How To Fix A Puncture On A Road Bike | Repair A Roadside Flat Tyre

[@gcntech]

What do you do when you have a puncture?

[@Chrills1]

Change the innertube...

[@panzerveps]

Buy a new bike.

[@ss188818]

Call for rescure

[@adamjakobsen1862]

i throw my bike into a hedge and run away

[@kyuss2790]

GCN Tech what pump is that? 🙏

[@AaronGoodTimes]

Holy shit! Jon is outside riding a bike. In a kit. Nice.

[@walkergv]

The best part of this video is how wobbly he is pulling up at the start. I was thinking - is it all a ruse? The racing pictures - photoshop. Living in Belgium - just worked in a chocolate factory. This guy can't even ride a bike! Hahaha.

[@RJ_Taylor]

Perhaps the flat contributed to the wobble.

[@stephensaines7100]

Pretty white though...

[@Nouvellecosse]

I love how he conveinently chooses to demonstrate on the front wheel while _every_ flat tire I've _ever_ gotten while riding has been on the rear.

[@merckxy54]

Ha ha. Yes and in Italy where i live its nearly always through potholes, compression punctures, not grit.

[@boomerangfreak]

Funnily enough most of the flats I can remember having where on the front.

[@C0deH0wler]

Lol, IGH with thru-axle/quick-release ;)

[@fabiosemino2214]

@@merckxy54 You might be interested in the fact that the surface has been renewed on many hills road in Oltrepo' Pavese, you could think the road has been bombarded before that.

[@Francois_Dupont]

@@boomerangfreak i ride both motorcycle and bicycle. all the flat i had were on the rear. anything from big 6inch nails to small slivers of metal tru the tire.

[@ragzard]

A rare sight to be captured on camera. A wild John Cannings in its natural habitat!

[@hypermangi8265]

HAHAHAHA

[@cup_and_cone]

I feel a lack of authenticity here... You forgot to accidentally pinch the replacement tube during reinstall, you didn't waste your only C02 to discover said replacement tube was pinched by a tire lever, and you definitely didn't get grease all over your hands just in time to ruin that brand new bar tape. And as you break out your backup set of patches to fix that tube you pinched, you come to the inevitable realization it's raining and everything is soaked.

[@gcntech]

Hahahaha very good, we hear you!

[@dafyddgiddins9861]

What was also missing was screwing the CO2 canister into the adaptor with the valve open and blowing your CO2 everywhere, and pinching two replacement inner tubes and then the inevitable walk home to try again not at the side of the road

[@LaughingSaint66]

Cup & Cone oh man did u just start cycling 🤪🤪 we have all been there in part one time or another I always keep nitrile gloves 👍

[@cup_and_cone]

@@LaughingSaint66 - No, but we have all done many of these goofs at one time or another. I just thought it was relatable for many people to post an extreme, especially since this video is obviously aimed at beginners that will fall victim to some of these.

[@cup_and_cone]

@@dafyddgiddins9861 - Haha, yes! Before outside assistance was allowed in MTB, I saw so many races end that way. IIRC, it even happened to the woman who was leading the Ironman in Kona many years ago...was out in front and blew out all her C02 without getting it attached first, race over.

[@dafyddgiddins9861]

In the last year that I have been watching GCN, this is the first time I've seen Jon in lycra, or even riding a bike. One thing worth noting that you might want in your toolbag is a small pair of pliers (like you might get in an expensive Christmass Cracker) as I've had an experience where the nail was so embeded in the tyre its took 40 minutes and much blood to remove. Also a video with tips for dealing with really tough tyres that are not very flexible and hard to handle would be good.

[@ooldmka]

I think a chainbreaker could possibly be used as a plier in some way

[@dafyddgiddins9861]

@@ooldmka If i had one at the time, that might have worked

[@billeterk]

Mini gerber works well there. Good for the fine wire from steel radial tyres - that stuff is hard to pull out!

[@spainobmxer69]

For particularly tough tyres you just need to push the tire walls towards the centre of the rim, as when a tyres off you’ll notice inside the rim there is a step that the tyre sits in inside the rim (can be seen in this video at 5.11) and where the rim tape sits is about 3 mm lower so you need to get the tyre sit in the lower groove as the tyre is then loose and easy to remove, 9 times out of 10 I can remove a conti gator skin with no levers, when you pump the tyre back up the air pressure will force the tyre back up this step to sit just below the lip of the rim

[@TheWaxChainFanClub]

The most practised mini pump action I've ever seen. Incredible.

[@ernestpaul6444]

Si recently out in the US with JPOW and doing some epic Idaho Gravel riding, Ollie and Dan out in France to check out the Tour, Cannings out on the side of the road trying to fix a puncture on his own 😂😂😂

[@harrylook7810]

please do tubeless flat repair. there's a widely-held misconception that flats with tubeless set-ups are akin to the apocalypse.

[@justjava22]

harrylook I dare GCN to do one with tubeless, but I’ve only got 4 hours spare to watch it 😂

[@PredatorDK]

My experience from many years on tubeless: 9/10 times it's a small puncture that just heals itself after bleeding a few PSI and a sqirt of sealant. WHEN the hole is on the larger side and reopens once you start riding, let out enough pressure to the point where is stays sealed and you can ride home (to this day I have never been in a situation where I was not able to return home). Once you get home there are three options: 1. Off with the tire and put a patch on the inside, like you would patch a tube. 2. Plug it from the outside with a butyl plug, like you would do on a car of motorcycle tire. 3. Throw it in the bin if the hole is too big/tire is worn anyway/you prefer a perfectly balanced tire with no shake wat so ever.

[@PredatorDK]

Oh, and a pro tip: Change your sealant once in a while. I do it with a syringe, fitted with a chain lube straw. That way it can be done in 10 minutes by only removing the valve insert.

[@kennyvdh]

Lol my experience with Schwalbe pro one tl: had a flat after 2 weeks mounting, since then every time with inflating it hold (5,6,4 bar) for a while and then suddenly it looses al it's pressure.. when u r 30k off home... Getting tired of it.

[@totallynotraging]

Very glad to have been practiced at repairing tubes. I had to do my share of it on the Roubaix cobbles and the cheeky mechanics on the roadside were trying to charge me 15 euros for a replacement tube. If you're good at it you can score practically free inner tubes from bike shops, as customers just pay for tube changes and the shop can't rightly go around using old tubes for anything.

[@vicenteguzmanp]

GCN's puncture fixing videos never get old.

[@ricksnyder6318]

Jon, I have been cycling for a long time and I always learn something from these videos. Thank you for the content!

[@gcntech]

Cheers Rick!

[@Bluemoon_19]

Why not carry a spare tube or two and then fix the puncture when you get home? That way the patch will have plenty of time to form a good seal before you next go out riding.

[@cheesesandwich1236]

I get about one flat a year. A patch kit is miniscule compared to a tube and weighs nothing. I see these guys with super pricey bikes yet they ride around with 2 tubes crammed in the their back pockets. Not very sleek or lightweight. I think the idea of carrying tubes is a hold over from the olden days when tubulars were common.

[@Finx5008]

@@cheesesandwich1236 what does the cost of your bike have to do with the price of tea in China?

[@Bluemoon_19]

@@cheesesandwich1236 I carry 1 tube and a patch kit in a small saddle bag. Doesn't add much weight and probably has no/tiny effect on aero.

[@eddiealvarez8030]

I carry one tube and 2 CO2 cannisters. no hand pump. If I get 2 flats I'm calling an Uber.

[@befmx31]

@@eddiealvarez8030 Same for me.

[@tomleadbitter5535]

Brill. Just bought my first proper road bike, and planning a big trip. At 68, I'm kind of looking forward to it, but crapping myself as well. This was so helpful - thank you.

[@ericpmoss]

BTW, if you are running tubulars, you aren't out of luck. Remove the glass or whatever caused the leak. Drip sealant into the cut left by the , which protects the tread a bit and marks where the hole is. Remove the valve core and drip in just enough sealant (not a bucketful) to get to the hole and seal it from the inside. Pump up just until the tire holds its shape (not up to riding pressure yet), and rotate until the hole is at the bottom. It may take 10 minutes for enough sealant to plug the tube and form a "patch" between the tube and the tire, but once it holds, pump it all the way up and ride. I've ridden cyclocross tires up at 65psi on rough pavement for hundreds of miles without any trouble after such an episode.

[@colinb8327]

Well done Fraser, amazing achievement in a beautiful setting. I think I speak for everyone who has ever had friends and family who've helped when I say it's great to see our "pit crews" getting the thanks and recognition they deserve as well! Thanks for another inspirational video and to all those who don't wear Lycra, thank you for your support!

[@rato_gordo]

Nice to see jon on the road sharing his knowledge with us.

[@karelt5413]

Thanks Jon. I didn't know you are a cyclist. 😁👍

[@tommccafferty5591]

I wish all of my tires were as easy to get off, and especially put back on. Those last few inches are sometimes murder on my aged, arthritic thumbs. :-)

[@johnaronson5974]

I've changed tubes on the side of road (mostly successfully) for a few donkey years myself, but your video demo was great. Why we do something is important. A few other KZbin bike experts warn against using self-sticking patches. I had a recent problem with them yesterday, but maybe I was in too much of hurry to inflate the tire after the patch application? Please recommend your favorite CO2 inflator. Burned my fingers on the CO2 cart. ouch.

[@pierrefoucher7785]

Two punctures on the rear wheel. Only one tube. Tire damaged. 45km away from the car. Made a knot on the tube to isolate hole. Insert tube into the tire. Inflate at low pressure. Ride 20km with a “square” wheel. Ride out of the saddle to reduce weight on rear wheel. Reach Walmart. Replace tube and patch tire. Back to the car. Safe and no damage on the bike. Thanks for the tip I learnt in one of your videos. It saved me an Uber ride...Pierre, Houston, TX

[@Mjayson]

Hi Jon. It's unusual to see you on a bike.

[@tomz1220]

My exact first thought 😳

[@thibault359]

I agree

[@borisbachev4923]

It is but I am not complaining.😁

[@Agent-vj3ns]

I thought that too lol

[@shrirams9871]

Love the video as usual!!! Have seen John riding an actual bike for the first time.... you should do more Tech videos on the bike 👍👍 also recently changed to tubeless setup... would be great to get some tips on how to repair a puncture if that eventuality happens. cheers

[@szabiakanich]

I think you can count on one hand all the videos in which Jon is actually riding a bike. Great to see it in action again :) Keep the great videos coming.

[@timtaylor9590]

it can be difficult to get the tire back in the rim, more so if you dont have foldable tires, it helps to slip in as much of the tire as you can, usually your left with 6-8inches of a tight spot that is hard to pry in, so you want to work the extra slack from all around of the tire that is alrdy in the rim. you can do this by holding the part of the tire that is still out of the rim close to your chest and use both hands to pull and work the slack out towards the tight portion. at that point reverse the the tire lever and pull towards you while using your other hand to hold the tire in place.

[@jen3800]

Thank you Jon ! I never thought to skewer the fork as a protective measure! No matter how much I know, I always learn something new. Excellent tips. If I may, I would add to carry spare tubes, for ease of fixing the flat, then repair and re use the punctured tube at home. it's easier for lazy old farts like me. Tubes are cheap. But I should, and will, carry a repair kit too from now on !

[@paoloesguerra87]

Wow Jon owns cycling kit?

[@arcoulant87]

The Great escape John out of GCN towers, Chapeau.

[@TL243]

Two process suggestions. When removing tire from bead it is easiest to push the valve stem into the tyre and then insert levers opposite of the valve stem. For the rear, you should put the chain in the smallest cog. Then when reinstall comes you know what gear to set the chain to. If done well this can be done without touching the chain.

[@CatsForLife21]

Thanks #OneMessageFoundation

[@discbrakefan]

Jon Cannings in full kit :o. Would love to know which self-adhesive patches were used as I've never found ones that hold up.

[@jameswitte5676]

I always carry a spare tube. Patching a tire on a cold or rainy day is nearly impossible. Also, I carry disposable gloves, they keep my hands clean and warm if it’s cold; and weigh next to nothing. Always carry a portable pump, they never run out of air. I only use a patch if I get a second flat during a ride. It’s happened twice 🤬. Great videos 👍👍

[@LaughingSaint66]

james witte brah u need a follow car 😂😂😂🤓

[@14phgerard]

Jon, you look good on that kit! 👍👍👍

[@toonman361]

I really enjoy the relaxed way you demonstrate the patching technique, covering all aspects of the process manually while explaining it. Your intended demonstration must be for more professional cyclists. I am an older., middle-aged man with girth and wish to cycle for fitness. I wouldn't describe myself as "lazy" because I wish to use a compressed cylinder but having it along with a hand pump seems advisable. Thanks for the demonstration.

[@mickbrown9047]

I've always started at the valve when removing a tyre casing and finished at the valve when refitting - logic being that the well in the rim opposite the valve has more space for the bead to drop into thereby making it easier to extract or reseat the bead at the valve. But otherwise looks spot on!

[@bondy284]

Thanks Jon, the only item missing for me in my kit is the mini pump👍🇦🇺

[@johnshimko8796]

Glad to see you out on your bike.

[@benjo4130]

Thanks Jon, please do this video again for tubular´s

[@mattgies]

How to fix a puncture on a tubular tire: 1. Wait for the team car or neutral support car to find you. 2. Have them give you another wheel. 3. Let the team mechanics worry about it.

[@jade4805]

Good to see you on the road Jon, keep it up :)

[@gcntech]

Nice one Jade!

[@melbman43]

Interesting how you pointed out the benefit of the hand pump as opposed to the canister, so you can check if the Tyre is on correctly.

[@pedalingadventures7122]

I always just use a spare tube when on the road, then patch the hole at home. Patch it on the road only if I’m out of tubes. Also, I only use the rubber cement type patches... They’re the only ones that always hold air for years to come. I also always carry a metal scuffer and small bottle of denatured or rubbing alcohol, or alcohol wipes, for cleaning the prepared surface before applying the patch.

[@yanncampbell7401]

Great timing, I had to stop 3 times for a single flat yesterday as 1) got a small puncture 2) the glass shard was imbedded in the tyre and I only found it the second time 3) the self adhesive patch did stick well enough and gave way after 10 km. Great ride though

[@craigmcqueen7992]

I was wondering whether to try these self-adhesive patches, but I've seen a number of comments about them not sticking well. I'll stick to the old rubber patch and rubber cement for now. But I like the idea of carrying a spare tube, and then patching the old punctured one once I get home.

[@cyclingisawesome2524]

First time seeing john in gcn kit

[@walterq4045]

Hi Jon, I was expecting you having a tea at the end... 😀 My riding partners would kill me if it took me that long to repair a punctured tire! 😰 Better quickly replace the inner tube and repair the damaged one at home... I agree with you that it’s not environmental friendly to get rid of a punctured inner tube without trying to repair it 👍! Nice video anyway, good tips! And nice helmet too... 😂

[@rodrickcrestwell2997]

Wonderful video to help us beginners out

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

Obligatory "Jon is actually on a bike!" Great video--I didn't know several of those tips.

[@zer0534]

I run tubeless. I have had a couple of punctures where the hole is too big for the sealant to fix. I carry a needle and kevlar thread so I can sew the tyre back up which makes the hole small enough for the sealant to work. The last time I did this it lasted the 40 miles of the rest of the ride (gravel) no problem.

[@ellendenton8357]

Extremely excellent explanation!

[@colinthompson5881]

Needed real world conditions. Pitch black, raining, bunch of kids taking the pi55 😀

[@MrEL28]

Well-explained and in detail for fixing flats. Thank you.

[@stevehambley55]

Gotta find what caused the flat before you install a new tube. Take the tire completely off the wheel, turn it inside out and really look. Amazing how a little piece of glass or a wire from a radial car tire can be hard to find and will cause another puncture. Quick patches are not a permanent tube repair in my experience- when you get home replace the tube or use a glue on patch.

[@samrak3169]

Super useful video I haven't had a puncture yet I hope I won't have one anytime soon as I have never fixed a puncture before.

[@wayne1516]

Question, for that front wheel, that is a disc brake. How do you make sure that when you put the wheel back in, that the brake pad are aligned center like ] | [ perfectly. Is it just how disc brakes work that once you put it in and squeeze it then it is going to be be aligned or that if you put it back on, if it was aligned when you taking it off, it is going to be aligned when you put it back on? Thanks!

[@nigeldonaldson1647]

2 questions if I may. 1 - how long does it take approximately for the glue to dry? 2 is there any wisdom in slightly inflating the tire first before repairing it (to keep the curved shape)

[@toresubas7778]

Covers everything about fixing a tire!

[@CawfeeTawk_withIvy]

This was so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!

[@veloxime]

Nice video! Please do one on removing and putting back the back wheel, something that drives me nut! Thanks!

[@gcntech]

here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKHRk31sad-pg6c

[@azmd888]

The second time I tried it works, so thanks a lot

[@akselalvarez]

Today I puncture twice... The first was a pinch puncture, didn't knew about them until I saw this video, so thanks for it!

[@TheEvilChickenlp92]

Rema tip top sells a hole finder which which makes finding punctures much easier

[@LittleJacob208]

I found your video very helpful and informative.

[@enriqueDFTL]

I love that bike. Hope to buy it one day.

[@gerardbrien4031]

Hi Jon, thanks for another great video! It’d be great if you could do a similar video dealing with a puncture in a tubeless tyre while out on the road. Thanks.

[@orcus09]

First time seeing Jon in lycra and on a bike, and it blew my mind!

[@marioschroers7318]

Just caught my first puncture today, a nasty, rusty nail ruined my rear tyre. So a quick 30 km ride through gentle rain on my cyclocross bike turned into an 8 km hike back home 😐 Being a newbie, it's time to work on my skills as a mechanic. Luckily, this didn't happen on any of my 50k or 75k rides. Surprisingly, this didn't ruin my mood at all. Crashes happen (two of these in 840 km total up to so far), punctures happen. It's all about learning from it. I love my bike.

[@alexanderh.9230]

2:23 it wouldbe great if my tire is getting of the rim that easy...yesterday i had a hard fight :(

[@saininar]

Awesome demonstration. Very useful.thanks ❤❤❤

[@fernandovalle9130]

Replace with new tube after patching the inside of tire. Nice watch.

[@MegaHolly67]

You can find the offending object in the tyre by relating where it is on the innertube relative to the valve

[@manansuthar2500]

thank you for this video it will help me a lot.

[@gcntech]

Cheers Manan!

[@dennischan1111]

Great video Jon! Please don't litter when you patch your inner tube 🤪🤪🤪 @4:01 @GCN Tech

[@yeff1127]

Can the patch withstand the pressure of the inner tube? Like wouldn't it peel out/off? Any answers woukd be deeply appreciated

[@richfi9576]

good advice! But with me it's **always** the rear tyre, I get filthy from the chain (carry a shop towel but no gloves), and the mini-pump only puts about 30psi in the tyre before my bicep is done, as opposed to the ~100psi from the track pump (which I don't carry on the bike, obvs!). The plan is to move to tubeless and hope that this becomes history...

[@fernandovalle9130]

Been riding tubeless for ten years. No regrets.

[@MrBJPitt]

Front tyre usually flicks up the offending puncture device, so it not it is no longer lying flat when the rear wheel hits it. Also, wax dipped chain fixes the grease problem. Awesome not to have grease covered hands. Sucks if you help somoen else, and they aren't using wax.

[@richfi9576]

@@MrBJPitt I figured it was because my heavy carcass was over the rear wheel, squashing the tyre. Definitely doesn't help with the pinch flats.

[@KeylorGR]

We need a "Worst case scenario punture" Bear Grills style! Rain, grease, no money, and see what they do xD

[@Agent-vj3ns]

I just pull the thorn or whatever out of the tire. replace the tube and repair the flat when i get home or to work. Usually easier sitting at a work bench w fluorescent lighting 👍

[@vtechead1]

Good video. I haven’t been on a bike for 40 years and I am considering an electric mountain bike to get me out and about. Nothing serious, just forest tracks and/or cliff trails etc. I’ve got to ask - hasn’t anybody thought of tyres filled with dense foam ? Or still use an inner tube but fill it with a type of expanding foam. Or has this been tried without success? Hoping to get out and about soon - cheers

[@caillou450]

Hi Jon. Simple question... can you provide a trick of the trade to match a glueless patch on a small inner tube, one that is actually is narrower than the patch itself. I find it difficult not ending up with a wrinkled or miss-placed patch once I’m done repairing my punctured inner. Many thx!

[@trevorbyron8181]

After you find where the puncture is, use a bit if spittle on your finger to mark the location, followed by using a pen to colour the puncture area. Now go ahead and paste patch

[@lilhavin]

Nice TAG timepiece! I was going to purchase a smartwatch specifically to ride but I think I'll stick with my TAG Formula 1 series (after watching this). Not a fan of smart watches anyway.

[@HM-ll6qw]

what type/brand mini pump is it you are using in this video?

[@juanestebanjr1805]

Thank you soo much for that lesson.

[@ed250256]

Some comments I don't agree with; water can cause delamination of carbon? Did not highlight that the tube is coated in release agent from the manufacture and it essential it is removed (sandpapered off) to ensure the patch remains reliably attached and does not leak. Also, not certain if you can get a pitch flat from the tube being caught under the bead (will pull itself out when inflated), more likely you will get a pinched tube from careless use of the levers putting the tyre back on.

[@omergungordu8229]

those patches look really easy to apply unlike my oldschool glue-on types,where can i buy them ?

[@christiannikodemus]

How did you get your outer tube back on so easily? I really have to harp on mine and can't get it on without using my tire levers?!

[@robrippers8896]

Like to see him do it as easy as that with Gatorskins !!

[@RESolberg]

Cool,what about tubeless tires.

[@beeble2003]

I wouldn't bother patching a tube at the road-side. Bring a spare tube and patch the broken one back at home. The self-adhesive patches are fine for getting you home but I've always found that they give up after a couple of weeks and the tube goes flat again -- so even if you do patch at the roadside, you're going to have to put a proper patch on anyway.

[@justdoittom8431]

Wish he was using my tubless ready wheels with inner tubes it’s so hard.

[@craigmillar7411]

Thanks Jon, great video as always. I’ve never seen a small pump like that with a pressure gauge. Could you please tell us what the make and model of the pump is please?

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

Probably this one: www.topeak.com/us/en/products/mini-pumps/1142-roadie-da-g I use a lower end (without the gauge) one.

[@craigmillar7411]

Brann mac Finnchad Matsukaze Workshops Thanks!

[@petanders1968]

Jon it's also worth mentioning - Do not press the front brake lever on disc type wheels or the pads will not allow the wheel to seat back on the axle once you have repaired the puncture, you'll end up trying to prise the pads apart, more time on the roadside faffing about, Peter

[@MartyConlon-h9e]

Thank you, great help 👍🏻

[@eugenesim4407]

1:24 rubber actually does grow on trees

[@piperclassique]

Well, I would just like to say that I always carry a spare tube, not that it helped much on the day I had five punctures. Touring in Spain. They have some evil little spiky plants that have seeds with points that will go through a fairly hefty tyre. The worst thing is that they have more than one spike so they always have one pointing up. Since then I've used Kevlar reinforced tyres and slime in the tubes. They will still go flat (ish) but put some air in once you have pulled the spike out and they are good to go. Yes, I know it's heavy. But I don't like repairing a rear tire in the rain or hot sun by the roadside. Plus someone always comes up to ask if they can help at the precise moment I'm putting the bags back on the rack. 🤔

[@ebikescrapper3925]

If using glue and patches then put some talcum powder in some cling film. Easier than using chalk supplied in repair kits.

[@robin29991]

So replacing the whole inner tube is not environmentally friendly but using a CO2 canister is fine?

[@Atis602]

In many years of riding I've never even owned a Co2 pump and usually only carried patches. I've recently come to the realization that in a group ride you should really have both a tube and Co2 with you as a courtesy to the other riders so as to keep the others waiting as little as possible should you get a flat.

[@abcd969696]

THAT'S JON RIDING!!

[@bernardibrahim]

God, I never seen someone so enthusiastic with his pump 😂

[@anthonyaggett2668]

Great ; a helpful video. thanks Jon.

[@jonnysingleton1053]

can you show a rear wheel puncture repair please

[@merson812]

Thank you, really useful.