out again but he broke 2 spokes (they were all rusty and so). Is there a shop in NZ that is specialized in spokes?

tim

[Motu]

Breaking the bead is often the first place that causes trouble.


In nearly 40 years of removing motorcycle tyres,I have never had a problem breaking the bead - HOWEVER!!!!.Easter time I fitted a rear tyre to my XT600....stood on the tyre and broke the bead as per usual,and fitted the tyre.Two weeks later and it seems to be flat,so last sunday I decided to fix it.NO WAY could I break the bead!!! This was a used tyre I had on the same bike previously,never a problem....now after only 2 weeks and 350km I can't break it.

I turned my back and someone has shifted the paradigm.....has anyone seen where my universe went??

[Transalper]

Welcome to my universe lol.
At home I use a leaverage setup, on the trail/road I use beffy friends or ride it untill ithe bead lets go by itself, then replace the tube.
I carry a spare 19 inch tube because it can be stretched in to a 21inch tyre or squeezed in to a 17 inch tyre.
The patches I got from our local Suzuki shop.
Would pushbike patches do the job too? or are they just not heavy duty enough?

[cooneyr]

......Just got my wheel back, it is straigthent out again but he broke 2 spokes (they were all rusty and so). Is there a shop in NZ that is specialized in spokes?......

No ideas bout shops sorry, but it shouldnt be too hard to lace in a couple of new spokes yourself if you can get your hands on some. Maybe try contacting Woody's Wheel Works (http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/) about spokes if you get really stuck.


......I turned my back and someone has shifted the paradigm.....has anyone seen where my universe went??....

Where is this fabulous universe of easily broken tyre beads? Have a go at a DR650 rear tyre some time and let me know what I'm doing wrong :D


.....on the trail/road I use beffy friends....

Keep that up and there will be no more help for you!!


Would pushbike patches do the job too? or are they just not heavy duty enough?

Rightly or wrongly (I dont know if it is a good idea or not) I used bike patches on a "normal" (not heavy duty) front tube and they worked fine for a good 6 months or so till the tube was removed. I have a $3 treadly tube patch kit that I carry with me all the time.

Cheers R

[Motu]

Where is this fabulous universe of easily broken tyre beads?


I had it here a couple of weeks ago,but I put it down and can't find it again!

I've owned the bike for 5 years,and am comfortable enough with tyre changes to do it on a whim.Both tyres had been on the bike before.Same wheel,same tyres....so what has changed? The only variable is my tyre lube - I used a water based cleaner,and it seemed to evaporate quickly.I don't think it was slippery enough and maybe has made the bead stick to the rim.

Anyway,it wasn't totally flat,just very soft....pumped it up and hasn't gone down in a week.Must be the valve eh?

Yeah,right.....

[JATZ]

almost always carry a repair kit, one of those high end warehouse specials, also have a front and rear tube which goes on long trips. used a patch from the kit on the 125 and it hasn't gone flat yet, mind you I don't ride it much as it's a piece of s**t

[Oscar]

Where is this fabulous universe of easily broken tyre beads? Have a go at a DR650 rear tyre some time and let me know what I'm doing wrong :D






The heel of a size 12 moto-x boot and the application of 100+ kilos of grumpy bastid generally does it fer me...

[Padmei]

what is it that makes the tyre stick to the rim? Do they get so hot that the rubber melts onto the rim or is it the torque that jams them in? Maybe dirt & grime?

Do they just have a need to create an emotional attachment to whatevers closest

[Motu]

The heel of a size 12 moto-x boot and the application of 100+ kilos of grumpy bastid generally does it fer me...

Oooooh,you sound like just the man I need....I like a man with big thighs.I'm willing to pay,and will supply the lubricant and rubber too.So,do call me....and we'll do the dirty deed together....I'll keep a pie in the oven for you.

[NordieBoy]

The heel of a size 12 moto-x boot and the application of 100+ kilos of grumpy bastid generally does it fer me...

But you can never find a grumpy bastid when you need one.

It pisses me right off!

[Oscar]

But you can never find a grumpy bastid when you need one.

It pisses me right off!

Buy a BMW and wait till you get the bill for the first service...

[Oscar]

Oooooh,you sound like just the man I need....I like a man with big thighs.I'm willing to pay,and will supply the lubricant and rubber too.So,do call me....and we'll do the dirty deed together....I'll keep a pie in the oven for you.

I know your sort.
It'll be a vege pie won't it, you goddam hippie...

[cooneyr]

The heel of a size 12 moto-x boot and the application of 100+ kilos of grumpy bastid generally does it fer me...

I was going to say this sounds just like me (cept the grump bit) but then I saw the following post :buggerd:


Oooooh,you sound like just the man I need....I like a man with big thighs.I'm willing to pay,and will supply the lubricant and rubber too.So,do call me....and we'll do the dirty deed together....I'll keep a pie in the oven for you.

I'll have the pie though - steak and cheese please :D

Cheers R

[Ixion]

But you can never find a grumpy bastid when you need one.

It pisses me right off!

I got a 6 inch warding bastard , and a couple of half round bastards in my tool box, will they do ?

[NordieBoy]

I got a 6 inch warding bastard , and a couple of half round bastards in my tool box, will they do ?

Do they 100+ kg?

[awayatc]

Hi guys thnx for the heaps of tips! Great, gives me something to read.

Bin to the bikeshop today and they had the levers but not the repair kit. Nobody does seem to have those things these days. But they told me maybe Repco, so check that out next week.

Is there a size of levers that is recommended?

Mind you guys, maybe you noticed, i'm from Holland, we have heaps of bikes overthere, and one of the first things to learn from your father is to repair a flat :), but I have bin f*king around with motorbike tyres before and just couldn't do it!

Just got my wheel back, it is straigthent out again but he broke 2 spokes (they were all rusty and so). Is there a shop in NZ that is specialized in spokes?

tim

There are places specialising in rebuilding wheels, and they sell spokes...if you are lucky they have some that fit, otherwise they will make them up specialy for you!
Just got some myself in Christchurch a short while ago....Am trying to remember the name of the place...:blink:

Also those suggestions about how to repair your tyre yourself work. I have followed up on them and done it at home and on the road.....In order not to puncture tube when putting it all together I find a rubber hammer very usefull! (carry one in my topbox now...):clap:

If you can't find repair patches try hardware stores like Mitre 10...sounds strange but our local mitre 10 has a good repairkit with good size patches.
Your local servise station will most likely sell you a few patches as well...:2thumbsup

[timpel_800]

Just bin to Repco and they had some patches and glue. So bought that one. only 7 bucks or so.

Now some levers and i'm good to go.

I found a guy in Auckland for the spokes, have emailed him, so see how that goes.
http://www.wheelandspoke.co.nz/

[timpel_800]

There are places specialising in rebuilding wheels, and they sell spokes...if you are lucky they have some that fit, otherwise they will make them up specialy for you!
Just got some myself in Christchurch a short while ago....Am trying to remember the name of the place...:blink:



Hi, did by any change pop up that lightbulb in your head allready ? :)

[CRM]

Also those suggestions about how to repair your tyre yourself work. I have followed up on them and done it at home and on the road.....In order not to puncture tube when putting it all together I find a rubber hammer very usefull! (carry one in my topbox now...):clap:


Yeah I find a rubber hammer great for putting the tyre back on - and lots of talcum powder makes a huge difference (bike smells good too)

[awayatc]

Hi, did by any change pop up that lightbulb in your head allready ? :)

Send you a PM

[timpel_800]

While the bike is in bit's and pieces anyway, i thought i might aswell get some new spokes.
Took the rear tyre off and it was really easy! Now putting it back together ... :)

tnx :)

tim

[timpel_800]

Bin busy with the new spokes. And got the wheel as I want it.

No i'm about to put the new tyre on. I'm using the how to prevously givin. Only one thing crossed my mind.
There's a dot on the tyre, marking it's heaviest point.

On normal rims, you always put that dot opposite to the valve stem. But since it has a rimlock there, where do I put the dot of the tyre instead?

[NordieBoy]

On normal rims, you always put that dot opposite to the valve stem. But since it has a rimlock there, where do I put the dot of the tyre instead?

At the heaviest point of the wheel.

[Transalper]

Yep, I would put the dot nearest the rim lock.
I was told the dot is on the lightest part of the tyre so you match that with the heavest part of the rest of the setup to reduce the amount of balancing weights you need.
Without a rimlock I'd put the dot with the valvestem, with a rimlock I'd stick it nearest the Rimlock.