flat... IN THE OFFICE!
 

So I was moving my bike into the office, and the tire picks up a staple from the floor and it flats.

So now I have to borrow a bike home, get my tire levers, pick up a patchkit/tube on the way back, and change it.

Would patching work for a staple flat? Or should I just change out the tube? WHat about the tire, is it fine with the two holes in it? Should I superglue the holes shut?

Pull the staple out, put the patch on. Unless it's a very large and unusual sized staple, the patch should cover both holes just fine.

Also, if you have a pump available, you could fold up a piece of paper and place it between the tube and tire where the hole is, and pump your tire up and ride it to the shop.

I don't bother with patch kits. Just replace the tube. Tubes are cheap enough.

Always carry spare tube and tire levers.

A patch should cover it fine. Regardless of how cheap tubes are, it's still wasteful to just throw out a tube that's a 30 cent patch from being totally fine.

i always carry a spare tube and levers.

For any distance longer than a short walk, you should ride with a spare inner tube and the kit to replace it. I also take a puncture repair kit and keep another spare tube at work. Std practice is to replace the inner and patch it in the comfort of your own home. Patches are permanent and you can repatch a tube many times.
You could probably ride home with a patch made from pvc electrical tape around the inner tube. It wont last for many days but is a useful get-you-home trick.
The only type of tyre damage to cause concern is a rip or tear in the fabric greater than about 5mm (1/4"). Simple puncture wounds are harmless and damage to the rubber that doesnt penetrate the fabric are also quite safe.

My last flat was from the same source. I picked up a standard staple in the back tire from rolling it down the hall to my office. Just patch it and it will be fine....and as mentioned already....always carry a spare tube, patches, and levers.

I once had a day when I discovered that my bike had a flat in the office. I figured that I'd patch the tire before I rode on home; no big deal. A little while later, I was sitting there when I heard a really big Bang! Yep, it was the other tire blowing up because I'd pinched the tube when I'd put the tire on the day before. It was a little embarrassing patching and changing both tubes that day.

WHAT? Tubes cost about 3-5 dollars; that's a beer man!!! Things that cost a nickle or a quarter are cheap, .... I guess its all relative, but could you send me your one hole tubes?

I currently have three tubes with a total of 18 patches between them, one has only 4 patches and the others are about evenly spread between the others. The youngest tube is over two years old and the others are quite a bit older. The last tube I threw out got pinched by the sidewall and shredded when it popped, I cut that one apart into rubber bands and made a mudflap and a couple of other useful items for the bike out of it. I have a wonderful spot on one tube that has three patches overlapping to form a sort of triangle of patched tubeness. I have yet to have a patch fail...

Patches are cheap and IME reliable. One patch should cover the staple holes just fine. I wouldn't worry about the tire at all.

I used to bring my bike into the office and lean it against the wall next to me. One morning I was sitting at my desk when the aged rear tire sidewall lets go, and the tube explodes with a loud BANG! I just about hit the ceiling. Needless to say I take better care of my tires these days.

Yea, I don't like to waste things unnecessarily. I carry one spare tube and one patch kit. I usually throw in the spare tube and patch the broken one at home.

I always have my patch kit, pump, etc with me... if I didn't have them, Performance bike is a 2 minute walk from my office. ;)

A couple bucks thrown into my pocket, pannier, or saddle bag gives me another backup option, as I can jump onto the light rail or a bus and get to wherever I was going and fix anything wrong later.

Yeah, I'm going to start carrying a patch kit, irons, and spare tube with me from now on... luckily enough our lab had a few taco'ed 700c wheels... with perfectly functioning tubes AND kevlar-lined Schwalbe Blizzards. I scavenged one of the tubes but had to find a pump.

Anyone have experience with the Schwalbe Blizzards? I currently run Vittoria Zaffiros but I wouldn't mind a switch to free kevlar tires, don't know how the rolling resistance would be compared to my Zaffiros though.

Eh, I don't think it's the riding that's the problem. I think it's the slowly pushing the bike along in the office kind of thing, where your bike is moving slowly enough to pick up debris instead of sweeping it away...

maybe.

weird...
i should probably get some levers soon, thanks, i always have a tube and pump but no levers

Yeah, having all the tools is handy. For a short while I was riding with tire levers and patches, but no pump. Thankfully I didn't get a flat during that period.

i could get away with no levers with my other bike but i am not sure about the fixed ride, the rims and tires are different so they may give me more trouble

i always feel pretty prepared on my commutes with a 15mm wrench and some allen keys and the pump and tube oh and plastic bag for the saddle if needed

I just started commuting, I have a park brand tool that has a single Tire lever, I do carry a light hand pump (Topeak Road Morph), and a Spare tube, how feasible is it to only use one tire lever?

Patch it. Staple?!?!? Man, that's one way to get a snakebite.

For the tires I had on... near impossible.

Used my backup to get to the office today... had a fast flat as I neared the train station... turns out the rim tape gave way at a spoke hole, allowing the tube to blow out through it... Cost me $1.75 to take the train to work... the train was at 175% of max capacity for bikes... squeezed on there anyway! :p

odd.... I had the same issue on my commuter heading home yesterday. My rim tape moved and I developed a small hole in my tube. It is new velox. Hopefully it will stay after I pushed it back into place.