I had this idea on how to avoid a flat tyre ... until

mp31

A few months back when I got my bike, I was talking to one of my neighbours who said that his brother taught him how to remove and repair the inner tube - a move that seemd to be timely because the next day he had to put those skills to good use.
That got me thinking.."What if I don't learn how to do that myself, I'll never have a flat tyre"... what a :cool: idea I thought!

That worked brilliantly till Tuesday night when I was cycling along thinking about my theory and how well it had worked when 'BAM' I was caught by a tiny piece of glass.:eek:
It also highlighted how poorly prepared I was for the occasion. So for anyone out there reading this... the message is... err... be prepared.

Beasty

The best way to avoid a flat tyre is to stay off the bike

For anyone who wants to actually ride their bike, replacing or repairing a puncture is just about the most basic skill you need to learn, as it's highly unlikely that you'll never need to put it into practice. I learnt how to do this probably around the age of 12-13 - not sure that tyre levers were even generally available then - spoon handles were the order of the day

ThisRegard

Beasty wrote: »

I learnt how to do this probably around the age of 12-13 - not sure that tyre levers were even generally available then - spoon handles were the order of the day

I don't get how people reach adulthood without ever changing a tyre or fixing a puncture. In my 'gang' as kids we were always swapping tyres and wheels on our Raleigh burners and loaning each other our stunt pegs, and spoons were the way to go. When our rear tyre was worn away to nothing we switched it with the front, sure how else can you have the longest skid competitions if you're risking a blow out !

doozerie

Beasty wrote:

spoon handles were the order of the day

Only if you wanted to invoke the wrath of your mother ("My spoons! MY GOOD SPOONS! Where's my wooden spoon, you young pup, I'll flake you!"). Using two screwdrivers, however, only invoked the wrath of your father who might not really be able to unleash the real enforcer on you no matter what he claimed ("My screwdrivers! MY GOOD SCREWDRIVERS! Where's your mother, you young pup, she'll flake you ...possibly!"). Ahhh, nostalgia...

velo.2010

Fork handles and butter knives worked for me!

Oh and what about taking some loose bricks from your neighbours garden to build a ramp to jump over your friends with!:pac:

Doze were de days!

Beasty

doozerie wrote: »

Only if you wanted to invoke the wrath of your mother ("My spoons! MY GOOD SPOONS! Where's my wooden spoon, you young pup, I'll flake you!"). Using two screwdrivers, however, only invoked the wrath of your father who might not really be able to unleash the real enforcer on you no matter what he claimed ("My screwdrivers! MY GOOD SCREWDRIVERS! Where's your mother, you young pup, she'll flake you ...possibly!"). Ahhh, nostalgia...

It wasn't very long after I learned how to use spoon handles that I found out about fork handles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ

victorcarrera

I only ever remember using the forks aswell. I'm not sure but I think they were a little bigger and stronger than the soup spoons.
That reminds me of trying to race my mates on a (borrowed) high nellie with a loose cotter pin and nothing left of the pedals but the axle stubs, and when your foot slipped you would invariably skin your ankle. Working brakes were and optional and rare luxury too in those days.
We have come a long way since then.

drBill

I remember putting two tyres onto each wheel of my racer way back for extra protection. And it did genuinely give great protection, I hardly ever had punctures afterwards. Although naturally getting the dual tyres on and off took a lot of skill and patience and could be a real pain.

bax4556

what???

Holyboy

drBill wrote: »

I remember putting two tyres onto each wheel of my racer way back for extra protection. And it did genuinely give great protection, I hardly ever had punctures afterwards. Although naturally getting the dual tyres on and off took a lot of skill and patience and could be a real pain.

I know a couple of mechanics that still do this, they do of course cut the bead off the inner one first!

I do remember in my younger days on my Emmelle cub the brakes were very noisy, someone told me to oil them so I did, caliper brakes, steel rims and oil DON'T make for good braking as I found out at the bottom of my avenue and couldn't stop, it was a painful lesson:(

Esroh

victorcarrera wrote: »

I only ever remember using the forks aswell. I'm not sure but I think they were a little bigger and stronger than the soup spoons.
That reminds me of trying to race my mates on a (borrowed) high nellie with a loose cotter pin and nothing left of the pedals but the axle stubs, and when your foot slipped you would invariably skin your ankle. Working brakes were and optional and rare luxury too in those days.
We have come a long way since then.

Victor were you riding in the classic Bike is to Big position of having to cycle with legs under the crossbar:D
In my distant youth the peloton left for the lake most summer days after lunch. You rode what ever bike was available and you needed to be able to fix them all

nomdeboardie

Aah...cutlery and loose cotter pins...the nostalgia

Beasty

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Aah...cutlery and loose cotter pins...the nostalgia

I'd forgotten about cotter pins - the bane of my cycling childhood - I can hardly remember a time when my cranks didn't slip a litte ...

victorcarrera

Esroh wrote: »

Victor were you riding in the classic Bike is to Big position of having to cycle with legs under the crossbar...

Yes, I did that too, thats why the ladies bikes were more popular.

I'd forgotten about cotter pins - the bane of my cycling childhood - I can hardly remember a time when my cranks didn't slip a litte ...

And a worn or very loose cotter pin required a special pedaling technique whereby when the loose crank got to the top you had to speed up that leg in order to catch up with the drive train again. Try and measure that with a power meter:). Truly pedaling squares.:D
Maybe this is why I rarely find fault with modern bikes.

Holyboy

victorcarrera wrote: »

Yes, I did that too, thats why the ladies bikes were more popular.



And a worn or very loose cotter pin required a special pedaling technique whereby when the loose crank got to the top you had to speed up that leg in order to catch up with the drive train again. Try and measure that with a power meter:). Truly pedaling squares.:D
Maybe this is why I rarely find fault with modern bikes.

How the hell old are you and Beasty, like a hundred?:D

victorcarrera

Holyboy wrote: »

How the hell old are you and Beasty, like a hundred?:D

These bikes were very common in the 1960's when I was learning to cycle when one or two bikes were shared among a family or more.
Most older and middle aged cyclists I know especially those who have returned to it after some time will admit to feeling better and fitter than when they were 20 years younger.

drBill

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Aah...cutlery and loose cotter pins...the nostalgia

Good one! Bloody cotter pins! What a tortured way to attach a crank to a shaft! So many unpleasant hours spent trying to get those pins in - or out - and getting cranks correctly aligned thanks to those b****rd cotter pins, ugh! Such a crappy invention. I remember being so thrilled when I bought my first sealed bearing non-cotter-pin crankshaft. I wonder how many people packed in cycling altogether thanks to the cotter pin and all its woes.

monument

Puncture resistant tires. End of.

Beasty wrote: »

For anyone who wants to actually ride their bike, replacing or repairing a puncture is just about the most basic skill you need to learn, as it's highly unlikely that you'll never need to put it into practice. I learnt how to do this probably around the age of 12-13 - not sure that tyre levers were even generally available then - spoon handles were the order of the day

Strongly disagree that it's anywhere near a basic skill for anybody who wants to ride their bike.

I learnt how to do it but have done it as little as I've can since.

Beasty

Holyboy wrote: »

How the hell old are you and Beasty, like a hundred?:D

If you add our ages together we've more than that - but I'm the younger of the two;)

nomdeboardie

monument wrote: »

Puncture resistant tires...

Mythology forum -->
:rolleyes:

blorg

In fairness there are tyres that are exceedingly puncture resistant (could reduce your punctures to one every year or less) but they ride like shít.

monument

blorg wrote: »

In fairness there are tyres that are exceedingly puncture resistant (could reduce your punctures to one every year or less) but they ride like shít.

Many if not most would contend with the apparent reduction for the benefit of reducing punctures to one every year or less.

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Mythology forum -->
:rolleyes:

Have you tried puncture resistant tires?

Cedrus

doozerie wrote: »

"My spoons! MY GOOD SPOONS! Using two screwdrivers, however, only invoked the wrath of your father..

But it had to be the Good Silver Spoons 'cos they had nice big rounded ends that wouldn't pinch the inner tube. They did bend sometimes but so long as you straightened them and made sure not to leave any oil on them you had a chance of getting away with it. The stainless ones in our house didn't bent but had square ends that were a bit risky, screwdrivers were too sharp altogether, recipe for a new tube.

Mint Sauce

In the peeing rain, traffic going by you at near a 100kph, no hard shoulder, you surprisingly change a flat pretty darn quick.

saa

Ah no I always gave my bike to da growing up and now da's not around any more
I can teach myself online but I never to buy levers and my fourth kit keep losing them.

But seriously broken glass.. everywhere... does everyone smash the bottle their drinking out of, leave it on the grass at least

Lumen

saa wrote: »

But seriously broken glass.. everywhere... does everyone smash the bottle their drinking out of, leave it on the grass at least

Location....

nomdeboardie

monument wrote: »

Have you tried puncture resistant tires?

Yes. (To be fair, though, I can't remember what sort of flats I was getting with them - some might have been "pinch" and other sorts of dodgy "under-tyre" issues.)

nomdeboardie

drBill wrote: »

Bloody cotter pins! What a tortured way to attach a crank to a shaft!

Yeah, shades of crucification about the whole thing