How long until my tyre implodes?

[kiethton]

or more likely goes flat.....

Last night, ahead of this mornings commute, I was pumping up the tyres on my Bianchi roadbike. I've never been particularly good at it, even with a decent foot pump to hand, and being me managed to snap off the end of the valve as I pulled the pump off. (to be fair I have bent it a number of times previously and bent it back to shape)

Oops...

I cycled the 15 miles into work this morning and will have the same back this evening, however it may be the Bank Holiday weekend before I have time to fit a new innertube.

Will the fact that the end of the valve has snapped cause pressure to drop quicker? I still have another 180 miles or so until it can be changed which isn't ideal

[Rolls]

Can you really not spare 5 mins to change a tube?
Would be my first priority TBH.. - save any issues that could leave you stranded on the commute having the change it then...

[TonyHetherington]

Do it in the warm and dry when you want to, rather than the cold and wet at the side of the road when you don't

[kiethton]

Very good points.....

I'll swing by Evans on my lunch and try and pick a couple up and will try and make some time over the weekend.

Regards to actually changing it, I've only had the bike a year or so and have never changed a road bike tube, is it much differant to one on a MTB?

(sorry for the schoolboy questions!)

[Rolls]

if you've got a cycle surgery near you, ask them for their 3 for £10 deals - much better value! (or see if evans will price match it )

[BliarOut]

WeirdNeville said:

kiethton said:

Very good points.....

I'll swing by Evans on my lunch and try and pick a couple up and will try and make some time over the weekend.

Regards to actually changing it, I've only had the bike a year or so and have never changed a road bike tube, is it much differant to one on a MTB?

(sorry for the schoolboy questions!)

It's an absolute pain in the arse getting the last few inches of tyre bead over the rim when you come to put it back together.
When you pick up the inner tube(s) get a set of plastic tyre levers as well, they can be used to carefully lever the last section back over the rim and save your fingertips, swearing, and new innertube.

Process:
Find some way to deflate old tube.
Remove tyre.
Remove old innertube and cast down into Hades.
Put first side of tyre on rim.
Partially inflate inner tube, a couple of pumps so it's not flat any more but not so it's expanded appreciably.
Put innertube into tyre.
Tuck other bead into rim, start at valve and work both sides around.
Some people swear by a little bit of dilute washing up liquid for this last bit- paint it over the inside of the tyre bead and inner tube that's exposed. I prefer thngs non slippy.
For the last 10cm or so of bead, use plastic tyre lever to carfeully, without pinching the innerube, lever the bead over the rim whilst holding the beat at the two points where it crosses over the rim.

It's not that bad once you've got the knack, but it can be a painful and sweary experience if you have a difficult rim/tyre combo.

I only ever put tyres back on using my hands. That said I'm pretty good at it, I had thirteen punctures in one month

[kiethton]

WeirdNeville said:

kiethton said:

Very good points.....

I'll swing by Evans on my lunch and try and pick a couple up and will try and make some time over the weekend.

Regards to actually changing it, I've only had the bike a year or so and have never changed a road bike tube, is it much differant to one on a MTB?

(sorry for the schoolboy questions!)

It's an absolute pain in the arse getting the last few inches of tyre bead over the rim when you come to put it back together.
When you pick up the inner tube(s) get a set of plastic tyre levers as well, they can be used to carefully lever the last section back over the rim and save your fingertips, swearing, and new innertube.

Process:
Find some way to deflate old tube.
Remove tyre.
Remove old innertube and cast down into Hades.
Put first side of tyre on rim.
Partially inflate inner tube, a couple of pumps so it's not flat any more but not so it's expanded appreciably.
Put innertube into tyre.
Tuck other bead into rim, start at valve and work both sides around.
Some people swear by a little bit of dilute washing up liquid for this last bit- paint it over the inside of the tyre bead and inner tube that's exposed. I prefer thngs non slippy.
For the last 10cm or so of bead, use plastic tyre lever to carfeully, without pinching the innerube, lever the bead over the rim whilst holding the beat at the two points where it crosses over the rim.

It's not that bad once you've got the knack, but it can be a painful and sweary experience if you have a difficult rim/tyre combo.

Thanks for this, much appreciated, the tyres are the rather skinny standard affairs so I feel some pain coming. Thankfully the MTB puncture kit has the levers so another saved expense

[TonyHetherington]

It depends so much on the wheel/tyre combo, as others have said.

Fulcrum 3 and GP4000S. Piece of cake and brilliant. Gatorskins; agony, and I need tyre levers for the last few inches.

You'll find out the easy/hard way

[kiethton]

TonyHetherington said:

It depends so much on the wheel/tyre combo, as others have said.

Fulcrum 3 and GP4000S. Piece of cake and brilliant. Gatorskins; agony, and I need tyre levers for the last few inches.

You'll find out the easy/hard way

True, this is my bike:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bianchi-Nirone-Sora-Compac...

Hopefully they won't be too bad!

[duff]

Get some Pedros tyre levers too, the only ones I've not managed to snap.