How fast do you fix a flat?
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 4
From: London, UK
Bikes: 2006 road bike, 2012 cx bike, 2012 carbon rb, 2014 hardtail
gatorskin 23mm. Takes anything from 18 minutes to fix two tires (got into a pot hole, blew both tires) all the way to 45 mins to fix just one when nothing works out right (the 2nd from last time I gotta flat).
#27
It will depend on conditions and how difficult it is to locate the cause of the flat (no use putting a new tube in until you figure that out). If you ride at night, this is where a headlamp come in.
Five minutes is reasonable to fix a flat at roadside.
Five minutes is reasonable to fix a flat at roadside.
#28
Fastest was about one minute when I knew what caused the flat, put a fancy pre-glued patch on (without removing the entire tube) and inflated with CO2.
https://www.rei.com/product/605460?pr...:referralID=NA
On average, 5 minutes because I normally pick out ALL the glass accumulation from the tire to avoid a second flat.
The longest was about ten minutes because I could not find the Michelin Thorn even after repeated checks (now I carry my reading glasses with me).
Side note: The pre-glued patches should only be used to get you home. Fix the tube for real before your next ride.
https://www.rei.com/product/605460?pr...:referralID=NA
On average, 5 minutes because I normally pick out ALL the glass accumulation from the tire to avoid a second flat.
The longest was about ten minutes because I could not find the Michelin Thorn even after repeated checks (now I carry my reading glasses with me).
Side note: The pre-glued patches should only be used to get you home. Fix the tube for real before your next ride.
Last edited by CB HI; 04-02-10 at 07:10 PM.
#30
50/50 Road/eBike Commuter
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: Valparaiso, IN
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Specialized Fatboy, Specialized Sirrus, Nashbar Campus, Taga 2.0 Trike
I suck - it seems to take me about 40 minutes to fix a flat if I'm patching. If just changing a tube, maybe 25-30 minutes. I always struggle with getting the second bead fully seated, and to a lesser degree prying the tire off. If it's for the rear of my IGH bike, even longer, because it takes more time to get the chain tension just right and get both ends of the axle the same distance back in the dropouts. This is why I put a Marathon Plus on there this spring.
If I was in a hurry, I might be able to do it in 20 minutes.
If I was in a hurry, I might be able to do it in 20 minutes.
#33
I have a spare tire and with a spare tube in it (and an extra spare tube just in case). Less than 10 minutes to change out both so I can fix the flat at home. (Another 15-20 minutes?) Not fast but much lower stress.
#34
#35
What tire pressure do you run. I think the pre-glue patches probably last at under 60 pounds but not at the tire pressures of 100-110 that I run.
#36
aka Timi

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,601
Likes: 320
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
Bikes: Bianchi Lupo & Bianchi Volpe Disc: touring. Bianchi Volpe: commuting
#37
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 633
Likes: 1
From: Pittsfield, MA
Bikes: Motobecane Fantom Cross 2008 Schwinn Super Sport 1972 SS. Surly Pacer Rando bike
Last time I had to change a tube it took me well over 30 minutes. But that's mostly because I attracted a crowd and spent the vast majority of time talking bikes with several people. I think the tube swap took all of 5 mins. That's pretty much my usual. I take 'em home and patch them if I can.
#38
In perfect conditions (my basement with a floor pump) probably 3-5 minutes. Probably about 10 minutes when it happens on the road. Half the time is spent gathering everything up and putting stuff away. Then there's the mini-pump. +1 on the under-inflation.
#39
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia, PA
Bikes: Surly Steamroller, Kona Ute
Ha! It takes me 30 minutes, some cursing, and at least one beer. Fortunately, my commute is roughly 3.5 miles each way (more if I have pet-sittings before and after work) and walkable if necessary. I'm also always within a mile or two of a shop, so my skills haven't improved much over the years.
#40
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,373
Likes: 8
From: Columbus, OH
Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, 2011 Redline Conquest Pro, 2012 Spesh FSR Comp EVO, 2015 Trek Domane 6.2 disc
The issue develops over the long run. The glue isn't a permanent cement and it oxidizes and gets dry around the puncture. Eventually, a leak develops from the center of the patch out to the edge. The patch itself will also start to yellow and crack over the course of a few months hanging in the shop waiting to be used. They are excellent for easy and fast road fixes, but you're better off swapping in a spare tube and using a traditional patch when you get home if you want a permanent fix.
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#42
Skibby
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Bikes: 2009 Trek Madone 5.5, 2005 Specialized Allez Pro, 2010 Trek Top Fuel 9.8, 2003 Stumpjumper FSR, 1998 Raleigh M800
Takes me about 7 minutes with my large Blackburn Frame Pump (Top Tube mount) and spare tube(s) on both road bikes. With the large pump it takes no time at all to reach 100 psi. I have had a lot of practice, though, with about 60 flats in the last 5 years of riding. I got 20 flats (goat heads/steel wire tread from auto tires, etc.) in one year when I lived out in Colorado (about 9,000 miles total that year), but it has gotten better since moving back to Michigan a couple of years ago (weird, with all the damaged roads and averaging almost 8,000 miles a year) averaging only about 7-8 flats a year. Price point offers the best value for tubes with a price of about $2.40 per tube if you buy boxes of 10.









