Another puncture (and a question)

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have managed to work up to cycling the full distance too and from work
twice a week (around 23 mile round trip). Last Thursday I got my first
puncture which, interestingly enough, coincided with the day I decided it
would be a good idea to start carrying a spare inner tube and associated
puncture repair kit. Anyway I replaced the inner tube and five days later I
get another one. Can't understand why I am getting then now when I managed
to avoid them for the previous four weeks.

My question - my bike is getting rather dirty after all this cycling on
wet roads and I could do with giving the chain and gears a clean. What is
the best way to do this and what tools would I need?

Thanks

Adam

Adam

You can buy special solvent baths to clean chains in situ at Halfords or any
decent bike shop. You can also remove the chain and do a really good job -
you'll need a chain-splitting tool for this unless you have a removable link
in the chain (SRAM chains mainly). There are lots of previous threads on the
subject of chain care and you'll find that opinion varies considerably. In
my lengthy experience of commuting, racing and leisure riding, I've found
that if the chain is kept well-lubricated, you'll get away with just giving
it a good wipe with an old cloth for a while before drastic measures are
needed. Chains are robust items. Similarly, gears can be given an external
wipe and you again need to keep them well-lubricated, particularly the pivot
points on the arms. Every so often, it pays to strip out the jockey wheels
and clean them properly. A set of good Allen keys will be needed for any
work on gears (and the rest of a modern bike).

You don't say whether your punctures were of the same type - thorns,
snake-bite, etc. You've probably just been unlucky but if a pattern emerges,
then try posting again with the symptoms and I'm sure you'll get advice. One
thing to watch out for is that thorns almost invariably stay in the tyre, so
if you get this type of puncture, it is vital to check the tyre and remove
the thorn before you insert the new tube. Running your fingers (gently!)
around the inside of the tyre usually finds the offending object. They can
sometimes be quite difficult to pull out.

John Miller

John Miller said:

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have managed to work up to cycling the full distance too and from work
twice a week (around 23 mile round trip). Last Thursday I got my first
puncture which, interestingly enough, coincided with the day I decided it
would be a good idea to start carrying a spare inner tube and associated
puncture repair kit. Anyway I replaced the inner tube and five days later I
get another one. Can't understand why I am getting then now when I managed
to avoid them for the previous four weeks.

Quoted message said:

You don't say whether your punctures were of the same type - thorns,
snake-bite, etc. You've probably just been unlucky but if a pattern emerges,
then try posting again with the symptoms and I'm sure you'll get advice. One
thing to watch out for is that thorns almost invariably stay in the tyre, so
if you get this type of puncture, it is vital to check the tyre and remove
the thorn before you insert the new tube. Running your fingers (gently!)
around the inside of the tyre usually finds the offending object. They can
sometimes be quite difficult to pull out.

It is always worthwhile finding the puncture hole in the inner you
have just removed, if you are putting a spare in, and then checking
the tyre in the coresponding places to see if there is an embedded
object, sometimes the feeling with a finger isn't sufficient to find
it.

Sometimes a spate of punctures is a result of riding through some
broken glass a while back, give your tyres a good going over and pick
out any big bits stuck in there before they work their way through.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have managed to work up to cycling the full distance too and from work
twice a week (around 23 mile round trip). Last Thursday I got my first
puncture which, interestingly enough, coincided with the day I decided it
would be a good idea to start carrying a spare inner tube and associated
puncture repair kit. Anyway I replaced the inner tube and five days later I
get another one. Can't understand why I am getting then now when I managed
to avoid them for the previous four weeks.

My question - my bike is getting rather dirty after all this cycling on
wet roads and I could do with giving the chain and gears a clean. What is
the best way to do this and what tools would I need?

Thanks

Adam

You have my sympathies.

I've not had a puncture since February, ergo, I too have procured a
mini-pump and a pack of "slime skabs", as well as carrying a small tool kit
with me.

You just know its going to happen at the furthest point in one's journey
from home. ;-}

In December, I had two punctures in two days, front and rear. You wonder
what's the point of cycling sometimes!

Heracles Pollux said:

In December, I had two punctures in two days, front and rear.

Amateur!

--
Dave...

in message <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea

(') said:

I have managed to work up to cycling the full distance too and from
work twice a week (around 23 mile round trip). Last Thursday I got my
first puncture which, interestingly enough, coincided with the day I
decided it would be a good idea to start carrying a spare inner tube
and associated puncture repair kit. Anyway I replaced the inner tube
and five days later I get another one. Can't understand why I am
getting then now when I managed to avoid them for the previous four
weeks.

Tyres puncture much more easily in the wet. Also, if you don't remove the
thing which caused the puncture from the outer tyre, you'll pretty
quickly get another. Tiny bits of grit inside the outer tyre are also
likely to cause punctures, so try to change your tubes in a relatively
clean place.

Quoted message said:

My question - my bike is getting rather dirty after all this cycling on
wet roads and I could do with giving the chain and gears a clean. What
is the best way to do this and what tools would I need?

Ideally have a SRAM PowerLink (or, if a ten speed chain, a Wippermann
Connex link) in your chain. It's /much/ easier to clean a chain off the
bike. Take the chain off the bike, drop it into a plastic pop bottle,
half fill the bottle with a solvent (citrus degreaser, white spirit,
parafin, diesel, whatever - petrol also works but I wouldn't recommend
it), put the top on, shake the bottle vigorously, take the chain out and
hang it up to dry. When dry, apply lubricant - ideally purpose designed
chain lube - to the whole length of the chain, leave at least half an
hour for it to work its way by capillary action into the pins and
rollers, and then wipe the excess off the chain.

While the chain's off the bike it is easier to clean the chainrings,
using water and detergent, a cloth, and an old toothbrush. Cleaning the
cassette is more of an issue. Special purpose brushes are available but
essentially the best way is to take it off the bike, disassemble it, and
dump the parts into a bath of solvent. The same applies to derailleur
jockey wheels. Fortunately this needs to be done much less frequently
than cleaning the chain, but (obviously) much more frequently for
mountain bikes than for road bikes.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

[ This mind intentionally left blank ]

dkahn400 said:

Amateur!

ROFL

d.

"Adam Lea" wrote

Quoted message said:

Can't understand why I am getting then now when I managed to avoid them
for the previous four weeks.

Could be the wet weather, could just be random chance.
You can't really draw conclusions from 2 occurences.
If you carry on getting too many punctures then get some tougher tyres.

Quoted message said:

My question - my bike is getting rather dirty after all this cycling on
wet roads and I could do with giving the chain and gears a clean. What is
the best way to do this and what tools would I need?

The best way is probably to take it all apart. But if you can't be bothered
then a squirt of Muck-Off and an old paintbrush will do a reasonable job
(steps back to avoid flak that it is actually easier to take the chain off).

Puncture. Tyres? I haven't had one in 8000km on Schwalbe Marathon - in
very varied conditions not just dry roads, and non at all with
Continental top touring before these. Almost forgotten what punctures
are like (touch wood - tempting fate here and will buy new repair kit
pronto!).
Chain. I don't bother cleaning much - just keep well oiled and
wipe/brush off gunge. Clean chain picks up new sharp grit quite quickly
and defeats the object. Better off leaving alone with existing well
worn out old grinding paste

cheers
Jacob

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

dkahn400 said:

Amateur!

ROFL

d.

Can someone explain the joviality here please?

Yes, I am an unpaid untrained self-taught pedal-cyclist?

Heracles Pollux said:

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

dkahn400 said:

Amateur!

ROFL

Can someone explain the joviality here please?

Yes, I am an unpaid untrained self-taught pedal-cyclist?

You have to read Dave Kahn's audax reports where if he doesn't get a
puncture he manages to otherwise destroy some other part of his bike
vital for forward progress..

He is a puncture magnet..

I am the Dave at the other pole.

...d

in message <[email hidden]>, Heracles Pollux

(') said:

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

dkahn400 said:

Amateur!

ROFL

Can someone explain the joviality here please?

Yes, I am an unpaid untrained self-taught pedal-cyclist?

The implication was that someone who couldn't manage more than two
punctures in a ride wasn't really trying.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Copyright (c) Simon Brooke; All rights reserved. Permission is
granted to transfer this message via UUCP or NNTP and to store it
for the purpose of archiving or further transfer. Permission is
explicitly denied to use this message as part of a 'Web Forum', or
to transfer it by HTTP.

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Heracles Pollux

(') said:

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

dkahn400 wrote:
> Amateur!

ROFL

Can someone explain the joviality here please?

Yes, I am an unpaid untrained self-taught pedal-cyclist?

The implication was that someone who couldn't manage more than two
punctures in a ride wasn't really trying.

Ahh. Very droll.

Well I carry a 6 pack of "skabs" now. ;-)

In article <[email hidden]>,

David Martin () said:

You have to read Dave Kahn's audax reports where if he doesn't get a
puncture he manages to otherwise destroy some other part of his bike
vital for forward progress..

Moreover, Dave was unable to ride last weekend and guess what?

That pesky P+nct+r+ Fairy got me & MSeries instead!

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I thought I saw his name on a jar of marmalade the other day, but when I
looked more closely, I saw it read 'thick cut'.

David Martin said:

You have to read Dave Kahn's audax reports where if he doesn't get a
puncture he manages to otherwise destroy some other part of his bike
vital for forward progress..

Do you think it's just a coincidence?

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Tony Raven said:

David Martin said:

You have to read Dave Kahn's audax reports where if he doesn't get a
puncture he manages to otherwise destroy some other part of his bike
vital for forward progress..

Do you think it's just a coincidence?

We could ask Sorni and Ozark. They seem to know all about science and
stuff.

--
Dave...

Simon Brooke said:

Tyres puncture much more easily in the wet.

Uhmm, is there some known reason for that or is it some sort of truism
garnered from years of observation but lacking in rational proof?

-paul

Adam Lea said:

Can't understand why I am getting then now when I managed
to avoid them for the previous four weeks.

Probability isn't evenly spread out or we'd get a 'head' toss for every
'tail' toss of a coin.

There does seem to be a devil sort of activity behind flats, but I think
it's observational error (regression error, really) which I won't delve
into here.

In my case, I bought a new set of tires which were supposed to be a
compromise between good riding and flat resistance. I flatted twice in
two rides which annoyed me to the point of ordering another set which
were not nearly as good riding, but highly flat resistant.

Due to the vagaries of the mail ordering gods, I didn't get my second
set for over a month. I never flatted during that time. I decided that,
after they came in, I'd replace my current set with the fully flat
resistant type upon my next flat.

Yes, you are there ahead of my story. Hundreds, well over a thousand
actually, miles later and no new flats. The current set of tires isn't
even losing air week to week. It's spooky.

-paul

"Paul Cassel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Brooke said:

Tyres puncture much more easily in the wet.

Uhmm, is there some known reason for that or is it some sort of truism
garnered from years of observation but lacking in rational proof?

This got mentioned a week or so ago. Water lubricates the things cutting the
rubber. To demonstrate for yourself, take an old tyre/inner tube/whateve.
Try cutting it with a sharp knife. Then try cutting it with the same knife,
except wet. The second time it will be loads easier. So any sharp stuff
which your tyres catch is rather more likely to cut them in the wet.

cheers,
clive

Paul Cassel said:

Simon Brooke said:

Tyres puncture much more easily in the wet.

Uhmm, is there some known reason for that or is it some sort of truism
garnered from years of observation but lacking in rational proof?

To quote Jobst Brandt (Simon's favourite author):

"When wet, glass can stick to the tire even in the flat orientation and
thereby get a second chance when it comes around again. To make
things worse, glass cuts far more easily when wet as those who have
cut rubber tubing in chemistry class may remember. A wet razor blade
cuts latex rubber tubing in a single slice while a dry blade only
makes a nick."

--
Dave...