Some of you resourceful riders might know this trick but it was a new one for me, even for here. I hit an embedded large rock or maybe a deep square-edge rut at ~30MPH or so and got a front tire flat ... Just didn't see whatever it was I hit this time, just felt a big bang thru the bars ... Also, I've just started reducing my backpack load so I did not have an extra tube with me ... Next time I ride way-out from home in some serious mountainous stuff like this, I'll carry a spare again... Here are the rips in the tube ... I was afraid of the tube looking like that from the hit the bike took and know that these rips are not always fixable by these guys ... I was prepared to ride in back to civilization at slow speed and whatever happened to rim, would just have to happen. The vulcanizer-guy broke out the needle&thread on that biggest rip before the vulcanizing proceess began...Never saw that before here and I was glad to see it this time. He then used 2 patches on each rip, one on top of the other, and cooked the middle part first, and then each side for 3 heat-ups .. There is the results ... Rode home at a slightly slower then average pace, making sure I did not hit any square-edges too hard, without any issues
Yeh i carry a puncture repair kit with me from mtb days pinch flats suck tubes are big n heavy patches work and are a permenent fix if done correctly, both front n rear tubes have atleast one patch on.
Cool fix. I'm wondering if something like crazy glue (401 adhesive, ect.) could be used in place of needle & thread. We used 401 on numerous rubber tears when I worked in a Rubber manufacturing plant.
Im sure it would but i like tge stitch as it would pull the tear together better than glue and a patch especially with a gash that length you risk gluing the otherside of innertube to the bit your fixing.
Problem I have is when it's time to do a patch my tube of glue has dried out and pinch flats normally I don't try to fix. Stitch kit looks like a plan and fresh glue. MTB tubes I carry cycling (in case my stans filled tires flat) are so thin would almost be hard to stitch before tearing. Recently grabbed a few spare tubes for a trip only to find they decomposed, cracked and were useless. Pays to refresh tubes and patch kit if not used in awhile.
I've fixed a few pinch flats by patching. I always try to bring a patch kit/tire irons nowadays. Nothing sucks like driving 1 hr to the riding spot then getting a pinch flat 10mins in, and not having any tools.
That front patch job is still holding and I'm caring a tube with me and will swap it out on next flat ... I've got the 19" rear rims out on the trails (TC model bike) and seems they like to come off the bead about everytime a tire goes down when that 18" rear never broke down off the rim...
My experience with the 18s is the same. I've run tires down to about 0 pressure (not on purpose) and never had one break the bead on a trail. Great traction as well... I carry a spare tube for things that can't be fixed like a torn valve stem (has never actually happens to me) Mostly i use radial tire patches and glue, stick em on and only change out when it's time for a new tire. Have put significant miles on a patched tube with zero issues.
