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Get out of trouble with 9 more brilliant roadside bodges

More mechanical disasters solved by your ingenious roadside fixes

We asked you to tell us about your best roadside maintenance bike fixes and you impressed us so much with your ingenuity that we decided to do it again.

We’ve all been there. You’re out on a ride, pedalling along and minding your own business – and then something happens. Something unexpected. Something mechanical, possibly involving an unpleasant noise.

Sure, you’re carrying a pump and a spare inner tube, and you have a multitool squirrelled away, but you can’t carry a complete toolkit and full range of replacement parts in your pocket, can you?

Faced with a situation like this, you’ll often have two choices: get on the phone and ask for someone to come out and save you, or get resourceful. This article is a salute to those who’ve used their ingenuity and initiative to keep riding.

Split tyres

Split tyres are common and road.cc readers have come up with some inventive solutions to get around the problem. Many people said that empty energy gel sachets make brilliant tyre repair patches.

“Just place between the inner tube and the hole in your tyre and Bob’s your uncle,” said Steve Reynolds.

Other readers have used a Primula cheese spread tube (Ken Scott-Clegg), a piece of toothpaste tube (Colin Smith), a silicon mobile phone cover (Paul Worden), a discarded drinks can Andy Horton), and even a sock (Neil Sweetcheeks Marsh), while Eamonn Duffy recommends carrying a laminated playing card in your saddlebag for just such an eventuality.

Riyadh Khamis said, “Tony Gibb fixed my split tyre with a Benson and Hedges fag box and a Monster Munch crisps packet which we found on the side of the road.”

Class!

Francesca Rust bodge (1)

Francesca Rust didn’t go so avant-garde with her choice of material.

“I repaired a fairly decent split in tyre by tearing a bit off the ruined tube with teeth and positioned in place inside the tyre before putting new tube in,” she says. “Got me home 15 miles.”

The most common fix that road.cc readers mentioned for a split tyre was money. It’s international too. Gina Smith has used a US dollar bill, and Steve Large reckons that plastic Australian banknotes are perfect for the job. 

“It's a little known fact that the British Pound note has a number on it designating how many psi it is rated for,” said Tim White. “It’s a way of controlling inflation.”

Tim is getting yellow carded for that dreadful joke. (Actually, we secretly quite liked it).

“When I finally gave in and bought a new tyre, I had enough money in the tyre to pay for it,” said Kurt Johnson. Another yellow card!

Punctures

It turns out that punctures aren’t a problem for road.cc readers. Kia Hogan says that she repaired a puncture with an Elastoplast.

“Worked a treat for 10 miles until I got home,” she said. “Also used a teaspoon as a tyre lever during the same eventful ride.”

And how come she happened to have a teaspoon about her person while cycling, but no tyre levers?

“I always have a yoghurt in my bag so I therefore always have a teaspoon,” she said.

We feel stupid for asking. Steve Mills says that he’s used duct tape as a patch and Joe Swindells said he’s used Blu-Tack.

“My father reckons he could fix a puncture with a postage stamp!” said Paul Phillips.

We'd like to see a photo of that one, Paul.

Kia Hogan (above) isn’t alone in using a plaster for a quick fix.

“I used a Very Hungry Caterpillar plaster to cover up a spoke hole in the rim that the rim strip kept sliding away from, causing repeating punctures,” said Scott Church.

Nice detail there, Scott.

Paul Woolgar says that he used a dried-up leaf when he had a similar problem. Inventive, huh?

Dave Moulding says that when his mate’s last tube popped, they found the hole, ripped the inner tube in two at that point, and tied the ends together in a knot. Then they re-inflated the tube and used one of Dave’s mitts fill the gap that was left. The repair got him home.

Carl Millington did something similar in this year’s Cheshire Cat Sportive.

“I rode 10 miles to the next feed station,” said Carl. “Done the job. A bit scary going downhill in the wet.”

Yeah, we imagine it was! Gareth Hunt used two cable ties to isolate a hole in his inner tube.

“I pumped up the tyre to a get-me-home pressure [and] to avoid the obvious flat spot where the puncture was I stuffed ferns and grass into the tyre so it stayed in shape,” said Gareth. “It lasted all the way home!”

Everyone has heard of stuffing foliage into a tyre, but not too many people have actually done it. Craig Jermajesty Osborne (below) has.

Craig Jermajesty Osborne bodge

“I didn't pack a spare inner tube so did this,” he said. “It was a pain to get on to the rim but got me home without damaging the wheel even if it looked a bit like what Worzel Gummidge would ride on.”

Nothing wrong with that, Craig!

Luke George took a different approach.

“I once had a puncture on front tyre and decided to wheelie all the way home,” he said.

Excellent idea, Luke. How did you get on?

“It lasted about 10 meters! Then walked.”

Oh.

Snapped chains

If your chain snaps and you don’t have a chain tool with you, don’t despair.

Gareth Peden bodge

Gareth Peden says that this (above) is the best chain repair he’s ever seen. Love it! What’s the worst? And where did they find those hammers?

Jonathan Hopkins bodge

It looks like Jonathan Hopkins (above) used a similar level of ingenuity when riding from London to Croatia.

“My chain snapped and I found that half of my chain tool was missing from my bag and I couldn't get the twisted broken link off,” said Dominic Cox. “A plumber was visiting a house near where I was (middle of nowhere) and he had a tap and dye set in his van which worked as a chain tool.”

A bit of left field thinking there, but not as left field as Bert Graef’s solution.

“Chain snapped. After walking a few yards, I said the hell with this, lowered the seat and used the bike as a two legged scooter to get home.”

And the rest

If there are any limits to the inventiveness of road.cc readers, we’ve not found them.

Oliver Meads bodge

Oliver Meads took a snapped pannier in his stride when just 10 miles into a 180-mile, three-day ride across France. Did our man panic? Nope.

“Ten minutes and €10 euros later it's fixed and withstands the ride,” he said.

What apparatus did he use to accomplish the repair? Four spoons, two shelf brackets and a few cable ties. Inspired!

Andy Thompson bodge

Cable ties featured in a lot of the repairs you told us about.

“My brother’s wheels rim split on the Way of the Roses,” said Andy Thompson. “Nothing a few cable ties and gaffer tape would not fix!”

It looks as good as new, Andy.

Lee Attwood bodge

“How about the cable tied seat mount fix?” asks Lee Attwood. “It was good for 25 miles home and the next ride."

The next ride?!? You were pretty pleased with it, then!

Chris Dobbs bodge (1)

Chris Dobbs’ rear light failed in northern Italy. Not a problem.

“I took my spare front light, a clear red water bottle, some electrical tape, scissor multi-tool and, with the A-team theme in my head, made a makeshift rear light,” he said. “It lasted through until Croatia where I bought a real light.”

Croatia again. Did you see Jonathan Hopkins (see above) there?

“My bike disintegrated on a recent ride,” said Olly Jolley. “I whittled a new frame out of a wayward piece of silver birch and now they call me the silver surfer.”

Well, Olly Jolley, I don’t think you’re taking this seriously. It’s the third yellow card of the day.

Veron Dandy bodge (1)

“Four of my five chainring bolts fell out mysteriously 25 miles from home and I could not pedal anymore, so I removed the plastic bridles from my Garmin's speed/cadence sensor and used them to keep the chainrings in place,” said Varón Dandy.

That is mysterious alright. Looks like you did a fine job though.

Damien Brady bodge

Damien Brady’s gear shifter stopped working 30 miles from home, leaving him stuck in top gear.

“I pulled this shifter out (above) of the hedge,” he said. “It worked a treat.”

Ouch! Hope the paintwork survived it.

If you have anymore roadside fixes, tell us all about them below.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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28 comments

Avatar
bobrayner | 3 years ago
1 like

Can confirm: Cable ties make a good replacement for chainring bolts. I felt slight wobbling / creaking whilst roaming around the Highlands, assumed it was just the bottom bracket getting tired (certainly nothing I could fix en route), then the chainring made a sudden attempt to escape. Cable ties held it in place til I could get back to Fort William. I won't pretend to be super fit; the cable ties were obviously stronger than my legs.

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BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
1 like

That chain ring looks frickin worn. 

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srchar | 3 years ago
1 like

It's not 9 more though, is it? It's the same 9 that have already been published numerous times previously.

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mikewood | 4 years ago
1 like

Out on a ride with a friend and the 'nut' on the end of the rear skewer went missing. The only other thing on the bike I could find with the same thread was the brake block carrier. Removed one from the rear brake and it got us home with no more problems!

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ktache | 4 years ago
3 likes

Admittedly not a bike fix, but I was attempting to ride the last bikeable bits of the ridgeway that I had yet to do, going down a farm track that joins up the bridleway sections, caught in a rut (I hate rut riding), fell over a bit harder than expected, owww.  Heavy bruising and gravel rash, to be expected, unfortunately I must have caught my elbow on a bit of flint in the chalky ground, bit too much blood, bit too deep too.  Clean handkerchief luckily, lifted up the elbow.  What to do, no first aid kit, fashioned a "bandage" to hold said handkerchief in place using a reflective slapband and a couple of cable ties.  Knocked off the last few bits of the Ridgeway, rode home.

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quiff | 4 years ago
3 likes

Can I suggest new categories for the three columns on the homepage: (1) things which are actually new; (2) things you've read before (probably twice or more at 6 month intervals) but have been updated in some small way; (3) things you've read before and which have just been re-dated.  

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gmac101 | 4 years ago
3 likes

Never actually used this in anger - Its from Ashley's book of knots and if you can find 52 feet of clothes line when you lose your tyre  it might come in handy 

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Argus Tuft | 4 years ago
3 likes

I had to use a furniture trolley to get 2 full sheets of 13mm ply and a wipper snipper back from Bunnings. No way I could I could have managed it in the Rio (And the ferry fare!) Just tape a stick up the middle of the handle and loosely lash it to the pannier rack.The deckie didn't charge me. 

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Man of Lard | 5 years ago
7 likes

It's about 3 years ago now, but I had the freehub on a MAVIC Aksium (Camembert edition) fail about 15 miles from home. Other half doesn't drive, I live in the stick so public transport options are zero and my usual go-to emergency transport guy was away on holiday, so it was fix it or walk 15 miles.

Enter the cable ties. I always have a decent bunch of cable ties in the emergency bidon. So set about lashing the back of the cassette to the spokes with as many ties as possible. Ended up with 9... Then rode gingerly home, remembering that I'm now on a (fragile) fixie with gears.

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alansmurphy | 5 years ago
0 likes

Whiskey and Hookers!

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hawkinspeter replied to alansmurphy | 5 years ago
0 likes

alansmurphy wrote:

Whiskey and Hookers!

Scottish or Irish?

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EK Spinner replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

alansmurphy wrote:

Whiskey and Hookers!

Scottish or Irish?

 

The spelling says the Whiskey is Irish, not so sure on the Hookers though

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hawkinspeter replied to EK Spinner | 5 years ago
0 likes

EK Spinner wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

alansmurphy wrote:

Whiskey and Hookers!

Scottish or Irish?

 

The spelling says the Whiskey is Irish, not so sure on the Hookers though

I've heard that Irish is smoother.

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pockstone | 5 years ago
1 like

Thinking about it,PRS... where can I buy one of those, and will it fit in my Harry Hall musette?

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pockstone | 5 years ago
11 likes

A lot of these problems are just down to bad preparation. I always carry a MIG welder and selection of steel tubes with me. Nothing worse than having to wake up the local blacksmith at 3 in the morning.

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PRSboy replied to pockstone | 5 years ago
6 likes

pockstone wrote:

A lot of these problems are just down to bad preparation. I always carry a MIG welder and selection of steel tubes with me. Nothing worse than having to wake up the local blacksmith at 3 in the morning.

Good man.  Pity the carbon bike rider who has to carry round a whole autoclave.

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pockstone replied to PRSboy | 5 years ago
0 likes

PRSboy wrote:

pockstone wrote:

A lot of these problems are just down to bad preparation. I always carry a MIG welder and selection of steel tubes with me. Nothing worse than having to wake up the local blacksmith at 3 in the morning.

Good man.  Pity the carbon bike rider who has to carry round a whole autoclave.

Now you're being ridiculous!

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Bikeylikey replied to pockstone | 3 years ago
1 like

While applauding your planning ability as far as it goes, you are going to be in trouble breaking a spoke on that tour in the wilds, the Gobi desert for example (we've all been there), where you won't be able to find an electricity supply.  Why not do as I do and carry a 'lifeboat' bike: a small wheeled single speed (for lightness), fashioned by myself in my garage - you too could say goodbye to stressful roadside work. Frame is carbon, made up from bits of crashed bikes and gathered from the roadside in grand tours, held together by branches and zip ties. Tyres are gel sachets stuffed with grass and cucumbers. Carried on a rack made from Ikea shelving (knuutjobbe, £1.99) and wooden spoons (schittesturr, 2p). I was going to include a photo but the nurse is here now with my meds.

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roadmanshaq | 5 years ago
1 like

My front shifter busted when I was in the Netherlands. This wasn't such a big deal as since I was carrying so much cargo, I wasn't using it much anyway. So what I did was use a re-useable zip tie the put the front derailleur in the "high" position, and on the very rare occasions I wanted to shift down, slackened the zip tie so that it went low.

Worked fine!

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youngoldbloke | 6 years ago
2 likes

I always carry a teaspoon (re your article) to clean out mud from low clearance guards on winter bike - it's just the right shape. Another tip, when fixing an unshipped chain use dock leaves around the chain etc to keep hands/gloves oil free.

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dave_t | 6 years ago
1 like

Got caught out in the widerness with a flat this summer, didn't have a spare tube and the glue in my puncture repair kit had dried up, so what to do (apart from call the support vehicle out that is)?

Luckily just a couple of days earlier I was watching a youtube video showing cycling hacks and they had a fix for just such a situation ... tie a knot in the tyre to isolate the hole. Yeah right I thought but gave it a go anyway, and it actually worked! Once I got the tube back in the tyre (very difficult) and inflated properly I honestly couldn't tell that there was a stuffing great knot inside the tyre.

One to bear in mind if the very worse should happen!

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klunk | 6 years ago
0 likes

If Paul Philip's father could not get the tyre inflated using a pstage stamp did he post himself home?

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whobiggs | 8 years ago
0 likes

Piece of milk bottle for a split tyre got me to the nearest station in Scotland once.

 41 Oh and I improvised a rear mudguard for the Bob Yak trailer when I realised tight turns were wearing the bag out on the tyre. It was a cider bottle at Tongue and stayed there for about 7 years before needing replacing!

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graham.mackeen@... | 8 years ago
1 like

Borrowed a tatty mountain bike in Lanzarote, a few k out, sandy off road, rear v brake cable bolt thread stripped, had spare nut with toolkit, but no thread on original bolt, scrounged around on nearby trail & found a small juice carton. Jammed the plastic straw over stripped thread, tightened up & rode the 20k back home to civilisation.  41

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pedalpowerDC | 8 years ago
2 likes

Goodness! I've had some unfortunate failures that required somewhat novel fixes, but I feel like a little bit of preventative maintenance, cleaning, or inspecting could have prevented the need for some of these "fixes."

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Yorky-M replied to pedalpowerDC | 8 years ago
0 likes

ugh

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Airzound | 8 years ago
0 likes

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. If you don't regularly and properly maintain your bikes this is what can happen.

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Yorky-M | 8 years ago
0 likes

Fork blade cracked last winter 3 hours from home . Broke it off and jammed a stick into it and the other end into the fork crown...to get me to a phone...... worked so well i road it home!

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