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

Does anyone have good ideas for fixing bike flats? I made a draft Guide Entry and want to make sure that I haven't forgotten anything important, or that if someone has a revolutionary idea, that it's in there. Thanks!

You may know this already: In order to find the hole in the tube, fill the tube with air and then submerge it in water. The bubbles will show the hole.

Carry a spare inner tube with you. Almost as cheap as repairing and a damn sight easier, particularly on the roadside.

Oh, one other point. Always make sure you check the inside of the tyre. I fixed a flat only for it to go again immediately I got on, simply because the shard of glass that caused the original puncture was still in the tyre!

That especially hurts, Truffy, 'cause you just put on the new tube. I have mixed feelings about the new tube; I always carry one, just in case the tube bursts, but the thrifty side of me encourages me to patch the tire whenever possible.

Ahhh jqr, it hurts more that you could imagine...

A mate and I were cu=ycling from Dieppe to Paris a few years ago, when the accident happened - about 15mins outside Dieppe. Two inner tubes gone, so the only thing was to go back to Dieppe. Except it was Sunday, and Dieppe shuts on Sunday.

So we had to stay in Dieppe until the shops opened. Except it coincided with the D-Day landing celebrations (not good planning!), so all the hotels were full.

So...we slept on a train and went straight to Paris and cycled back from there.

Just outside Dieppe on the way back, my mate's tyre blew. So I duly cycled off to the local town to get a tube. But it was shut for lunch. Did I tell you that the towns in France shut for lunch? For two whole hours for chrissake!!! What kind of backward country is it?

MORAL: The moral of this story is...carry a spare inner tube, carry a puncture repair kit,... and avoid Dieppe like the plague.

Sorry about the flats; itsounds like heaven to ride in France nonetheless. Here in my corner of America we have nice country riding in New Jersey or north of NYC, but that's about it. I'd love to do that, punctures and all.

Right now I do most of my cycling in and around the city, so I get lots of flats. There's plenty of broken glass around and I'm always carrying 20-odd pounds of gear, plus locks, so the bike is really heavy and the shards just stick in the tire and never get loose--until I've got the bike upside down and the tire off the rim. Wet days are the worst.

I may have an interesting tip for you! Im well into cycling, Im a down hill demon! My grandad used to tell me stories about the 2nd world war and stuff but one story stuck with me. He used to tell me how he used to stuff his tires with grass, as he couldn't even afford inner tubes. I know its a last resort thing, and Ive not had to try it yet (touch wood) but I bet it works best on skinny tires. Any way, I hope that helps, if no, then at least you know!

A couple of years ago you could buy tyres filled with a soft foam. Supposed to be light penumatics but never punctured. I don't know what they're like though, or whether they ever took off. Might be worth looking for if you have regular puncture.

Of course, I meant to write "...like pneumatics..."

Just got in from a cycle ride, so I'm knackered...Zzzzzz

I heard about the stuffing tires (tyres?) with grass too, but I've never tried it myself. Not much grass here in the city.

I tried these 'solid' tyres. They were called 'Green' something and they were quite difficult to fit, even with the special green plastic tool. I also found them noisy, they creaked constantly and seemed to soak up energy but they didn't get punctures, even round our flinty farm tracks. Has anyone had better results?

I can see how those solid ones would soak up energy. I guess the mix is between soggy for a more comfortable ride and rock-hard for a more efficient one. The ones I saw needed to be installed at the bike shop, however. Were your 'green' ones home-installable?

There is some slime stuff which a friend swears by... use as a 'quick fix' or a preventative... got to spin the wheel until it sets, but it's viscous, so it plugs holes. But it kills the inner tube within 12 months, after the slime goes hard.

I've heard of that. I never tried it because it takes advance planning.

But if you haven't got a repair kit, you can get one of these instead.

Also apparently good for all other tyres... but I wouldn't trust it, personally. I haven't had any bad experience, but I like believing that it's only air keeping me off the ground...

they make some junk in a can to fix car tires...just spray it into the tire/tube...and this works rather well for bicycle tires too...just dont put too much in because as a byproduct,the reaction produces air to inflate the tire.

My friend who swears by SLiME has just had to borrow my bike.

http://www.slime.com , if you're interested (I think)

hey i was just thinkin(uh-oh)so thins might not be the smartest thing to do...have you ever heard of "great stuff" it is like foam in a can. it dries hard and yellow...would a tube filled with this stuff go flat...it is not too bouncy/rubbery...very stiff and hard...just a random thought

If you filled the tire/tube with something solid rather than air intuition tells me that you'd have a bumpy ride. I've never tried it, though.

hmm...i dont intend to try it...i have never had to replace any par of my bicycle tires...the treads havent even worn down much.....wierd...i never even gave it a thought till now....hmmm? i have had the bike for at least 2 years, and i use it about twice a week....now i am freaked out about my tires....