Every cyclist gets punctures. The real questions are whether to fix this one yourself, and how to stop the next one. Here is how we think about it at the workshop.
When DIY makes sense
If the tyre comes off easily, you carry a spare tube and the valve type matches your pump, a roadside tube swap is a fifteen minute job and a great skill to have. Always run your fingers carefully around the inside of the tyre first: if the thorn or glass that caused the flat is still embedded, the new tube dies in minutes.
When to bring it in
- The tyre bead is too tight to lift off, common on modern road wheels
- The valve has torn away from the tube, usually a sign of low pressure riding
- You have had three or more flats in a month, which points to a worn tyre carcass
- Hub gear or fully enclosed chain guards make rear wheel removal awkward
- Tubeless setups that have lost their seal
Stopping the next one
Most repeat punctures come from worn tyres and low pressure. If you can see the casing threads, or the tread has flattened square, the tyre is done. Puncture resistant tyres cost more up front and pay for themselves within a season of London riding. We stock tubes in every common size along with tyres from Schwalbe, Maxxis, Continental and more, and we fit what we sell while you wait.
Same day, while you wait
A straightforward puncture repair at Cycle Fix London is a while-you-wait job, and like everything in our workshop it is done the same day. If the wheel reveals a bigger problem, a split tyre or a broken spoke, we quote before we touch anything.