On way back from local bike show today and felt the familiar twitch of a deflating tyre(rear) managed to find filling station with a airline to inflate to 50psi this took me another 15 miles before twitch/wobble started took it easy to next station they had no airline so left it there to collect in my van.The reason for this post is what do you do to prevent punctures.I am thinking about the stuff they use in 4x4s / tractors that can repair punctured tubes as they happen so in fact no more punctures does this stuff really work? and has anyone tried it.Also thought about buying a small high pressure cycle pump the type mountain bikers use this should fit into M20 toolbox and would be handy for longer hauls if you also carried a spare inner tube.As I live in the country side there is always loads of crap/stones hedge cuttings etc left by local farmers not to mention badly maintained roads so any tips would be handy. Dave

I was convinced by the bloke at a show jabbing a screwdriver into a tyre, and it stayed up. I put 500mls of the same stuff I've got in the tractor tyres in both tubes, so far so good. The only worry might be if it was left to settle, upsetting the wheel balance. This is not a problem as mine is out three/four times a week most weeks.

Cheers Pat

nail catchers work, an old old gadjet, various styles, heres one.

email (option): deadsheds@yahoo.com

We all get a lot less front punctures than rear ones (thankfully) and often a nail or similar through the rear cover is at 90 degrees or thereabouts to the tyre..
It seems to me that couldn't happen if it was laying flat in the road...
I believe the front tyre 'throws them up' and the back tyre catches them...
So, a mudflap on the front that comes down close to the road should cut down the punctures...That's my theory....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

My local tyre depot has a video that you can watch while waiting for your tyres fitted. It is of a car but it shows exactly that happening. The front flicks it up and for some reason they nearly always land head down /spike up ready for the rear to plant itself on it.

But I still have not worked out how Ken's gizmo works ! :-)

Loads of differing reports on the web regarding the effectiveness of tyre sealants. It seems a lot depends upon the type of puncture, whether it is a hole or a rip/cut. It can be used on tubed tyres, both the aerosol 'fix it' types or the preventative 'slime' type ones. Differing opinions about the issues of using them.

In years gone by I have got home using an aerosol type, but I did have to chuck the tube away when I eventually changed it as conventional patches would not stick where the stuff was. Before anyone jumps down my neck, the sealant was sold as one you could leave in once applied and it would continue to do its job if you got another puncture. I know some these days are sold just as a 'get you home job'.

The stuff you want is called goop you take out the valve put the stuff in the tube then blow up the tyre . My ride on lawnmower loves it .

Useless for cuts and ripped out valvestems of course. A cellphone is the best cure.

That's it in a nutshell; the sealers work well for thorns and small punctures on an off-road machine, but with anything larger making a puncture a tube will most likely be required as it has been mentioned that patching with the sealant installed is difficult. Pick up a screw or a nail and the current crop of tubes available tend to rip pretty easily, and don't seem to patch well in any case

Carry a tube, tire irons and an inflator of some sort, along with the tools needed for dropping the wheel, and a flashlight for working in the dark.....Joy


Here is a nail catcher mounted on a ft wheel:

email (option): teladelujo@ msn.com

I tried the sealant with mixed success...As some people have said it won't do it with a tear, split or pulled valve...and certainly in the case of the first two it then makes a hell of a mess inside the rim/tyre...

I'm not too sure I really like the idea of riding around with a damaged tube I don't know about either...
It occurs to me that the sealed hole could transition into a more catastrophic failure at some point....

I think if I was to use it anywhere it would be in the front tyre where a puncture generally leads to you falling off the bike...

If you are running around locally on a WD bike there's plenty of room to carry the spare tube , levers etc. that will get you out of trouble..Though like Douglas I tend to rely on my phone and AA membership...

I generally carry all of the kit when touring...Though last time I had a puncture on the way back from Normandy I found I'd forgotten the bloody pump!.....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I forgot to mention that when rear tyres deflate there isn't much warning to stop at first but by the time you've realised, the tube has moved on the rim and ripped off the valve stem!

My liitle gizmo has been used since early days of motorcycles.

its fitted on the rear wheel so that the wavy bit just lies on the tyre, as the wheel rotates any thing that has been picked up gets knocked off before it gets driven into the tyre, its most effective on the rear tyre for the reasons outlined above.

I have used one for years and have been puncture free for that time, my rubber is also nicely clean of small bits of grit and other sharp stuff, hedge trimming time around here is lethal for tyres.

The large vicious looking one called nail catchers was used on ISDT type bikes
which not only need something beefy but which were liable to pick up haevier bits such as cast horse shoes.

back in my pushbike days they were a favourite item, bought them from Bike Riders Aides catalogue.

email (option): deadsheds@yahoo.com

Just pulled out old tube it was torn in two, have also ordered heavy duty moto x tubes and some gloop. Will also buy a small pump and carry tube & tools for roadside repair if need be.Anyone used the c02 type canisters to pump up tyres? looks like you would need at least 4 of these to inflate one 19" tube.I seem to remember when I was kid the old man had a inflater that screwed into spark plug hole and used engine compression to pump up tyres, pretty useless if you,ve got a single cylinder engine unless you have strong calf muscles but then again by the time you have removed inflater and refitted spark plug chances are your tyre would be flat again Dave

I have a nice little Bakelite foot pump that is ideal for putting in your pannier, it's up for grabs if anyone wants it, as I've gone to CO2 inflator now, but the pump was a nice little one with plenty of puff!

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Hi,Here's a little video,how to inflate your tyres without a pump,there are more ambitious examples,this gives you an idea.Try this at your own risk,i accept no responsibility.
http://youtu.be/paUd5fJ6WuM
cheers Rick

email (option): richardholt@rocketmail.com