krazy-eyes
Race Dog
for the non-beemer guys:
if like me you have tubed rims, you need to carry a couple of things with you in case of a flat. and dont think flats are limited to gravel roads and botswana. i suggest having the following on your bike, because a flat can strike anywhere, even on a perfect tar road. as i learned, flats arent just caused by sharp objects, chafing can also cause them, but more on that later.
1. patches. various sizes and shapes (5-10 isnt too many!)
2. heavy duty sand paper
3. solution (it has to be fresh - old solution doesnt stick well)
4. tyre levers! 2 of them
5. a small pump / co2 cartidges (at least 3) / compressor
obviously a spare tube is a plus, but it takes up space. listed above is the minimum of things needed to get back on the road.
how to go about it:
. put the bike on the centre stand.
. get the wheel off the bike (use the axel to keep the chain out of the sand)
. use the tyre levers to get the tyre bead off the rim towards the middle of the rim. do not even try and get it off the rim towards the outside before doing this, it will only result in a damaged bead and rim. having it loose on the rim gives you much needed leeway to work with in the next step.
. once the bead is loose, pick a side and use the tyre levers to pull the bead out over the side in 5cm increments
. you dont have to get the tyre completely off the rim, just one side.
. pull the tube out.
. pump it up a little and look fot the hole/s if it is not immediately visible.
. rough an area slightly larger than the patch with the sand paper (keeping air in the tube makes this easier, but rough an extra large area to allow for shrinkage when you deflate it again to put the patch on).
. deflate the tube completely.
. wipe off the tube dust created by the sanding.
. generously put solution on the tube around the hole.
. quickly peel the patch off its backing.
. put it over the hole and rub it around so it can get lots of solution on.
. pull it off, yes, thats right.
. check that the entire surface of the patch is covered in glue.
. wait approx. 2 minutes for the glue to become touch-dry (not shiny anymore)
. put the patch back on and clamp it / put lots of pressure on it for atleast 5 minutes.
. wait another 10 minutes for the solution to "vulcanise" the patch onto the tube.
. now very important, CHECK THE INSIDE OF THE TYRE for the reason of your flat. check it and re-check it again!
. put the tube back in the tyre and make sure it is well clear of the bead and rim before going at it with the tyre levers.
. put the tyre back on the rim taking care not to pinch the tube.
. re-inflate.
. some tyres are a bitch to get to pop back onto the rim and need a LOT of air, so a handpump or compressor is preferable.
. put the wheel back on the bike.
. listen for air escaping. this means you did a botch job and will have to start over.
i have two DRC tyre levers. the best money i ever spent. at R75 each they are expensive, but excellent and worth every cent! they are made of stainless steel allowing the to be small and thin. alu ones are too thick, will damage your rim, and they wont get in there properly leading to much frustration. the thinner the better. these ones are thin enough to get the tyre off the dreaded KTM rear rim in seconds - without damaging the bead or rim!
if like me you have tubed rims, you need to carry a couple of things with you in case of a flat. and dont think flats are limited to gravel roads and botswana. i suggest having the following on your bike, because a flat can strike anywhere, even on a perfect tar road. as i learned, flats arent just caused by sharp objects, chafing can also cause them, but more on that later.
1. patches. various sizes and shapes (5-10 isnt too many!)
2. heavy duty sand paper
3. solution (it has to be fresh - old solution doesnt stick well)
4. tyre levers! 2 of them
5. a small pump / co2 cartidges (at least 3) / compressor
obviously a spare tube is a plus, but it takes up space. listed above is the minimum of things needed to get back on the road.
how to go about it:
. put the bike on the centre stand.
. get the wheel off the bike (use the axel to keep the chain out of the sand)
. use the tyre levers to get the tyre bead off the rim towards the middle of the rim. do not even try and get it off the rim towards the outside before doing this, it will only result in a damaged bead and rim. having it loose on the rim gives you much needed leeway to work with in the next step.
. once the bead is loose, pick a side and use the tyre levers to pull the bead out over the side in 5cm increments
. you dont have to get the tyre completely off the rim, just one side.
. pull the tube out.
. pump it up a little and look fot the hole/s if it is not immediately visible.
. rough an area slightly larger than the patch with the sand paper (keeping air in the tube makes this easier, but rough an extra large area to allow for shrinkage when you deflate it again to put the patch on).
. deflate the tube completely.
. wipe off the tube dust created by the sanding.
. generously put solution on the tube around the hole.
. quickly peel the patch off its backing.
. put it over the hole and rub it around so it can get lots of solution on.
. pull it off, yes, thats right.
. check that the entire surface of the patch is covered in glue.
. wait approx. 2 minutes for the glue to become touch-dry (not shiny anymore)
. put the patch back on and clamp it / put lots of pressure on it for atleast 5 minutes.
. wait another 10 minutes for the solution to "vulcanise" the patch onto the tube.
. now very important, CHECK THE INSIDE OF THE TYRE for the reason of your flat. check it and re-check it again!
. put the tube back in the tyre and make sure it is well clear of the bead and rim before going at it with the tyre levers.
. put the tyre back on the rim taking care not to pinch the tube.
. re-inflate.
. some tyres are a bitch to get to pop back onto the rim and need a LOT of air, so a handpump or compressor is preferable.
. put the wheel back on the bike.
. listen for air escaping. this means you did a botch job and will have to start over.
i have two DRC tyre levers. the best money i ever spent. at R75 each they are expensive, but excellent and worth every cent! they are made of stainless steel allowing the to be small and thin. alu ones are too thick, will damage your rim, and they wont get in there properly leading to much frustration. the thinner the better. these ones are thin enough to get the tyre off the dreaded KTM rear rim in seconds - without damaging the bead or rim!
