h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Nice, comprehensive article, including the essential advice about removing the original cause of the puncture (duh, been caught out by that one before) and also about not having to remove the wheel to fix a puncture. In fact I really can't remember why I used to take the wheel off when I was a kid. Leaving it on saves getting (even more)dirty, keeps it in a convenient working position and, seeing as it's almost always the rear tyre which gets punctured, saves a load of fiddling around with the chain and gears which NEVER work properly afterwards.

I'd add to the tool kit a handful of those thick green paper hand-drying towels you get in corporate lavatories, just to get the bulk of the oil and grease off your hands.

Has anyone else had problems with puncture repair glue in cold weather? I find it just turns into a sort of sludge and doesn't go off properly.

-Dan-

Thank you Dan for your kind words. How cold is the weather that freezes the rubber cement? You could try the glueless patches instead, I suppose.

You have to remove the wheel if you can't find the hole easily. I agree that it's a lot easier not to.

As for the towels, I find that if I'm in the city there's always a coffee shop or sandwich shop nearby that has extra napkins, and if I'm in the country I don't mind so much. I guess really fastidious people could pack those moist towelettes.

Keep riding!