Puncture Kit
In the photograph below, you will see the contents of a basic puncture repair kit for a bicycle. Most puncture repair kits come in some sort of case to keep it all together. This case should fit into your pocket, or into a small bag under the seat.
The contents of a standard puncture kit.
In this case, the kit came with instructions for fixing a puncture. If your kit didn't, we will be doing an article shortly with step by step instructions and photographs on repairing a puncture.
I usually recommend carrying a spare tube when riding and if you get a puncture, change the tube and then repair the punctured tube when you get home. You will also need to carry tyre levers with you when riding. Some repair kits also come with tyre levers.
This kit came with the container, instructions, the glue, some sandpaper, and assorted various sized patches. You may also notice two small pieces of what looks like macaroni.
The macaroni is designed for fixing an older style of bicycle valve, but I have actually found another extremely good use for it. In the case that you get a large hole in the tyre, the macaroni can fix it.
Motor vehicle tyre repairers use something similar for plugging holes in tubeless tyres. In the case of a bicycle tyre, if the hole is made by a nail, you can glue the macaroni in the hole and when the glue is dry, trim the macaroni's ends so that it doesn't poke the inner tube.
Some puncture repair kits also come with a piece of chalk, so if your's doesn't have chalk, place a bit in the case. The chalk is handy for marking the puncture when you find it.
You will notice that there are more smaller patches than large ones. Usually a puncture is small, so more smaller patches get used more than larger ones.
The tube of glue usually has a sealed top so the first time that you use it, you usually have to reverse the lid to puncture the metal seal on the top of the tube. One word of caution, is that after the tube has been opened it has a tendency to go off, so it's worth checking the glue once every six months or less in hotter climates.
