Sausage Time!

Getting punctures is a right pain when you're trying to get somewhere and they are even worse if you can't repair them. Not everyone is willing or able to tackle the job themselves, but I think it's worth sharing a little bit of knowledge.

It's important to recognise that not everyone can or wants to repair a puncture and some people simply cannot because of their own physicality or mobility. It's why having access to cycle shops, mobile mechanics and sometimes the kindness of strangers can be really important, although sadly this can be very patchy.

For those who are able to tackle a puncture repair, there are are a few things I want to share from the point of view as a rider of a Dutch bike and a Danish trike (one wheel at the back, two on the front) where in both cases, getting the rear wheel off requires skills and competence that I don't posses and which I am not that bothered about obtaining. 

Even Marathon Plus tyres are not invincible.

I am not a mechanical person and I have very little interest in the subject so I am quite happy to pay a mechanic to do most things. However, as a occasional picker upper of punctures, I am able to do enough to get moving again. My tips will be frowned upon by some, sneered at by a few, but I'm not to bothered about that - it doesn't matter, you can tackle as much or as little as you like.

First is the choice of tyre. On the two cycles I mentioned above and on my folding bike, I have Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres (above and below). Their design is pretty good at resisting punctures in the first place, but shards of glass, screws and thorns can find their way through them and so it's good to check the treads every so often for foreign bodies working their way in. 

I've learned how to fix a tube without having to take the wheel off.

The big disadvantage with these tyres is they can be very hard to get off and back on the wheels. I actually don't struggle because I have developed a knack, but this could be an immediate barrier for some. It's worth watching on-line videos to get an idea of what to do and especially when getting the tyre back on, some people swear by special tools to assist - I haven't used them myself, so it's worth speaking with those who have.

My own technique makes used of a couple of plastic tyre levers to get a tyre off the wheel and my fortunate knack of getting the tyres back on! If you're up for repairing punctures, then it is also worth learning to do them without taking your wheels off. My Dutch and Danish cycles have rear hub gears which I just don't want to tackle and so getting the tyre off without a wheel removal is a boon.

My basic puncture repair kit. Tyre levels and Skabs.

For patching, I use "Slime Skabs". Because of the tyres I use, the punctures have always been little holes and so these little patches are ideal. You rough up the surface of the repair area with the little cheesegrater thing you can see in the photograph above, then you peel the back off one of the green stickers and stick over the hole in the inner tube which is very slightly inflated. 

I press down with my thumb on the sticker for a couple of minutes to make sure it is warm to help it stick and then you're good to go (above). There are plenty of people who look down on Skabs, but I have some on my folding bike which have been there for years. If you want to faff around with rubber patches and a tube of glue at the side of the road in winter, then be my guest!

My tyre levers and a packet of Skabs live in a little zip up bag in one of panniers so they are always together and easy to find amongst the other clutter in there. I also carry a compact pump (above) which has a little pressure gauge which is useful to help know when the tyre is inflated enough to get you out of trouble. When extended (below), there's a nice little handle to help inflate. 

My final tip is the choice of innertube. A few years ago I discovered the "sausage" or Gaadi tube (below). Rather than resembling the donut of a traditional tube, the Gaadi tube looks like a long sausage or maybe a modelling balloon. The great thing about these is you can completely remove the tube from the tyre and put a new one straight in, or, you can go and find somewhere comfortable and warm to to the repair as opposed to be crouching by your cycle.

For my Dutch bike, I have a Gaadi on the rear which I'm be happy to repair in the field and for the Danish trike, I carry a spare to swap out because there's a little storage box in the cargo box on the front. The swap over is pretty simple, but when you put them back in, you need to inflate the tube a little to help position it. You also need to watch to make sure both ends properly meet and push against each other. 

Gaadi tubes are more expensive than traditional tubes and the last ones I bought were from France because stupid Brexit was making them quite expensive in UK retail. The other thing to watch out for is if the tyre isn't inflated to usual pressures, you can sometimes feel a bit of a flat spot where the two ends meet. If that becomes an issue for you, then treat them as a "get you home" technique if you're happy to carry one with you all the time. I have a track pump at home which makes it easy to get the tyre pressures back up to normal.

As I was writing this post, I was also made aware of Tannus Inserts by Harrie Langton-Spencer who likes them as they reduce puncture risk even further than the Marathon Plus tyres as well as providing a "run flat" ability to help you get home to a bike shop for repair. Tannus also manufacture an "airless" tyre which might be of interest (although I have no experience of them).