One of the worst things...is to get all dressed...pack the bags, only to find your front tire is flat.. <argh>

The sad thing is....I had fixed my flat this past Friday. I guess I didn't do it properly.

Please advise if I did it the right way.

- flipped the bike upside down (i don't have a stand).
- released all the air out of the tube, used my tire levers to remove part of the tire off the rim
- Felt placed my hand on the inside part of the tire, and did not feel anything
- Pulled the tube out and pumped it
- I immediately noticed air coming out of a hole...so i released the air out of the tube, scrapped the rubber with the metal scraper, put on the glue and then placed the patch over. I used a patch as seen below. the orange and black type. I assume the orange and black are on top and the bottom of the patch the all orange side is the part that sits on the rubber and glue.

- I squeezed the patch on...let it set...came back about two hours later, placed the tube back in the tire and pumped it up....

Did I miss a step? Did I put the patch on the wrong way?

The only thing I did not do, is pull the tire off the rim, because my forks are slightly bent and its really tough putting the tire back on. In fact its a pain in the but. I need someone pulling the forks apart so I can slide the tire in its place.

Okay...so this is a long description. Of course a new tube would solve my issues, but I don't have the energy to remove and put the tire back in.

The patch i used is similar to the one below.

You need to allow the glue to dry before placing the patch.

Why are you rubbing your hand in the tire before finding the leak? Find the leak, then search the area of the tire where the hole is.

So you tried to fix the flat with out taking the wheel off the bike? I would not recommend that. Every time I change a flat I remove the tire an tube. Get somewhere with good lighting or use a flashlight. Inspect the rim. Inspect the tube visually. If you use your fingers before looking don't be surprised when you slice your finger open on the small piece of glass that popped your tube.

One thing I have been doing is I mark where the tube is in the tire before I take it out. That way when I find the hole in the tube I can match up the tire to that spot and look extra hard for debri in the tire. Patches are nice for emergencies but for commuting or any kind of longer riding a spare tube is nice.

that first part should be:
-put on the glue
-wait about 1 minute for the glue to become Dry
-put the patch over
-put pressure on the patch for 30secs


tubes are patched with contact cement, it needs to be allowed to dry and bond onto each of your surfaces seperatly before pressing them together (the patch has some pre-installed under the foil)
it is Not like traditional glue where you want them connected while it is still wet


the 2 hour wait at the end is not even necesary assuming the above, I pump up immediatly to see it's holding then put the wheel back together

It would be best to remove the complete wheel, and no the tire doesn't need to come off fully to do the job.

My only suggestion is that you 'massage' the patch from the center to the edge with a firm pressure to mash out any air bubbles or voids and make sure the patch edge is secure all 'round.

alright...some interesting tips. I did not know the glue should cure before putting the patch on.

I understand normally the tube should come completely off....and to be sure its best to even place it in a bucket of water.... but i thought I had explained that I am NOT able to remove the tire, without a lot of muscle work. I actually need someone to hold the forks apart, while someone else puts the tire in. It's a 20 year old winter beater.

The only thing I can see is that you didn't mention inspecting the tube for a 2nd hole. Depending on the angle there may have been two holes...kind of like a pinch flat. I've done much the same process only to discover there was a 2nd hole...much smaller, that I didn't notice. So, I always use a bowl of water even after patching the tube to make certain there's not a 2nd hole before I re-assemble everything.

This isn't so much of a problem now that I'm running Schwalbe MPs. But like an above poster suggested, I carry a Sharpie in my tool kit and mark the tire AND rim. I check them thoroughly and make sure the tire's been wiped out to remove any debris.

This is true but it is really easy to take the tire of the rim and a much better way to inspect the tire and rim for damage. I usually take the tire and peer in to it while I separate it with my thumbs.

I really hate changing a tube twice because I took short cuts the first time.

Most of the time you can hear the leak if you run the inflated tube close to your ear. If you want to do it the right way it sounds like you will need two people to change the tire.

also if your tires are old and worn on your "Winter beater" they will be in more danger of flats. I was using older tires when I started commuting and had a few flats. Soon after I installed new tires and haven't had a flat since.

Yeah I always run my fingers inside the tire to find if anything is poking through, even if you think you found the culprit, like wire or glass, it may not be the case and I've been caught out before changing the tube only to have the new one flat again. Just be gentle so you don't cut your fingers on any forgein object.


I also like to check the rim.

agree with what I've read. First, it sounds like your problem is you didn't let the glue dry a bit. I let it haze over before I put the patch on. I also always mark the center of the hole so I can place the center of the patch on the center of the hole. My steps are as follows:

1. Using a single tire tool remove one side of the tire from the rim.
2. Remove the tube.
3. Remove the tire from the rim.
4. Inspect the rim tape for exposed spokes.
5. Carefully run my fingers around the inside surface of the tube. Remove any sharp objects.
6. Inspect the tread side of the tire. Spread the treads apart looking for 'non-black' stuff. Some times this is just a piece of dirt or a small rock but some times it is the end of a goat head that you can't feel on the inside. Often times it requires a tweezer or a pointed tool to remove these things.
7. Inflat the tube and find the hole(s). Mark the center of the hole with two marks (90 degrees apart) placed about a 3/4" away from the hole. This way when you rough up the tube you don't remove your marks.
8. Rough up the surface of the tube around the hold over an area a large as the patch you'll use.
9. Apply a thin coat of glue and allow to glaze over (1 minute or so).
10. Remove the foil from the patch and center the patch on the hold.
11. Place the tube on a flat surface and, using your tire tool, rub the surface of the patch working from the center of the patch to the outside edge. Do this for a minute or two to make sure you have good contact. In the old days when cars tires had tubes (yes, I'm that old) they made a special roller for doing this. A tire tool works fine.
12. Pump up the tube adequately to check for the dreaded second hole and patch as required.
13. Replace one bead of the tire on the rim.
14. Install the tube inside the tire/rim starting with the valve stem first. I leave a small amount of air in the tube so it has some amount of shape and is easier to get straight.
15. Using your fingers only, finish putting the tire on the rim. You run the risk of damaging the tube if you use tire tools to install the tire with the tube inside. Besides it builds up your finger strength. In either case, fingers or tools, be careful not to pick the tube.
16. Install the wheel and then fullly inflate. I inflate after I put the wheel back on because it is easier to get the tire past the brake pads.

I don't patch

80 something days without a flat in thorn country with puncture resistant everything

On your next set of tires you should consider Specialized Armadillos. They have worked great for me. There are also other Kevlar tires that do great(i guess). and if you fill the tubes up with slime or some other punture resistant materials. The investment would be worth the time and the lack of frustration. (but in reality it would be even more frustrating if you had a flat when you have the best in flat protection!) I've commuted over a year with mine and have not had one flat!

Thornproof tubes, not slimed.

Mr Tuffy's

Thick commuter tires, thornproof rated.

All is well.

I agree with the kevlar tire approach. I've been on Continental Gators for over a year. I've had one flat but it was a strange thing with a 1-1/2" roofing nail the was positioned just so. It took so much force to puncture the tire, I felt I rode up over a rock or a bump. It drove straight into the face of the tire. I got tired of fixing flats when the air temperture was less than 20F. That's hard on the fingers.

I just throw in a fresh tube because I refuse to fart around with patching when it's pitch black, 37 degrees and raining.

I carry 2 tubes, and I patch the flatted one when I get home, then put it back in my seat pack for the next time. (Ultra Gatorskin tires assure that the 'next times' are few and far between.)

Oh I wasn't patching a tube in that cold. I was swapping a spare tube for the one with the hole. But still it's best to avoid flats altogether, especially when it's cold.

+1.

I get one flat a year, if that. New tube, all done.

Me to, but since the OP specifically stated that it was such a pain to get the wheel on and off I would have gone with patching the tube, to, if I could avoid taking the wheel on and off. He used the right kind of patch kit (the kind with glue, not the instant patch kind). If you do it right, those patch kits are just as durable as putting on a new tube (I've gotten some defective new tubes, so even a new tube isn't a 100% fix).

I was going to contribute something useful, but the 2nd poster beat me to it - you needed to let the glue dry before putting the patch on, and you should check the tire for punctures *after* you find the leak - it lets you examine the actual area of the puncture more closely so you're more likely to find the leak. And I'd also suggest more puncture resistant tires, like the Continental Gatorskins, or the Panaracer TServ Messenger tires I use. However, since everyone else has really already covered it, so I don't really have anything to add. :-)

Did you find and remove whatever caused the flat?

Wait, you flatted on the ice spikers?

Is there an internal cause to this? A puncture with a tire with a casing that thick strikes me as very, very rare.

Hey macteacher, check your rim tape and make sure it's seated properly and in good condition, I've gotten flats before because the rim tape slid to the side exposing the sharp ends where the spokes go.

Good, helpful points so far. The thing I would emphasize is to carefully check the rim, tire and inner tube for any tiny sharp objects that might go unnoticed and bite you a second time. I'm much more deliberate and careful about fixing flats after going through that version of hell. Tiny shards of glass can be especially easy to overlook. I hate using patch kits by the side of the road, so I always ride with two inner tubes and a patch kit, if I go any appreciable distance.

Here's a trick that I learned: When you put the tire on, always line the valve up with the logo on the tire. You'll always know what part of the tire the puncture corresponds to.