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The Tube Problem

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  • The Tube Problem

    Hi,

    I faced a sudden front tyre puncture a few days ago at night while driving & got it repaired
    by a roadside mechanic. Now call me dumb but since then i seem to have become a little
    phobic & everytime i ride it seems to me that i am going to have a flat tyre anytime.

    So i bought a new tyre tube but i am in doubt as to whether replace the previous tube with
    new one or keep the old one ?

    Also this was the first time in 8000km that tube had got punctured. Can that tube carry on further without any
    hiccups ?
    After how many punctures ideally a tyre tubr is rendered useless for further use ?

    So please help me as i have to do a trip in near future.
    Thanks

  • #2
    Thread Approved and Moved
    Advice is a form of nostalgia.
    Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

    Antz Travelz!! | South India Exploration Ride | Leh Triplog (Work in progress)

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    • #3
      theoretically, if the puncture is repaired and is not leaking, you can carry on till the time the tube is repairable, till the time there is space for putting new puncture patches or till the time old punctures do not start leaking.

      practically, every rider has a mental restriction based on his financial condition, after which he replaces the tube. for example, for me it is 3-4 punctures.

      but i never had more than 4 punctures on any tyre before it gets bald. so at the time of replacing tyre, i normally replace it with tube always.

      since your tube has only one puncture, you can use it further without changing the tube. but since you have already brought a new tube, choice is yours, replace it or keep it for future use.

      there is also a thing called age, if you don't use your bike too much and have not changed the tube since last 4-5 years, its better to change it.

      most important, a new or an old tube can never prevent a puncture, if the nail has already entered the tyre, so what prevents a puncture is a good tyre.
      sigpic

      Tyre Sizes _ Spark Plugs

      Headlight Focus _ Fork Oils

      All India xBhp Couple Riders Thread

      Ashtavinayak + Shirdi
      Purandar
      Raigad
      Dapoli
      Aurangabad
      Kaas Plateu & Thoseghar Waterfalls
      Purandar

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      • #4
        Thanks for replying.
        Its been almost 2yrs for my bike & my odometer reads a little above 8000km.

        As you mentioned the tyre is what matters rather than the tube so how can one judge
        accurately as to when the tyre is to be replaced & what are some good brands available
        as per your experience ?

        Also i wanted to ask if god forbid such condition arises that i have a front flat tyre & no mechanic
        is nearby so in such condition what can one do & whether something different needs to be done
        if my rear tyre blows out.

        Comment


        • #5
          manufacturers recommend atleast 1.5-2.0 mm of tread depth, if your tyre's tread depth decreases any less than this, you should purchase a new tyre.

          since you have asked, MRF is a good brand.

          flat tyre, either front or rear, normally you have to push the bike to the puncture repair shop.

          i personally take a different approach, i just ride it at very slow speeds, at the max, i have to replace a tube, thats it. but i do this when nearest puncture repair shop is too far like more than 5-10 kms, and i am in the middle of nowhere. also i have tubeless tyres with tube, these tubeless tyres are stronger than tube type tyre, and vehicle is more rideable even in a full flat tyre. this is my personal approach, and do not advise to anybody. others may not like it.
          sigpic

          Tyre Sizes _ Spark Plugs

          Headlight Focus _ Fork Oils

          All India xBhp Couple Riders Thread

          Ashtavinayak + Shirdi
          Purandar
          Raigad
          Dapoli
          Aurangabad
          Kaas Plateu & Thoseghar Waterfalls
          Purandar

          Comment


          • #6
            actually if you see in chennai, just today i got a second puncture repaired in my rear tyre of HH super Splendor tube costed Rs.300/- first puncture costed Rs.80 and now second puncture costed Rs.60 that is my limit, now if next time the rear tyre gets punctured I am going to replaced both tryre and tube as the tyre has treads only in the side and in the middle it is more or less flat,, which might be due to riding in more psi of air in rear tyre, which i keep 40 psi always. if punctures in your area are cheap you can think of doing the puncture but in long run there is possibility that due to some stone or harsh pothole puncture may start leaking. Also whenever my bike gets punctured only once it got punctured in road, other all times i noticed it only after taking out the bike next morning, in such times the air leak is slow so i push to nearest shop fill air and ride my bike to some reliable shop who does puncture (max 5-6 kms) earlier when my dads bike used to get punctured i used to push it to a shop which was 3 kms away push it all the way that time i was in school and was healthy now because of office and own vehicle laziness and obesity caught me now i cant push a bike much farther.
            K.Ravi

            Do check out my custom painted tail light in my DIY thread ;) ...

            Comment


            • #7
              I am quite inclined for having tubeless tyres for my bike.So please inform as to whether the company fitted tyres (with tube)of my cbz xtreme be replaced by tubeless tyres as theyare much better in such situations rather than tubed ones ?

              Comment


              • #8
                We all love tubeless tyres but for all those 100cc bikes which doesn't have any we dont have a choice. I still dont know if i can put a tubeless tyre on my Star city. I had a punctured rear tyre while riding and had to pay Rs110 for the guy who came and fixed it (Mobile puncture fix that guy had all the tools even an air compressor in his backpack!), for the first few weeks i had the same feeling that you have now! - The fear! Now i'm used to it, But for my peace of mind i'll be changing those tubes soon when it fits my budget. I heard of something ,in fact i read it here in a post. There's some kinda solvent which they pour on the tyre before they put back the tube and when we inflate the tube it automatically seals all the tiny holes on the tube @princesirohi do you have any idea what it is? I'm planning to get that done if it exists!
                sigpicRide Safe..

                Comment


                • #9
                  Though there is no simple rule about when to change the tube...a good puncture mechanic told me that the tube should be changed when its size increases due to aging....even then by pulsar(29k) running with stock tyres and tubes..front without any puncture and rear with 9 punctures....i usually get punctures repaired using the hot method so it is reliable and less susceptible to leakage...there is less punctures if we use hard tyres but thats not recommended as those tyres wont have proper grips...we can reduce the probability of flat tyres by avoiding pot holes, unmetalled road etc
                  https://www.facebook.com/#!/dharohar
                  https://web.facebook.com/groups/jharkhandryderz/

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Luv View Post
                    I faced a sudden front tyre puncture a few days ago at night while driving & got it repaired
                    by a roadside mechanic ... Now call me dumb but since then i seem to have become a little
                    phobic & everytime i ride it seems to me that i am going to have a flat tyre anytime.

                    So i bought a new tyre tube but i am in doubt as to whether replace the previous tube with
                    new one or keep the old one ? ...
                    Tyre punctures are a part of life of any biker , don't worry ... it shall happen to you again . There is very little you can do about it .... and they are -

                    i) Ensure a new tube is sealed pack, genuine and of correct size(yes tubes do come in the size for the tyres) , duplicate tubes abound the market . never buy a tube that has old-looking/tarnished valve fitting (it must have a shinyy new brass valve with plastic cap) . valve type should also match that was provided by the original rim manufaturer(bike's maker) , two valve types are in general use in our markets .

                    ii) While fitting check inside the rim for rust & corrosion & uneven metal . clean/sandpaper to smooth if needed and primer/paint inside the rim . check the inside of the tyre for protruding sharp points, sometimes tyre-reinforcing wires break and poke out inside or tiny sharp metal things from road gets embedded in the tyre , but not visible . run your hand gently around inside to feel it .

                    iii) fit a new tube with a new quality rim-belt . for spoked wheels , check for and tighten loose spokes .

                    iv) apply copious amounts of French-chalk inside the rim while fitting a tube , new or after a repair , that'll prevent the rubber sticking .

                    v) always maintain correct pressure in the tyres , I check weekly when I fill up at the pump . The sheer number of guys I see riding around here everyday with low tyre pressure and a bulky pillion makes me sick . I fill 2-3 psi more than recommended .

                    vi) when you wash your bike , also wash the tyre and check for things stuck to it .

                    vii) when going for a long trip on lonely roads at night , have a plan for a puncture .

                    You can fit the new tube you got and keep the repaired one as spare . I replace tube after 3 patches , at once if the puncture is longitudinal and more than 4-5 mm .

                    Originally posted by princesirohi View Post
                    manufacturers recommend atleast 1.5-2.0 mm of tread depth, if your tyre's tread depth decreases any less than this, you should purchase a new tyre.

                    since you have asked, MRF is a good brand.
                    Prince is right . I would like to add that it is illegal to ride on tyres with less than 2mm tread depth , a cop can stop you for it and press charges . So don't wait untill it gets to 2mm . Also yes , genuine MRF branded tubes are the best in our markets ... humbly from my experience over the years .

                    Originally posted by Luv View Post
                    I am quite inclined for having tubeless tyres for my bike.So please inform as to whether the company fitted tyres (with tube)of my cbz xtreme be replaced by tubeless tyres as theyare much better in such situations rather than tubed ones ?
                    Yes , you can easily change to tubeless if you have a cast(alloy) wheel . Tubeless tyres have much stronger sidewalls and lose air very slowly in case of a puncture . So you can safely ride home on a punctured tyre and repair it at leisure later . I know of many guys who didn't even know that they had several tiny punctures until they had a bigger one , when the tyre was inspected for repairs . Problem is, some punctures on a tubeless tyre cannot always be repaired reliably , and the tyre has to be replaced . So many guys around here frustrated with recurring air loss from repaired punctures have fitted tubes inside it now . So I am in two minds what to prefer yet .
                    Last edited by Pinaki; 10-23-2012, 04:29 AM.

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