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One of those days, had to make the dreaded phone call…

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  • October 9, 2016 at 3:10 pm #26362
    sergius

    “Hi, I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere, can you come and get me?”

    It’s not worth going into the shouting match about how I ruined the day, or that the postcode for the garage I was waiting at was actually wrong, sending her 8 miles up the road via a massively long way around.

    The upshot to all of this is that there is precisely zero chance she’ll ever come and pick me up again, so I need to ensure that I never get stuck like that again.

     

    From a technical point of view I didn’t really do anything wrong; I got a puncture so replaced the tube.  Unfortunately the brand new spare that I was carrying had a knackered valve and wouldn’t take any air.  Fair enough, so I fixed the puncture in the old tube, put that back on and inflated it – unfortunately, when I unscrewed the pump the valve core came with it…

    My multi-tool seems to have everything apart from pliers, which is not entirely surprising – but did mean I had no-way of tightening the valve core enough that it would stay in when I unscrewed the pump.

     

    I normally carry the following:

    – Spare tube

    – Tyre boot + a set of those lezyne puncture repair stickers

    – Mini-pump (of the screw on kind)

    – A tenner

     

    While this has sufficed for the last 4 years, it didn’t do the trick today.  So onto the questions:

    – Can anyone recommend some decent Butyl inner tubes without removeable cores? I clearly never remember to superglue the ****** things, so I need to ensure that issue doesn’t recur.  I don’t like the idea of sealant particularly so I’ve never used it – though I suspect I may have to change my view on this now.  I’d been punture free for the last 10000km, have now had 5 this summer.

    – I don’t take my wallet with me for waterproofing reasons and pocket space reasons – has anyone seen a waterproof phone case (for a large handset, LG G4) with extra space for credit cards/cash?

    – Can anyone recommend a mini-pump with a flexible tube from pump to valve, that isn’t a screw on one?

    – Is a service like Uber any use for a taxi from god-knows-where in Surrey back into London?  This might be the catalyst for me to actually sign up to it.

     

    Any other suggestions?  

     

     

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  • October 11, 2016 at 9:29 am #879473
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    FatBoyW

    Really!? 

    Really!? 

    Whilst 2 tubes and all that very sensible.  The real answer is one or more of:

    A bunch of flowers and a weekend away/spa outing.

    A bike for your partner and spend some time riding together (probably 3 tubes in this instance).

    Holiday with bikes.

    A card.

    A bottle of prossecco.

    If all of that fails – ring a taxi and go inside when you get home to obtain cards to pay the meter. This final option would also possibly involve  a new partner!

     

    Last time it happened to me I tore the rear mech off, now I had the chain toool to be able to shorten the chain, but you know when I spoke to my wife and explained she offered  to collect me because thats what partners do. 

    Finally if all else fails rule 5 and walk home.

     

     

     

    October 10, 2016 at 9:00 pm #879471
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    wycombewheeler

    turboprannet wrote:

    turboprannet wrote:

    Would the new plastic fivers not also be an even better tyre boot than the old ones now too?


    True, and waterproof to boot. Unfortunately as a rapha wearer I’m not allowed to carry anything smaller than a twenty. When are they rolling out the programme to all the notes?

    October 10, 2016 at 8:45 pm #879469
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    turboprannet

    Would the new plastic fivers

    Would the new plastic fivers not also be an even better tyre boot than the old ones now too?

    October 10, 2016 at 8:45 pm #879467
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    turboprannet

    Would the new plastic fivers

    Would the new plastic fivers not also be an even better tyre boot than the old ones now too?

    October 10, 2016 at 8:19 pm #879465
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    LastBoyScout

    – I mainly use Michelin ones

    – I mainly use Michelin ones that don’t have removable cores. Long rides = 2 tubes.

    – Used to use an Aquapac case with phone, ID, credit card and cash. Unfortunately, they don’t do one big enough for my new phone, so I’m back to the Sainsbury’s zip-lock food bags.

    – I’m not a fan of the screw-on pumps, preferring the push-on type, mainly because they are so much more fiddling around with the tube, but also have the problem you describe. That said, my new emergency pump is a Lezyne Sport Drive HP, because their Essential Sport set cost me £3 out of Halford’s bargain bin. Carry that and a CO2 pump. Before those, I carried a Genuine Innovations Second Wind Road hybrid pump, which is push-on and works very well – still gets carried occasionally. They do a mini carbon version, but that seems to be as rare a hen’s teeth.

    – I’d hope that another friendly cyclist would take pity on me, otherwise I’d attempt to get to the nearest train station. Should be plenty of both in Surrey.

    October 10, 2016 at 7:50 pm #879463
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    Carton

    Unless you have ample time,

    Unless you have ample time, it’s best to have an emergency option before the “break glass” option. It can also save you money long term. Early last year had a bit of a crash, banged myself up pretty bad coming into town (just bruises, thankfully). Called a cab, cab cancelled on me, and out of frustration I decided to reset my shifter and change my tube there and then. Ended up both messing up the handlebar tape and busting my tyre and the tube. It would’ve been cheaper and less frustrating to have waited for another cab. And thank God I messed up, as the hanger was busted (nearly invisible crack), so I could’ve easily ended up binning my derailleur and messing up my back wheel. As well as potentially taking another spill.

    My repair kit strategy seems fairly in line with pretty much every other. I also use a very small Ziploc bag (think it was the bag my speed magnet came in) as a wallet, with a little cash, an ancient school ID and an (low limit, low cost) spare credit card as a dedicated cycling “wallet”. It’s actually quite brilliant: it weighs nothing, costs nothing, and does a great job keeping things dry. As to spares: multi-tool, spoke key, quick link, chain breaker, spare, mini patch kit, levers, extra hanger, zip ties and pump. That all takes a fistful of room, almost filling up my small saddle bag. It could carry two tubes, but I keep the tube in it’s plastic wrapper, so as not to screw up the valve or puncture the tube with my mult-tool, so I would have to squeeze things a little past what they should be squeezed. Anything that I can’t fix with that, then I go to plan B. Hasn’t happened again, but I think I’ve learnt my lesson and won’t hesitate next time. Again, I reserve the “dreaded phone call” as my plan C. Just for the most serious of incidents. And so as not to worry everyone about my “dangerous cycling hobby”. 

    October 10, 2016 at 6:17 pm #879461
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    ChrisB200SX

    Snap-close sandwich bags, 100

    Snap-close sandwich bags, 100 for £1 in most supermarkets. Brilliant for sticking a wallet, phone, cash or whatever in and keeping water out.

    October 10, 2016 at 3:21 pm #879459
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    sergius
    BBB wrote:
    ‘ve had exactl the same issue that OP described with Lenzyne pump in the middle of nowhere in winter. I simply left the pump on and attached it to the spokes with a glove…

     

    Ingenious, I should also add a couple of cable ties to my saddle bag.

    October 10, 2016 at 3:11 pm #879457
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    keef66

    I’ve had that with Conti

    I’ve had that with Conti tubes when I’ve clearly forgotten to tighten the valve cores.  And that was with a clamp-on chuck not a screw on one.  One valve core went shooting past my ear as I disconnected the track pump in the garage.  Never did find it!

    Using a batch of Vittoria tubes at the moment; I don’t think they have removable cores – must check….

    Pump is a Lezyne with a screw on flexible hose.

    The new plastic fivers now make taking cash out in the rain a lot simpler.

    Park Tool emergency tyre boot saved me from having to make the call yesterday.  Second such sidewall cut; maybe retinking my tyre choice

     

    October 10, 2016 at 1:52 pm #879455
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    BBB

    I don’t understand the

    I don’t understand the popularity of scew on flexible connector pumps. I’ve used a basic Topeak Peakini pump for ages and it always worked. You push it onto a valve pull the lever away and …. pump it up.

    ‘ve had exactl the same issue that OP described with Lenzyne pump in the middle of nowhere in winter. I simply left the pump on and attached it to the spokes with a glove…

     

    October 10, 2016 at 10:56 am #879453
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    Tjuice

    +1 for debit card.  Into a

    +1 for debit card.  Into a ziplock bag in my jersey pocket, I put phone, debit card, house keys, one of my business cards (for ID in case of incident) with my wife’s phone details written on there “in case of emergency”

    All tools/spares/etc. go into a saddle bag (sorry velominati – this just works so much better for me), along with a tenner or two in a very small ziplok bag which stays in there permanently, so I don’t have to remember it.

    I have had great results from Conti GP 4 Season tyres.  Been running them for years on my winter bike and have had very few punctures.  As it happens, I have conti tubes in the tyres, and have had no issues whatsoever with the valve cores coming out (do they come out??!).  I use the small Lezyne pump (HP I think, rather than HV) with the flexible screw-on hose.

    On my summer bike, I have tubular tyres (Conti Sprinter Gatorskins) and since I got them (3 summer seasons of riding the same tyres), I have not yet got a puncture.  But I don’t ride that bike in the rain/on wet roads (unless the rain surprises me when I’m already out)

    October 10, 2016 at 10:03 am #879451
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    sergius

    Thanks folks,

    Thanks folks,

    I think the solution for now will be:

    – Carry one of the “valve core” tools I just picked up from wiggle (88p!) in my saddle bag.

    – Take two spare tubes rather than one

    – Put a debit card in my phone wallet from now on, and leave more than a tenner in my saddle bag.

    – Work out if that little button on my Lezyne mini pump is in fact a pressure release button that’s designed to prevent exactly the issue I had yesterday!

    – I’m going to swap the rear tyre (it’s always the rear for some reason) from a Conti GP 4000 SII to something a little harder wearing as well.

     

    I’m still hugely pissed off about the whole thing! need to reassemble my bike one evening after work now as well.

    October 10, 2016 at 9:57 am #879449
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    Anonymous

    I’m not sure if anyone has

    I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but I always take a debit card and a couple of notes.  The notes only get used if I can’t find somewhere that takes contactless. 

    October 10, 2016 at 9:49 am #879447
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    Dnnnnnn
    gthornton101 wrote:
    +1 for taking a 2x inner tube on longer rides, hopefully never have to use but particularly if on your own can be a real saviour.

    I usually take at least a debit card and ideally a £5 or £10 note all of which are inherently waterproof so it doesn’t matter if the ziploc they are in leaks a little.

    The Toppeak Mini Morph has a short pull out hose which I’ve been using ever since I broke a valve using a direct screw on type pump a few years ago.  Works well and even has a little flip out foot plate to give you a tiny bit more leverage to acheive higher psi.

    Agree with paulrattew above – any local taxi should drop you and bike to station and take the train into London (probably quicker and certainly cheaper)

    All good advice.

    I can understand why the other half wasn’t pleased! I’d never leave home – for almost any reason – without a debit card and a couple of notes.

    Mechanical shit is going to happen and very occasionally even the well-prepared will be caught out by duff tools or spares. Money may be the root of all evil but it’s also a damn effective way to bail yourself out of various sticky situations when all else fails.

    I’d also think about knocking on some local doors and asking, with my bestest apologetic smile, if I might borrow a bicycle pump – most homes will have one somewhere.

    And finally – take your other half out for a good meal, or do something else to make up for it.

     

    October 10, 2016 at 9:09 am #879445
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    gthornton101

    +1 for taking a 2x inner tube

    +1 for taking a 2x inner tube on longer rides, hopefully never have to use but particularly if on your own can be a real saviour.

    I usually take at least a debit card and ideally a £5 or £10 note all of which are inherently waterproof so it doesn’t matter if the ziploc they are in leaks a little.

    The Toppeak Mini Morph has a short pull out hose which I’ve been using ever since I broke a valve using a direct screw on type pump a few years ago.  Works well and even has a little flip out foot plate to give you a tiny bit more leverage to acheive higher psi.

    Agree with paulrattew above – any local taxi should drop you and bike to station and take the train into London (probably quicker and certainly cheaper)

     

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