wayne pattee

OK I've been lurking long enough.
Today I left home for a 40 mile ride (longest on of the year so far). I got 2 miles from home and someone spilled a bunch of crown staples on the side of the road and I got one with my back tire. This bike has slime tires but I have been putting off buying a pump to fit this bike. After the 2 mile walk home the tire was sealed really nice. Should I trust this tire? Should I patch it or replace it?
Thanks
Wayne

cyccommute 

We should have a single sticky somewhere (or maybe it's own forum ) for the answer to pump questions. The only answer is a Topeak Morph. Road Morph for 700C tires. Mountain Morph for 26" tires. Don't even mess with anything else.

As for the tire and tube, you shouldn't have to replace either. The tire will be fine and you shouldn't have to do anything to it. If the tube leaks, you might have to patch it. Otherwise let the Slime do what it's supposed to do.

Velo Dog

Well, you've learned Rule No. 1: Don't go down the driveway without a patch kit and pump. Flats are absolutely a part of cycling. Here in Big Thorn Country, I average one at least every 50 miles, and I've had as many as six in a century.
FWIW, I don't like Slime and don't use it. It works OK on small punctures, but if you get a big enough hole that some Slime leaks out, I've never been able to clean it off enough to patch the tube. The patches just peel off. Otherwise, I've never had a patch failure in 30+ years of riding, so I usually put in a spare tube from my saddle bag and patch the old one when I get home.
There's no reason to toss a tube with a patch on it. I use them until the patches overlap--it's not unusual for me to have 10 or a dozen patches on a tube. Whether you can trust the TIRE is another issue. Normally, yes, but if you got a staple through the sidewall, or if the puncture broke several threads in the casing, so the tube might eventually bulge out, you should replace it. You should be able to spot that kind of damage from inside the tire.

wayne pattee

I used to ride a road bike and I've had many flats and patches on that over the years. My hybrid came with slime tires and I'm new to it. I didn't know if it would take a patch because the slime was leaking out to the point where I had to take the tire and tube off and clean it.
Thanks guys

Air

+1 - but I'll add this to my list o links in my sig

I run puncture resistant tires on my bikes - only one flat (on the first day of course) when someone spread carpet tacks on the bike lane. Otherwise they've worked like a dream. But I would just get the road morph so it's good for mtb or road. Pricepoint.com usually has them the cheapest.

I used Slime once - before I switched tires I got a big puncture and sprayed Slime EVERYWHERE. It was on a group ride, let me ride on it another couple of miles but it took a while to clean all of that off. Sprayed a few other cyclists too. Now I save money and just get regular tubes, easier to patch. Pull out the section, patch, check for glass in the tire, keep riding in 10 mins.

wayne pattee

Yep, I heard a noise and looked down and and saw green. very messy.

(51)

My gosh!

I've had one flat (a slow leak I noticed the next day) over the course of 5,500+ miles. You should seek greener pastures. BTW, Where is "Big Thorn Country" as I want to steer clear of it

ang1sgt

You GOTTA be kidding me! The problem is that I don't doubt that this happens on paths and such. Why it happens, I haven't got a clue. Gotta be some of the same folks that love breaking bottles in our parking lot at the Bike Shop. We've been accused of doing it to make more money on flat repairs! I'll tell ya, that is something I'd rather NOT do all day long.

Chris

Air

Yeah - I thought it was some construction debris but I helped someone change a flat that same day near there and saw here a few days later others complaining about the same spot. Then there was a story in the paper about it.

Police figured it was someone who hated bicyclists for some reason, got hit by one or something something blah blah blah

neilfein

You guys have convinced me; I just ordered a patch kit and a mountain morph.

geo8rge

Check your tires every 3-5 mi for glass.

I use

Cyclaire:
https://cgi.ebay.com/Cyclaire-Origina...QQcmdZViewItem

and Red Zepplin CO2 inflator

BTW best to carry a spare tire as many blowouts are not repairable.

Air

3-5 miles? Yikes that would make a Century ride take a lot longer!

There's actually a pretty cool device someone posted in a touring thread - looks like a wishbone made out of paperclips but basically sweeps the tires of glass as you're riding.

Tom Stormcrowe

I carry a piece of duct tape for sidewall cuts: you can slip it between the tube and the tire carcass to act as a temporary boot patch. You can do the same thing with a folded dollar bill to limp home, as well as using a small square of Tyvek sheet.

Air

Trick my Dad taught me: always have a pencil with duct tape wrapped around it in your bag. Will be easy to find and use.

jaxgtr

If you use some type of power bar or one of the other things, those wrappers are perfect for lining the tire in an emergency.

DavisClydesdale

Dollar bills work well too.

Mr. Beanz

I do the one dollar bill thing. Just make sure it's a one. I had to use a twenty once. I tore that sucker apart real quick when I got home!

jaxgtr

I also use CO2.

JumboRider

A road morph and a mountain morph? Why does topeak make one for each bike type? What is the difference in pumps?

2manybikes

I do the same thing. Got the idea from some magazine. It's great. Lots of uses on a bike.

neilfein

The morph is indeed an awesome pump, it came in the mail a few days ago and I took it on a 30-mile ride on trails and paths this weekend. It did great job inflating the tires with minimal effort, and I love the gauge. One small criticism...

I was on the train to Philly, and thought topping my tires off would be a good use of thee time. (A little bit of the time, anyway. I was bored and tired.) Now, this is partially my own stupidity, but I managed to snap off the footrest by unfolding it the wrong way. Now, that's my fault, but looking at it closely, the rest is pretty cheaply made.

The pump itself works fine, but you have to hold it in place firmly while pumping, defeating the whole purpose of the design. If you're not a clumsy dude like myself, it's great pump. Amazing, in fact. But stay away from this if you're a klutz!

cyccommute 

Basic gas laws. High pressure, low tire volume, small tube (road morph). Low pressure, high tire volume, large tube (mountain morph).

It's easier to push a small piston against a higher pressure than a large piston. And you need a large piston your arms don't fall off trying to pump a larger volume tire.

JumboRider

Thanks.

Stevestrat

I just bought a mini pump to keep in my bag- it's a serfas mp-3 power stick. Liked the size & price. Seems to be good quality. Just tried it out & man does it take forever to get some air in the tube. Finished it out with my regular floor pump. Maybe I should have gone the CO2 route..??

zoste

Or the road morph route.

I have a mini pump on my hybrid, but it takes forever to pump a tire and maxes at about 60 psi. The Road Morph is a LOT faster and I have no trouble getting 80 psi in my 32's.

(...and yes, I know that this thread is nearly two years old)