fixing flat tire
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2007-04-06 8:37 PM |
Veteran 278 Mesa, Arizona | Subject: fixing flat tire I have had my first two experiences with flat tires this week. I got a flat yesterday while riding. Never fixed a flat before but LBS said it would take a week for them to get to it. So, talked with the mechanic and he told me how to change it. It took an hour and not much fun. Anyways, got up this morning and tire flat again. By the way, I did check the tire for whatever it was that caused the flat. Looks like a thorn. Anyways, changed tire again tonight and punctured tube while doing it. Patched it up, put the tube in. So far it is holding its own. Two questions 1. Any trick to changing the tube. Went better tonight but had real hard time getting tire back on. 2. Any suggestions on a better tire. I currently have Vittoria Zaffarino(sp?). I live in AZ and have had problems with thorns in my tire before. Thanks in advance. |
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2007-04-06 8:42 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Champion 7553 Albuquerque, New Mexico | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire No real tricks, just invest in a good set of tire levers. I put a set of Kevlar tires on my road bike last fall. Not enough outside riding to see much of a difference so far. |
2007-04-06 8:47 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire With getting the tire on/off...practice is paramount. Honestly...do it over and over until you're good at it. But my LBS once showed me a few tricks like pulling/evening the tire around the rims. For example, with a really tight tire I get one spot in and then step on the bottom of the wheel/tire to give me as much slack on the top as possible. Not sure if that makes sense or not. Other trick...make sure you pinch the tire all the way around to check to make sure the tube isn't caught between the rim and the tire (it should be completely out of site UNDER the tire). As for tire types...is that Vittoria a really light tire? The tires that came on my bike were SUPER light--like 170g so that the bike would FEEL lighter to the purchaser (tricky tricky). Anyway, they were NO match for Texas chipseal and I was flatting ALL the time. I put some Michelin Pro Race Lite's (220g?) on and my luck is MUCH better now. $50ish bucks a pop but WELL worth it. Sometimes over the winter I ride with "trainer" tires outside (very heavy and sturdy like ones you would use for the trainer) and don't switch to my nicer "race" tires until summer. I bet I just generated MORE questions than I helped with. |
2007-04-06 8:57 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Master 1468 Tampa, Fl | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire Just what everyone else said but I can add my 2cents I had a problem where my tubes kept breaking and there is something I had been forgetting. When you put the new tube in, make sure to pull the stem up into the rim as far as possible. The "seats" the tube properly. If you don't do this the tube is out of place on the rim and will pop from the pressure in it. |
2007-04-06 9:01 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Master 3019 West Jordan, UT | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/fixflat.html or http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/fix/flattire.htm You should be able to do it in about 5 or ten minutes with a little practice. Triple check you don't still have something stuck in your tire. Also make sure none of your spokes are unconvered on the inside of your rim. If the rim tape is broken or moved to the side, the top of the spokes can flat your tube. Another problem can be a small peice of tube caught between the edge of the rim and the tube.
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2007-04-06 9:02 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Extreme Veteran 1234 West Michigan | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire This is no lie, one day last summer I punctured/popped two tubes within a half hour. The first one was when I added air to my tires before my ride like you're supposed to and when I went to pull off the pump from the valve stem the tube punctured. I then got my spare out and apparently didn't set the tube properly inside the tire because just as I noticed the tube was growing quickly between rim and the side of the tire it exploded..... I was on my way to meet some guys to do 30 miles so I threw my bike in the car and sped to the lbs for two more tubes and I said to heck with changing it myself, I had one of the other guys do it. What I learned that I was doing wrong (from having punctured other tubes on other days too after adding air) was I was working the valve stem back and forth as I was trying to remove the air pump. I've since learned to patiently pull the pump evenly up and off from the stem to not make that mistake again. I'm still nervous about a flat during a tri. I think I'd freak. |
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2007-04-06 9:07 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Expert 1240 Columbia, MO | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire halfdome - 2007-04-06 8:37 PM. I currently have Vittoria Zaffarino(sp?).. I have the Vittoria Zaffiro's and have had 1 flat in 3 years(nail) I thought they were pretty durable. |
2007-04-06 11:10 PM in reply to: #752087 |
Veteran 278 Mesa, Arizona | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire tkbslc - 2007-04-06 9:01 PM http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/fixflat.html or http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/fix/flattire.htm You should be able to do it in about 5 or ten minutes with a little practice. Triple check you don't still have something stuck in your tire. Also make sure none of your spokes are unconvered on the inside of your rim. If the rim tape is broken or moved to the side, the top of the spokes can flat your tube. Another problem can be a small peice of tube caught between the edge of the rim and the tube.
Do you take the entire tire on the rim when you put the new tube in or do you still leave one side in. I left one side in the entire time. Maybe that is why I had so much trouble? |
2007-04-07 12:05 AM in reply to: #752068 |
Subject: RE: fixing flat tire I take the whole tire off so I can double check there isn't any sharp stuff still stuck in the tire. Otherwise, I may just flat again. It would take a week for the LBS to get to the flats, but they spent an hour showing you how to fix it?! weird.. |
2007-05-06 4:40 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Elite 3972 Reno | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire wow - can't remember the last time I did that.... but had to do it today. glad I was home and found this link |
2007-05-06 5:37 PM in reply to: #752199 |
Champion 6539 South Jersey | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire onefitgeek - 2007-04-07 1:05 AM I take the whole tire off so I can double check there isn't any sharp stuff still stuck in the tire. Otherwise, I may just flat again. It would take a week for the LBS to get to the flats, but they spent an hour showing you how to fix it?! weird.. I think they told him how to do it. It was him doing the tire change himself that took an hour. Seriously, if your LBS is going to take a week to get to a flat, you need a new LBS. It takes them less than 2 mins to change a flat and it's something they should be able to do for you immediately (well, you might have to wait a few mins for them to get to it, but you know what I mean). It would have taken them less time to change it than it would have for the guy to stand there and tell you what to do . I'm glad you got it changed now . |
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2007-05-06 6:36 PM in reply to: #752068 |
Expert 755 SF-Bay Area | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire One other trick my shop taught me (don't think I saw it mentioned above) to avoid pinch-flats (from improper installation) is--once you've got the first tire bead on the rim and the tube in place--to pre-inflate the tube every so slightly to avoid a pinch flat. Different tires/rims I've found permit more "pre-inflation" than others--so you'll have to experiment. Too much and you wont' be able to get the second bead in place over the rim. Since using this trick I haven't had anymore pinch flats from improper installation. Edited by guncollector 2007-05-06 6:37 PM |
2007-05-06 7:02 PM in reply to: #790626 |
Master 1810 Morse Lake, Noblesville, Indiana | Subject: RE: fixing flat tire guncollector - 2007-05-06 7:36 PM One other trick my shop taught me (don't think I saw it mentioned above) to avoid pinch-flats (from improper installation) is--once you've got the first tire bead on the rim and the tube in place--to pre-inflate the tube every so slightly to avoid a pinch flat. Different tires/rims I've found permit more "pre-inflation" than others--so you'll have to experiment. Too much and you wont' be able to get the second bead in place over the rim. Since using this trick I haven't had anymore pinch flats from improper installation. I actually preinflate the tube just a bit to give some structure even before I attempt to put it on the tire. |