Damned road debris 'n' punctures!

Amazing...

In near four years of living in Penrith 'n' travelling to Leichhardt each
day, I had a total of one puncture, and that was only a couple o' hundred
metres away from my house.

Living in Liverpool for the past year 'n' a bit, I've had nearly a dozen
punctures, mostly on the M5 or Cumberland Highway.

And having spoked wheels on a cruiser means I've got Buckley's chances of
fixing a puncture myself - so I have to go through the big song 'n' dance
(and sting in the pocket) of getting the bike transported 'n' getting a
mechanic to replace the inner tube.

Anyone here have any pointers for me to reduce the incidence of punctures,
apart from those listed below?

- I thoroughly scan the road ahead (but nails 'n' screws seem to lose their
shininess when waiting for me on a road, meaning I don't spot them).
- I avoid lane splitting and riding down the breakdown lane (though I'll
admit it's more because of a lack of desire to pay fines, than to preserve
my tyres).
- I'm already giving serious consideration to trading the bike in for
something with alloy wheels 'n' tubeless tyres [1].


[1] On the subject of tubeless tyres... What's the general consensus on the
usability of tyres after they've been replaced with the ubiquitous "dog turd
plugs?" Is the tyre right to just keep going with the plug, or should it
really be replaced at the earliest convenience?


- Bob.

 

Run slightly higher tyre pressures to reduce punctures.

Boxer

 

Never had a problem with future use from any tyres that I've plugged
myself or had done properly at a shop. According the "the experts" you
should only plug a puncture if it occurs in the centre 1/3 of the tyre
(ie the bit that's on the road when you're upright, not the bits that
are on the road when you're going around a corner). They also say that
you should only ever plug a tyre once, and replace it after a subsequent
puncture. (Of course this only applies to long term use of a tyre, not
to emergency repairs). For long term use prefer the plugs that go in
from the inside to the 'dog turd' version, but that's a conversation
between you and your wallet, given that it's probably going to cost $50
for a professional puncture repair.

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

An admittedly ignorant response:

Have you (or anyone else) running spoked/tubed tyres ever tried the
pressurised-air-and-glue-in-a-can for a "limp home" repair? Has to cheaper
and easier than a hired trailer. Quicker, too. The gunk iside wouldn't
matter since you're replacing the tube anyway.

I've never used one. Used to carry one (for years!) but never had occasion
to try it out (cross fingers).

Anyone know if they work?

 

Sometimes it will effect a repair , personally I hate the stuff as you
generally get a slow leak and the contents of the can looking like nasal
discharge leaking all around the wheel.. that nasal discharge sticks
like pozzi to a blanket .

 

Thanks for that.

It *will* get you home, at least?
Usually?

JR

 

Alas, no... The first puncture I had, I ran over to the nearest servo 'n'
got myself two of the cans (thinking "one for now, one for 'ron"); emptied
the entire contents of both cans into the tyre, even pushed it across the
road to the servo 'n' used their compressor to re-fill the tyre... Only got
about 500 metres worth of riding out of it, and that was only for a minute
puncture (small nail).

I might've just been unlucky, but having subsequently read on the can "not
recommended for motorcycles," I figured it's not an avenue worth pursuing
any further :-(

- Bob.

 

Depends on the product , normally I strip and patch on road side where
possible but usually it will inflate the tyre and allow some travel...
oft with snot leaking slowly but then does 3 uses make a trial ?

 

Thanks for the comments, Bob and atec.

Looks like I get some bigger tyre levers. (I'm guessing my pushbike levers
won't do much)

Sigghhhh.

Still reckon my spoked wheels are worth the aggro, though.

 

Well there does seem to be another solution, though it's a bit "left of
field..."

One o' the salvage van drivers said he'd (many years ago) taken his tyres
off, emptied several canisters of silicone sealant into the rims (to seal
the gaps 'tween the spokes 'n' rims), then thrown on tubeless tyres.

It's too much of a pain in the arse for me to get the rear wheel off (even
if I did have a lift to use) to even contemplate doing something like this,
but it seems plausible; anyone game to try it 'n' confirm the outcome?

- Bob.

 

ewwww...

72 (odd) sources for slow leaks.

I guess it could work. Would make relacing the wheels fun. (bugger it -
I'd buy a new one)

 

You're supposed to file it off flush with the spoke nipple!


BTH

 

tee hee!

(He said "nipple")

Moike

 

tee hee!

(He said it too!)

 

I use the "dog turd" plugs frequently and have had as many as 4 in a
tyre at once. I'm a courier so I do >150 km per day and have never
had any trouble with these plugs. Most couriers in my experience do
the same.

Lane splitting and breakdown lane travel is a big part of a couriers
day to day work so punctures are a common problem.

nb: most couriers also use their tires until the tread pattern is
naught but a distant memory.

a tip for avoiding punctures:
VERY IMPORTANT: never ride on brand new tires. brand new tires (<5
days old) attract punctures like crap attracts flies.

 

One o' the salvage van drivers said he'd (many years ago) taken his tyres

Seems to work pretty well for the people who've tried it. BUT, as I
understand it, the rim must have a larger bead to hold the tubeless tyre
properly, so it's unwise on a lot of rims. Maybe there's a way around
that problem too, I dunno.

There's also some magic sub-tube thingy which has just come on the
market. If I could remember what it was called I'd tell you, honest.
The tube seals against the rim and holds the beads, and a separate valve
stem inflates the tyre itself.

Those cans of inflato stuff don't seem to work worth bugger all on tube
tyres. They work okay on tubeless I think.

I've heard that the slime stuff you can put into the tubes beforehand
works though. Tried it for a while and never got to test it.

-----sharks

 

WHat I find beneficial is leaving the tyres in the weather for a couple
of months before fitting ... wear longer better and once warm grip just
fine .

 

I do the opposite. Leave them in the weather before I replace them.

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

I leave my tyres in the weather all the time
can't fit the bike in the shed for all the other stuff I have in it

 

If the repair was done on the tread area of the rear tyre, and the tyre
held pressure over several days, I'd have no hesitation in riding it as
if it was a non-repaired tyre. Had one on a rear with only 1000 km on
it. Plugged it, and ran it until tyre was worn out at around the 7000 km
mark - towing trailer and hauling pillion.

I'd think twice if it was a front tyre - mainly because a good
percentage of my falls have been through front end wipe-out. I don't
seem to have the skills to recover from the front sliding out.