How To Repair A Flat Tyre On Race Day

[@gtn]

What do you bring with you for puncture repair on race day?

[@ngdawgs1]

I’m more of a trail runner turned ‘triathlete’, so I ride with my hydration vest. I call it my security blanket. I carry an actual tire along with the usual repair kit. Just in case the tire is damaged. I know it sounds crazy, so my question is… is it common for a tire to be completely useless from a puncture?

[@aaron_quinn1482]

Nope. Risk it for a Biscuit

[@tecmalo6857]

My tyre sits so snug to the rim, that my fastest time changing an innertube was around 80 minutes. So honestly, I would probably run the remaining distance 😂

[@robertfazio6760]

I actually ran the last 10 miles in my bike shoes I popped the front tire off peddling hard up a steep hill and in a panic I looked down and thought it was broken I actually rolled down a hill sideways into a gully man did I have blisters but at least I was all warmed up for the run 😂

[@becmango]

Same boat.

[@Alex-kr7zr]

@robertfazio6760 Isn't that illegal in most races? In my last race I had a problem with the flying dismount and ran the last 20m and they already looked very angry at me.

[@leslie7922]

The first thing I do is add more air and locate the hissing in relation to the valve. That way I don't need to feel under the tyre blindy and risk glass cutting my fingers open.

[@gtn]

Good tip!

[@karstenmeinders4844]

Real hack! I have never considered that before.

[@melibaut]

I'm glad you mentioned leaving no trace behind 👏🏻 I always am picking up cartridges and even tubes!

[@Hydrogen101]

I would’ve loved to have seen you actually use that foam sealant. Also, I’ll add putting sealant in the inner tube using special sealant designed for inner tubes (Sludge sealant for example). 2oz per tires makes a good race day sealant without having to go all-in on a tubeless setup.

[@notmyrealname6272]

Yess. I need this video!!!!

[@Aeronwor]

I got a flat in T1 (inner tube popped in the sun), then spent 40 minutes on the mount line, with the help of a volunteer and a bike mechanic spectator trying to remove and re-fit my tyre in a heroic 4 handed effort. Thermal expansion is a pain with alloy wheels. My race goals went from be in the first 1/3 to meet the cut off times.

[@cristiansan]

thank you! I need to practice this at least once before the racing.

[@davidpalmer8591]

Be good to have an updated one of these guys- I had a nightmare on 70.3 Weymouth this year!!!

[@karstenmeinders4844]

I use the Crankbrothers tyre lever. For remounting the tyre, it has a special design that lifts the tyre above the rim sidewall without the risk of damaging the (carbon) rim or innertube (in a non-tubeless setup) while moving along the rim sidewall. To allow proper handling and exerting more force, the entire lever has a handle to put your fingers through which makes it a bit chunkier if this might be an issue. For dismounting, it works like a regular tyre lever except the said handle helps again.

[@georgesa.videau8332]

Thanks for the advice. Do you need 1or 2 Cranckbro.tyre levers?

[@karstenmeinders4844]

@@georgesa.videau8332 For mounting, the process works with just one CB lever. For dismounting, one CB lever can be sufficient. If the tyre - rim combination is tight, a second conventional lever can help.

[@georgesa.videau8332]

@@karstenmeinders4844 OK. Thank you. Will try this.

[@jamesmartinez8083]

Thank you Mark for this video.

[@gtn]

Hope you found it helpful! If you're looking for more tips to get you ready for race day, check out our playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ-Um3SJftpgrtk

[@NicBen]

Really helpful, thank you!!

[@robstriathlontipsforbeginners]

I wear gloves in longer races. Gives you a better grip when working with a tire. Also a good idea to shift gears to a specific gear if it’s your back tire that goes flat. Then you know exactly where to put your chain back to.

[@SBoots29]

Thats the second biggest fear is getting a puncture. I know it happens and I am prepared, I hope. The first fear? Not drowning, but not finishing the race.

[@mattsweet7331]

Awesome content! - thanks! use your palms of your hands to finish getting tire back on - thumbs aren't strong enough

[@tolulopeobe]

The notorious Conti GP5000 installation

[@markthrelfall3577]

😂

[@iggalan]

I’m racing this Saturday, fingers crossed 🤞 I don’t get a puncture but I carry everything to fix it. Last year I packed my bike in the car the night before, in the morning when I was about to drive to the race and checked my bike, the rear tube had exploded, not a puncture it exploded ripping the tire off on one side 😱 . I had time so I changed it without being in a hurry. Should that had happened during race I could have easily crashed, it had a slash the size of a hand (defective I guess, but it happened after several thousand Km of use). My rims are not tubeless compatible so that is not an option. Besides I’m not sold on tubeless for road tires; on MTB I’ve been going tubeless for many years, so I know how to deal with it.

[@gtn]

Good luck this weekend - we're sure you'll do great!

[@Ivan_Nano]

Quick question. Could the pressure of the CO2 cartridge make your tire explode if you aren’t super careful? Or is it made so that all The air in the cartridge goes inside the tube? Or is it maybe pressurized enough so that wouldn’t happen?

[@tecmalo6857]

The normal cartridges you’ll find in these pumps have enough pressure for on single tire with a decent pressure, but not enough to make the tire explode, that is nothing to be worried about. If you have a big tire, like a mtb, you even have to use 2 cartridges, or use one for a base pressure and continue to pump normally. Only thing to keep in mind: when you’re home, deflate the tire and put „normal“ air with a pump in. The CO2 is good for getting home or to the finish, but shouldn’t stay longer in an immer tube, than necessary. It destroys the rubber over a longer time ☺️

[@1909pipo]

can you help me...what if I get a flat tire in an ironman race? my wheel doesnt have a quick release thing, do I need to carry my torque wrench with me on the race or can I somehow change a tire without removing my wheel?

[@CaseyZ]

Had a flat during a race. Changed it, but ended up slicing the new tube with the levers while trying to seat the tire on the rim. I was so mad at myself. Had to walk back to the nearest volunteer in shame to call for a pickup.

[@levbobrov1398]

Happened to me a couple of times, but luckily not during the race. One of the reasons I have switched to tubeless. Even if the puncture doesn't seal, you can repair the tire without taking it off the wheel and I find it much easier and quicker. Of course, you can also puncture it while fixing, which... guess how I found out... 😀

[@jonathan9506]

How much pressure is in the tire once you have used the CO2 device? Is this full, lets say 7-8 bars? Can it be overfilled?

[@andrewberry6450]

Instead of the tyre lever are there other tools, like the tyre glider, that could make the process quicker? Would it be possible to run a comparative timed test?

[@savagepro9060]

1:43 sounds like a loose headset, and not a puncture!

[@markthrelfall3577]

Or the axel has be pre loosened 😉

[@hurricane7800]

Me, before getting into cycling: wow, those high-profile rims look cool! Maybe I'll get a pair once I get a bike. Me now, after buying a bike: maybe I can afford to replace a brake pad?

[@eveschaffer6684]

Does the Muc-off bottel also work in an Ironman? Or would you recomend it only for short distance racing?

[@Marcus-ep7nf]

I sadly got a puncture on a tubular tire during a ironman 70.3, got some foam in it but did not help more then 10 seconds, in fact I almost crashed in a down hill segment because of it :(

[@AJ5dude]

GTN Coaches Corner what is a good kind of paper or something else to write big swim sets on?

[@gtn]

Hey there - we'd recommend getting a whiteboard to write your sets on. Another option could be write your whole set on a bit of paper, get the back wet and stick to a spare float, stand it against a block or other visible area. Give it a try and let us know how you get on 🙂

[@AJ5dude]

@@gtn Thanks for the tip! I wrote it on a piece of paper and put it in a ziplock bag.

[@martincosby9743]

How about tubulars? I would guess quite a few would run tubs

[@TamaEnergy]

Im SO scared for a puncture next week on my 70.3 as will make me close to cut off

[@jimjamthebananaman1]

Is mark sponsored by vans now? 😅

[@marcuswills6569]

Where's the tips for changing a tubular tyre? I would go as far as saying that most older TT and Triathlon bikes still use tubular wheelsets.

[@tylerwarner3677]

This happened to me on Saturday. Woke up to a flat front tire at my second Tri ever. Luckily they had a tech tent and fixed me up before we started. Better learn to do it myself I guess!

[@Drew_Warner]

Tire