What's your plan for a flat tire 10 miles from home?

[camdon44]

I'm interested if you are

1) Optimistic - i'm not worried. There's no need to plan.
2) Realistic - I realize this could happen, this is how I've prepared. But, luckily, it's never happened.
3) Experienced - This happened to me, this is what I did.
4) Procrastinating - I realize this could happen, but I haven't found a great option and still have it on my to do list.


I'm #4. I'm hoping you can help me with a low-tech simple back-up plan.

#2 and #3. I have liners in my 4" tires as well as a new rear tire that is puncture resistant. I carry a can of Fix-a-Flat for emergencies when I know we will be on a long or remote ride. I have not installed slime in my tires, but I think liners and slime are the best protection.... Fix-a-Flat should work on most punctures.
Both my wife and myself ran into goat heads in Indio a couple of years ago, but we were only 1/2 mile from our motorhome and the tires held til we got there...

 

[JonVonGod]

I'm interested if you are

1) Optimistic - i'm not worried. There's no need to plan.
2) Realistic - I realize this could happen, this is how I've prepared. But, luckily, it's never happened.
3) Experienced - This happened to me, this is what I did.
4) Procrastinating - I realize this could happen, but I haven't found a great option and still have it on my to do list.


I'm #4. I'm hoping you can help me with a low-tech simple back-up plan.

I'd call AAA roadside assistance for a ride home or back to my car. I double checked, and bikes are indeed included in this service!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Some places I have fixed flats in the last few years:

1. https://www.google.com/maps/@46.5411433,-123.4469205,17.98z
2. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6879652,-124.4399403,19z
3. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9483379,-122.3062965,19z
4. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9740386,-122.885145,17z

All of those were considerably further than ten miles from home, and none of them required any kind of rescue. I've also woke up to a flat tire in a campground or hotel a few times as well, but those were much less inconvenient and easily dealt with on site.

Proudly fixing flats in horribly inconvenient places since Richard Nixon was president.

 

[Dunbar]

I wouldn’t want to change a rear tube out on the road. It takes me 30-40 minutes to do in my living room. I know it’s theoretically possible but I wouldn’t want to do it. That’s coming from someone who’s changed a couple dozen tubes out in the wild while riding conventional bikes (god bless CO2 inflators!) I use puncture resistant tires (Schwalbe Marathon Almotion) and have only had one flat in ~18k miles on the CC. I carry a U-lock with me at all times and the one flat I got ~5 miles from home I just locked the bike up. Found a Jump ride share e-bike to get home. Other options around here to get home are the ride share scooters or Uber/Lyft. Then I hopped in my car and went to pickup the bike. IMO the hassle of changing a rear flat is one of the reasons why my next e-bike will likely have a mid-drive.

 

[cldlhd]

Seeing that I'm almost exclusively going to be riding in the suburbs of Philly, mostly on pavement ,occasionally on gravel trails like along the Delaware canal I don't think I'm ever going to be that far from civilization. So maybe a can of fix a flat or something like that. it shouldn't be that hard for me to get a friend to come pick me up if I'm far from home or maybe even the wife.....

 

[Taylor57]

When you guys say tyraps do you mean zip ties? My e-bike isn't due to ship until September 15th but I'm looking into how I'm going to deal with this issue. On my current bike I'm usually not off road much and I'm not far from home so worst case if I get a flat I figure I can call Buddy with a pickup truck and throw it in back there. With my e-bike I figure I'll be going on farther rides so I do want to plan a little more.

Late to the party, but 10 miles from home flat = AAA phone call. I have the extended range AAA where I think they will drive me 150 miles...

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Late to the party, but 10 miles from home flat = AAA phone call. I have the extended range AAA where I think they will drive me 150 miles...

You are assuming that you are always in cell range and your mechanicals all occur somewhere where AAA can easily and safely get to you.

 

[Merc]

I had a rear flat 30 miles from home on a Juiced Rip Current fat tire bike (Rear hub, 70 lbs). I called a large Lyft and told the driver I needed enough space for the bike. Took the front wheel off, helped him load it to the back of his SUV, and gave a big tip.

 

[Gordon71]

Seeing that I'm almost exclusively going to be riding in the suburbs of Philly, mostly on pavement ,occasionally on gravel trails like along the Delaware canal I don't think I'm ever going to be that far from civilization. So maybe a can of fix a flat or something like that. it shouldn't be that hard for me to get a friend to come pick me up if I'm far from home or maybe even the wife.....

That strikes me as the most sensible approach of all. I had forgotten about that stuff. Am I missing something?

 

[cldlhd]

That strikes me as the most sensible approach of all. I had forgotten about that stuff. Am I missing something?

Well then I'm probably missing it then as well...... Ideally having every potentiality covered is better but I have cell service pretty much everywhere I'm going to be and I'd rather do my repairs from the comfort of home . Preferably with a cold or two.

 

[Gordon71]

I found reference to "fix a flat for bikes only" but could not find any for sale. I did find this on Amazon:

Amazon.com

 

[camdon44]

I found reference to "fix a flat for bikes only" but could not find any for sale. I did find this on Amazon:

Amazon.com

Just get the regular one. It will connect to the bike tire the same as any tire.

 

[FlatSix911]

Has anyone had experience with Slime Aerosol or a similar product like GUP?

I like the convenience of the sealant and inflator combined into one product.

Amazon.com

 

[Mr. Coffee]

None of the tire sealant products will one hundred percent eliminate flats. Probably the very best you can hope for with them is that you will be able to pump up the tire and limp home, probably stopping several times along the way to feed more air into the tire.

I have used Slime tubes over the years and still had my share of flats that needed fixing on a lonely logging road or a desolate, rainy, highway shoulder.

 

[tomjasz]

Phone home.

 

[camdon44]

The Fix-a-Flat can has the pressure to pump the tire up and you don't need a pump....

 

[Tars Tarkas]

I wouldn’t want to change a rear tube out on the road. It takes me 30-40 minutes to do in my living room. I know it’s theoretically possible but I wouldn’t want to do it. That’s coming from someone who’s changed a couple dozen tubes out in the wild while riding conventional bikes (god bless CO2 inflators!) I use puncture resistant tires (Schwalbe Marathon Almotion) and have only had one flat in ~18k miles on the CC. I carry a U-lock with me at all times and the one flat I got ~5 miles from home I just locked the bike up. Found a Jump ride share e-bike to get home. Other options around here to get home are the ride share scooters or Uber/Lyft. Then I hopped in my car and went to pickup the bike. IMO the hassle of changing a rear flat is one of the reasons why my next e-bike will likely have a mid-drive.

30-40 minutes to fix a flat. How long did it take you to find a ride-share bike, get home, grab your car and
drive back to your bike?

TT

 

[cldlhd]

30-40 minutes to fix a flat. How long did it take you to find a ride-share bike, get home, grab your car and
drive back to your bike?

TT

Well he said 30 to 40 minutes in his living room I would imagine it would probably take him a little longer by the side of the road. He also mentioned the possibility of an Uber. If you got a big enough one you could make sure the driver could fit it in the back. Then you can change it at home, I imagine in that scenario getting driven home with the bike and changing the flat there would be both quicker and easier.

 

[Luv2ride]

When I rode unpowered road bikes I fixed flats no problem on the road, but now I use Tannus Armour and don't get flats.
10,000 + miles on good paved roads in Southern California flat free.

Tannus Armour Inserts

Tannus Armour protects your tube against 90% of common bike flats using 15mm of multi-cell foam. Say goodbye to pinch and puncture flats.

tannusamerica.com

 

[cldlhd]

Just get the regular one. It will connect to the bike tire the same as any tire.

Ya I imagine the stuff from an auto parts store would work?