On our daily ride round the park I got a flat tyre and ended up wheeling my bike home with the dogs in tow. Some time ago I bought a puncture repair kit in anticipation of such an episode and was actually relishing the challenge of doing something I haven't done since I was a teenager.
Whenever my dad was conducting repairs around the house he used to get me to 'help' which usually meant squatting by him for what seemed like an eternity while he fannied around with an ancient two bar electric fire, my favourite TV programme taunting me in the next room. Those dreary DIY sessions included bicycle servicing and mending punctures. It is of course a simple procedure and yet like many mundane chores inexplicably satisfying.
I opened the puncture repair kit and was comforted to find it is just the same as it was when I was running around in school uniform shorts and blackened knees. My kit consisted of 3 tyre levers, several rubber patches of differing sizes, glue, and a small abrasive file.
I pumped the tyre up and immersed it in a basin of water to locate the hole - a tiny line of bubbles confirming it's presence. I dried the area around the perforation and roughened it with the file to give the glue 'a key.' I applied a film of glue and allowed it to become tacky before removing the foil backing from the patch and placing it in position.
I left the repair to dry and explored the inside of the tyre carefully with my fingers for the possible cause of the puncture... a measure that is often forgotten. And there it was, a small sharp piece of metal embedded snugly and waiting for me to replace the inner tube so it could strike again. I removed the spike with the help of pliers and was grateful it had pierced my tyre and not the dogs paws. If I had a son, no doubt I would have him sat next to me helping, in the event it was Molly & Daisy watching intently, any movement around the bikes immediately incurring their excitement.
The next day I refitted the inner tube and set off half expecting the tyre to go flat again, my efforts, however, had been a success.
