This morning three of us from the Somerset TRF enjoyed the lanes between Chard and Honiton. On reaching Honiton we decide to ride along the main street to take refreshments at Smilleys Cafe in the services car park on the Honiton bypass.. It soon became apparent that I had a rear puncture and we stopped to change the tube near the roundabout for the Sidmouth road. As I am sure most will know trying to inflate a MT43 enough to push the tyre back up on the rim using a bicycle pump is impossible. Any way we got enough air into the tyre to enable me to ride it the short distance to the garage opposite Aldi supermarket. I was in luck they have a "proper" free air line there,not these only up to 30psi pay ones,and with 50psi on the gauge the tyre came up on the rim and we could go on our way.
So if you have a puncture in the Honiton area the Turks Head garage is the place to head for for proper free tyre inflating air.
Matt T
-- Edited by MATT T on Saturday 28th of November 2015 02:06:15 PM
-- Edited by MATT T on Saturday 28th of November 2015 02:06:57 PM
Thanks for the offer of help Doug, I will remermber that if I have tyre inflation issues in the Honiton area in the future . New MT 43 and heavy duty tube this week.
Before you fit the HD tube inflate it to check what pressure is needed for it to expand enough to properly grip the tube and let that be the minimum pressure you run at.
If you go lower the tube will move in the tyre as you accelerate and decelerate and eventually it will rip the valve out
Thanks for those words of wisdom Brian, I never thought of the tube and tyre not moving as one. Last Saturdays culprit was a blackthorn .
Considering the grief we give all parts of our trail bikes when enjoying the lanes , I am always suprised how well they cope with it,but there is no substitute for good and regular maintenance.
An alternative to a HD tube that would allow you to run low pressures is to "skin" a skinny tube with an old tube. Cut an old tube around the centre diameter and then fit the new tube into it.
You get the same thickness of rubber as on an HD tube and its cheaper, and you can run low pressures.