Trail breaks & fast fixes

[Alan]

What went wrong during your ride, and how did you fix it quickly? Chain breaks, cable issues, flat tires, share your best trail fixes!

 

[thatguyrex]

I think my worst was a flat on a loose, rocky climb about 5 miles from the trailhead. I carry a small patch kit and CO2 inflator, but the tear was too big for a simple patch. What helped me was remembering an old mountain bike trick and wadded up a big handful of dried grass and leaves and stuffed it inside the tire and rim as best I could to give it some structure and prevent the tube from spinning or pinching immediately. Dropped the speed to a crawl and limped it back to the truck. It worked well enough to get me out without destroying the rim! Always carry at least a good boot or patch and some way to inflate, but sometimes you just got to improvise!

 

[Alan]

Using some organic filler to keep the tire casing steady and reduce tube movement was a smart move. A tire boot or sidewall plug could have been helpful, but when you don't have those, focus on structure and friction to get you through.