"Self-Sealing" tires, and mini frame pumps

[johnridley]

Today I found out how much good self-sealing tires do. Squat, that's how much.

I picked up a staple in my tire on the way back from Subway. Just a standard staple from an Arrow staple gun. Two holes. I heard it when I picked it up, was just a couple hundred feet from work, rode in, saw the staple and the green gunk coming out. Pulled the staple, rotated the tire so the holes were on the bottom, went inside for 5 minutes. Came back out, the tire is flat, the holes still leaking even with just a little pressure.

So I pulled a few inches of tube out to patch it. I then found what the stuff is really good for. It goos up the tube so you can't put a real patch on without cleaning. Luckily I was at work, so paper towels, water, and alcohol patches were within 50 feet.

From the manufacturer:
The Slime® sealant seals most holes up to 1/8-in instantly while you ride.

Yeah, right. I'm pulling these tubes out when it's time to switch to winter tires. At least standard tubes I can patch without cleaning off a bunch of green crap.

I also discovered that you get a lot more sweaty pumping to 50 PSI with a mini frame pump than riding the mile to the sandwich shop. But it's not really worth upgrading the frame pump to avoid a little sweat 2 or 3 times a year. I have a floor pump at home.

Comments

[ex-erikvolso370.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Self Sealing isn't.

Futhermore, the best roadside patch is simple. It's called a "spare tube." It's much easier to patch tubes in the comfort of your own garage. Besides, the one key to a good patch is getting all the mold release compound off the tube first. Bugger that stupid metal thing in the patch kit -- get a hunk of good sandpaper instead.

Mini Frame pumps do suck. Full frame pumps aren't much better. You can get CO2 inflators, but to me, that's overkill. My Topeak full frame pump gets the 'dales tires up to 105psi, but it's work.

Tires

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Here's what I just posted to the Yahoo Bike Commuting group, after researching some old messages there:

Perusing the message archives, I found a link to this excellent
discussion of studded tires:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

I think it's time to start saving for a set of Nokian Hakkapeliittas.
$100 a pair, so I should be able to easily save up enough to get them
before winter sets in.

Spare tubes

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I dunno. The flat was on my rear tire, and I had it patched in about 5 minutes. I might have gotten a new tube on in that time but I doubt it. I just released all the pressure, reached in with my fingers, pulled out a few inches of tube, cleaned and patched, and wedged it back in. I didn't take the wheel off the bike. Total fix time couldn't have been faster if I had to take the rear off then put it back on again.

Re: Spare tubes

[ex-erikvolso370.livejournal.com]

Practice -- I've flipped rear tubes from off the saddle to riding in three minutes. Tubular riders can do it in half the time, but that's another world.

Plus, in this case, you're lucky -- you saw the staple. Rule #1 of flats -- check the inside of the tire for that little sliver of glass that's waiting to slash your newly patched tube.

(This is also why you line up the tire's label with the valve stem -- so, when you find the flat, you can check the inside of the tire at the same spot.)

Re: Spare tubes

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Hopefully I'll never have to get that much practice. This is the first flat I've had all year.

I've seen stories from people who ride in cities a lot, and some of them are fixing flats once a week on average, sometimes up to 3 or 4 times a week if they're riding through an area prone to broken glass. I rarely see broken glass, and it's always on the side of the road.