Guys,

While on my morning ride, I caught a flat tire. I won't go into the fact that I was 8 miles into a 20 mile ride, didn't have a spare tube, nor patch kit, nor a frame pump even if I had had the other two. Or the fact that it was 6 am so no LBS's were open and I had no money and the cabbie I asked wouldn't believe me that I had cash at home.

But anyway, after running my bike home I found a nice old piece of glass in my tire. Just curious, is it a good idea to replace the tire? I'm fine on shelling out the $30 for another hard case, but just curious if that's standard procedure.

Most flat tires are caused by, well... a puncture to the tire that flats the tube. I usually keep using the tire and patch the tube.


Only trouble is if there is a large cut in the tire or the bead breaks.

Also, if a tire has high mileage, it will be more prone to frequent flatting... if the tire is old, it is time to replace.

The only thing less cool than carrying a flat kit/pump is being caught without one.

The bead isn't broken, and the piece of glass was pretty small. So I'm not exposing myself to like an infinitely higher chance of getting a new puncture flat in the same spot due to the hole? I mean, these were kevlar belted tires so it does seem like I'm exposing myself to extra risk by having a hole in the belt, but just can't get a handle on the objective probabilities of something getting lodged in the exact same spot.

Just thought I'd check to see if other ss (well, really, urban riding) folks would come back and say, "Don't be an idiot" or something before I go out again tonight.

If you had to try to pick up another piece of glass in the same hole in the tire, how many tries would it take?

Approximately 1,714,228.

Patch that tube, and go. You'll be fine.

yeah, but in the course of riding Boston's streets how many tries do I expose my tire to?

Cool guys, thanks for saving me $30. Ahh, let's be honest. Thanks for giving me $30 more for beer.

As a reformed distance runner who only got into cycling two months ago, I can tell you that my experience has so far been a string of mistakes I'll only make once. The first place I go tonight will be to the LBS to get a frame pump.

When I bought my tires the mechanic told me that she had the same ones and didn't get a single flat for an entire year. So I figured, you know, this is someone who must live for cycling, there's no chance I'll ever get a flat. Again, a mistake I'll only make once.

nah you're fine. new tube is all. just be sure to remove the glass!

Real men use patches! ;)

real men carry a spare tube and dont spend their time sanding rubber on the side of the road

aren't the kevlar tires "guaranteed puncture proof"?
i would go back to where you got it and try to get a free one

I bet you my bike that my sanding glueing and patching will be significantly faster than your tube change.
One of the reasons is that I won't need to remove the wheel, but you will.

BTW I carry a spare tube as well.

Or $30 for a patch kit, mini pump, spare tube, and levers.

you would lose your bike quicker then it takes for the glue to dry... trust me..but if you still want to give me your bike.. bring it.. ill take that bet.

The glue of the Freewheel patch kit dries within seconds, seriously.

I can send you a kit free of charge and you can try for yourself. I guess I could also take a little video of the whole thing with the clock running and you could do the same. Both wheels to be pricked by a needle once - best combined (front and rear) time wins. PM if interested.

I have replaced tubes and patched plenty of times - patch wins every time. Especially on the rear wheel. No need to mess up perfect tension.

back to the topic:

tires are pretty forgiving and can take lots and lots of punctures before the strength is seriously compromised. For larger holes, I'll take a strip or two of cotton hbar tape and put in inside the tire for extra protection; plastic coke-bottle type platic also works well as a tire patch, but you need to be careful about the edges. All of my skidding tires are ones that I've either pulled of clients' bikes and patched, or pulled out of shop dumpsters and patched.

the first problem with this bet is, if you have a pinprick puncture.. you have to find the puncture.. in the real world... most punctures take finding..especially anything patch kitable..not easy with the wheel on. this is why i use tubes.. because i hate sitting on the side of a road holding a tube to my face trying to feel the puncture... (im in los angeles.. not many puddles to roll the wheel in to find the leak).. if you spun the wheel after tiny pinpricking it like most flats... id have that tube on before you found the leak.

2nd.. im skeptical of you saying it takes seconds for the glue to dry.. i know from experience you can force a quick patch.. ive done it alot.. but theres a good chance down the road its going to give..

and 3rd.. i still think i could do it faster..you havent seen me change a tube..

Speaking of tires, patches flats and stuff reminds me of a good tip this fellow called the Wolf in houston taught me long ago. When your sidewall blows out for whatever reason just about the best "boot" material you can use to get home or finish a days work is a dollar bill. (US dollars but maybe others will do) The fine linen/paper construction of these folded over once or twice will hold back a lot of air pressure and will work the same when wet. Plus you get your dollar back when you get home and replace your tire. It works tons better than anything you'd normally find on the side of the road.

And if you have, like, super-bling wheels, is it better to use a twenty? Do deep V's and phil's require a benjamin?

No, just wanted to say that I put a new tube on last night and biked 25 miles and another 20 this morning, no problems at all. And now I have a spiffy new frame pump and I bought a patch kit, cause its smaller than carrying around a spare tube. Thanks everyone for the advice.

Talking about dry time of patches, anyone tried this? Preglued park patches:
http://www.arequip.com/Products/Park%20Patch%20Kit.htm