What causes persistent flat problems? A sudden flat is a sign of just picked up large piece of glass, tax or a sliver of wire debris are easy to deal with.

The real problem is a trend of persistent flats. Cheep budget tires tend to pick up a collection of tiny fragments, They remain there for weeks notorious for puncturing the inner tube at a latter date. It is made up of tiny motor vehicle glass and stone fragments embedded all over the tire.

Examining the circumference of the tire sometimes we came across evidence we ran over tar or sticky gum that stuck a glob of tiny stones and glass fragments. If we overlook these will keep puncturing the inner tube, time and time again. The circumference of the tire needs to be totally cleared of the stuff or punctures will continue like for no reason persistence.

Budget cost tires are notorious behind picking up this collection. To keep costs down they haven't got any anti-puncture technology built in like expensive tires.

It is dangerous to clean out the pieces with a sharp poker while the tire is fully inflated with tragic results. It is best the tire deflated vacuum flat. A sharp point to get at the tiny fragments not to blunt or you will be pushing them deeper into the tire trying to lever them out.

An advantage with the tire off and inner tube out we can push out from inside the tire.

Even when the outside of the tire looks clean, when the tire's off and the inner tube out a proper inspection of the inside the tire is often revelling. An inspection of the inside of the tire is just as important as the outside.

Bikes best upside down resting on the seat and handle bars turning the wheel round removing the offending object before you remove the wheel. If there is no evidence, clear out what you can of the outside debris round the circumference including the tiny specks.

Once the wheel is off and the tire and tube removed the inner tube out, inspect the inside of the tire, it can be reveal a lot. Look for tiny debris for this is where they hide. They are to be removed. You have the advantage of pushing out from the inside out.

Once all debris have been cleared from both inside and out the inner tube pumped up should expand the hole. If a previous patch is leaking. you should feel a column of air from the patch just as from the expanded hole. It had to have either been the processes of patching not done properly or to small or both.

Pin holes are notorious to find. The tube needs to be expanded to find them. Once found they can easily be lost. Loosing site relocating them is just as difficult to find again. Once found circle the hole with a ballpoint pen before you loose site of it again. You may even still loose it because being so tiny. Keeping a little air in the tube keeping it round helps and also avoids the patch edges lifting when you come to apply the patch.

Don't remove the silver backing of the patch just yet. It is prudent to be fussy about cleanliness to prevent contaminating the the patch.

With a scrapper such as a cheese grater like scrapper provided in the repair kit or some sand paper scrap the surface area as large as the large patch clean finish. A dirty surface won't stick. Now your a ready to apply the cement.

Make sure the tube has enough air in it to keep nice and round.

If you're using a brand new kit, unscrew the cap. In the top is a little pin. Turn over and pierce the silver seal. Don't empty the container tube or you will end up a messy glob. Don't squeeze it. Let a drop out to a small glob right on the center of the ink circle. Replace the cap.

When still wet spread the rubber of the tube to widen the hole letting the cement drain into it to help plug it. When spreading the cement larger than the large patch make sure you keep the cement clean or particles, grease and dirt contaminates the cement. Dry clean fingers has your oily grease.

Make sure you allow the cement to dry sticky covering well the area of the large patch. Patches stick best when applied when the cement is tacky. Now you can tear off the silver backing of the patch.

It is not really necessary, but a helpful option to spread some cement on the underside and edges of the patch to insure you have covered your bases. Cleanness is accentual. Wait till sticky

Eye up a line of site the centre circle to the centre of the patch and press on. You will only have one shot at this because the cement will stick fast. Watch your eye angle coordination squares the patch exactly cantering the.

Use any round edge pressing down the edges. Don't Concentrate so much on the centre but the edges of the patch.

Before you reassemble the tire don't forget about any direction of the drive arrow on the tire wall must correspond with the drive direction of your bike. Now the inner tube can be reassembled back into the tire and fit the tire the arrow pointing in the direction of peddling.

If the tire feels a bit tight difficulty getting on, when finally on, pump up to near minimum tire pressure recommended on the tire wall.

If you have a spare inner tube, you can use it as a shoe inside the tire. Cut off the valve. A patch can be used to cover the large hole. The spare helps to act as a buffer between the inside roof of the tire and the ball of the inner tube the tire rides on.

This might be difficult to get the tire back on what with the patch inner tube and all.

Other than that, an expansible inner tube has a extra thick hide making them puncture resistant. Tires too essentially the same lining the inside with another inner tube built into the tire. The anti puncture compound built in is what makes them more expensive.