Puncture Prevention?

[burncycle]

Now that Ive started my daily commute to work, the anxiety of suffering a puncture on route, with no bike maintainence knowledge is ever present.

So I need all the advise I can get regarding puncture prevention for my Pro-Connect.
I want to best Puncture prevention money can buy, though not effecting performance too much.

How good at pucture prevention are the continental contact extra-light tyres that I have on my Pro-Connect?

Ive looked at the stuff you put in your tyres to stop deflation (Slime).
The tyre gaurds that you put between the tube and the tyre.

If a combination of products need to be used then I'll use them !

Any and all advise will be taken gratefully by me about this issue.

Regards Bob.

 

[stokepa31_mk2]

Hi Bob

I've gone for Marathon+ simply because many in the forum have used them for long periods without punctures.

your conti's seem to come wih a one year guarantee against puntctures so they must be pretty confident.

Ive never seen the attraction of slime. To me its just a load of crud you have to clean up that renders the tube unrepairable if it doesnt work properly. Adds weight too. At least if anything does get through my Marathons, i will be able to fix the puncture.

necessity is the mother of all invention and speaking as someone that is traditionaly crap at all things mechanical, you soon learn the skills needed to perform the basic maintenance your bike will need. I use utube to watch someone else doing it first. there are loads of videos of the more common tasks.

i'm waiting with interest to see what happens when you try to pump your tyres up

p.s. get some oil or grease on that chain tensioner soon

 

[john]

Different types of puncture

I have kind of come to the conclusion that there are two types of puncture hazard and some protection systems are better at one hazard than the other.

One type is fairly large sharp objects like glass and metal, the other is small fine ones like thorns.

I think that kevlar is good for the first type but doesn't help for the second, for which you need a thicker compound in the tyre or use a liner under it.

 

[musicbooks]

i'm waiting with interest to see what happens when you try to pump your tyres up

p.s. get some oil or grease on that chain tensioner soon

Like trying to push a watermelon throught the eye of a needle. I huffed and I puffed and as I pumped away in vain in the porch, from the road my wife said it all looked rather rude.. the red face and racing heartbeat didn't help to make her even more worried about my obsessive biking habits

bw
musicbooks

I agree with stoke.. oil up your tensioner and she'll run like a dream (there I've gone and done it again)

 

[MaryinScotland]

I had slimed tubes for a while, two or three bikes ago! Never actually had a puncture with them, so I can't comment on that. However, I was advised, if I needed to pump up the tyres, to turn the wheel so the valve was on the high side, and leave it for a minute or two, for the slime to drain away. If I did that, pumping up wasn't a problem. The slime did tend to pool at the bottom if the bike was standing. I wasn't aware of it riding, but if I let the bike stand and then lifted and spun one wheel, you could see it was going unbalanced, with a heavy bit. I presume the slime spreads itself around when riding.

Something I think is helpful, especially if you ride in towns where there can be a lot of broken glass, is to inspect your tyres regularly. I turn the bike over, preferably in full sunlight, and check the tread with a magnifying glass. It's surprising how often you'll find little bits of embedded glass glinting there. I usually prise them out with a wooden toothpick. I don't know if there's a real risk of the glass slivers working through to the tube, but better safe than sorry.

I like to keep my tyres hard, for ease of riding & less battery drain. I'm not sure if a hard tyre is less or more prone to being pierced.

Mary

 

[burncycle]

Thanks for that guys and gals.
I've also looked at these tyres (continental contact security).

Continental Contact Security Review | BikeRadar.com

And this stuff (Sludge).
Sludge Puncture Sealant Review | BikeRadar.com

Seems to get a better review than slime!

 

[Cyclezee]

This is a list of puncture resistant tyres I compiled for an earlier post​

• Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre for £21.59 | Schwalbe Tyres - Road City | Cycle | Wiggle​
• Bicycle Parts : Continental Contact Security 08 - £14.99​
• Specialized Nimbus Armadillo Tyre 26" - 700c - Only £17.99 - Cyclesurgery​
• Vittoria Randonneur Pro Folding Tyre - £17.40​
• Dutch Perfect Puncture Proof Tyre Set 700c X 35c (Pair) £42.99-Discount Bicycles Ltd.​

N.B. I accept no resposibility for any punctures if you use these tyres and obviously these tyres are available in sizes for most bikes.​

 

[flecc]

On the Schwalbe Marathon Plus that John lists, the cheapest are always:

All Terrain Cycles

currently at £19.99
.

 

[Falstaff]

If you don’t already have one sitting in the garage, get an electric air pump from one of the local hardware stores. Save the cardio for the bike ride. Since you are going to be checking tire pressure and gassing them up on a regular basis, might as well get organized...

The one I have has no air tank. It is rather small, so the cost is modest. It should come come with a Schrader valve fitting for automobiles and many of the wide rimmed MTB tires.. If you are going to buy new tires, might as well buy new Schrader valved inner tubes at the same time. Then you can use the air pump as is. Otherwise, stop by a local cycle shop and get a Presta adaptor, which should work with the Wood’s Valve inner tube that came with the Karkhoff Pro Connect. They are very low cost item. Otherwise, you can buy a air pressure replacement head for the air pump at the cycle shop that has a duel head, one Presta and one Schrader fittings.

 

[CheKmx]

I had a puncture this week and learned the stupidity of commuting with out a puncture repair kit. My puncture was on the rear tyre and I was surprised how easy it was in the end I bought some of those self adhesive patches which seemed to work quite well. I also think having a decent pump at home is a good idea although I just use a track pump which seems to get the job done with out too much effort

 

[oldosc]

I would think a puncture on the way to or from work is a bit of a nightmare...
I always carry a spare tube, and either a co2 inflater, or a bottle of Foam from halfords, always have an adaptor or schrader valve in the tube, you can top up pressure at any garage, but I have found many garage pumps do not go above 45,50 lbs 65 or 90 is only on artics. I also check inside the case monthly or so for thorns or little things that can work their way in, but wear off at the tread.(the practice you get doing this often will stand you in good stead in the rain.( I have never bought expensive tyres on my off roader, (pension) so cannot comment. But due to my inabilaty to stick to the road if an alternative track looks good means I have a regular date with the irons...
I want to post a new thread to ask "wot is all this rolling resistance stuff"

 

[flecc]

I want to post a new thread to ask "wot is all this rolling resistance stuff"

I'm all ready to answer when you want to post the question oldosc.
.

 

[burncycle]

Its looks like a good option for me is the get my bike refitted with new tubes that have Schraeder Valves and have a set of Continental Contact Security Tyres fitted while im at it.
Not cheap but the protection is there at the end of the day.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[oldosc]

Its looks like a good option for me is the get my bike refitted with new tubes that have Schraeder Valves and have a set of Continental Contact Security Tyres fitted while im at it.
Not cheap but the protection is there at the end of the day.

Thanks for all the help guys.

I have just read a reply saying you can get adaptors for the valves @ 45p each cheaper than new tubes, also self adhesive patches are a good emergency, but prone to problems with heat...if we get any real summer, and if the pressure drops a bit (tyre) these patches will tend not to be such a good idea (in australia all patches come with a little tray and a cramp..you literally vulcanise the repair, but it is a bit hotter there sometimes)

 

[stokepa31_mk2]

I have just read a reply saying you can get adaptors for the valves @ 45p each cheaper than new tubes, also self adhesive patches are a good emergency, but prone to problems with heat...if we get any real summer, and if the pressure drops a bit (tyre) these patches will tend not to be such a good idea (in australia all patches come with a little tray and a cramp..you literally vulcanise the repair, but it is a bit hotter there sometimes)

The adaptor valves are useful but you will still find that even with a track pump, there is a lot of resistance to the air going in. I do not think woods valves are designed for high pressure use

 

[Tim]

I fitted a pre-slimed inner tube from Halfords to one of our demo Agattus over the weekend.

£8.99 though, but I was in a hurry. So far no problems.

 

[oldosc]

The adaptor valves are useful but you will still find that even with a track pump, there is a lot of resistance to the air going in. I do not think woods valves are designed for high pressure use

Thanks paul Having a bit of angina, I find biking no problem??? but pumping tyres is a bit beyond me most of the time,, thats why I use the little co2 cyl then go to a garage and do the bit..I really wondered why the woods valve was so much more of a bitch to put any air into the tyre than the schrader..but of corse the pressures today are way beyond those of my youf.

 

[timelordUK]

worried

I am amazed by My Pro - Connect - however I am worried now in case I get a puncture in the rear wheel. The front looks simple enough... but everything on the back looks so complicated..... any advice in getting the rear wheel off.... but more importantly, back on again... so everything works ok...

 

[flecc]

I am amazed by My Pro - Connect - however I am worried now in case I get a puncture in the rear wheel. The front looks simple enough... but everything on the back looks so complicated..... any advice in getting the rear wheel off.... but more importantly, back on again... so everything works ok...

Firstly as I so often remind, wheels do not come out for puncture repairs, it's completely unnecessary.

Just release the V brake outer cable from it's stirrup at the brake end, turn the bike upside down and remove one side of the tyre and the tube from the non-chain side in the case of the back wheel. Then the puncture can be found and repaired easily, utilising the space alongside the wheel. Everything can be done in this way, including putting air into the tube to find the leak and water bath checking if necessary.

If a new tube has to be fitted, again the wheel doesn't have to come right out. The wheel nuts can be loosened and the wheel slid forward out of the frame slots sufficiently to pass out the old tube and pass in the new. Even tyres can be changed in this way, and the chain can just be left in place during the operation on hub gear bikes like yours.

For anyone inexperienced in these matters, it's advisable to do a relaxed practice dummy run at home in good conditions to get familiarity. You'll then be surprised at how easy these operations really are and will no longer have the same fear of them happening on the road.
.

 

[Larkspur]

Am I wrong in thinking that you can use Slime to repair a puncture? I was under the impression that you could put it in when you get a puncture and then reinflate the tyre. I notice all posts that mention slime on this thread talk about pre-sliming to prevent punctures. I was planning on carrying a tube of the stuff around with me in my panniers (together with a pump) and only using it if I had to. Please advise if this strategy is wrong.

Chris