Punctures

The most important points

Punctures will always be with us. But there's a big difference between a puncture every 50 miles and one every 5000 miles.
The main causes of punctures are:
1. Glass and metal shards (built-up areas)
2. Thorns (countryside)
3. Too little air in the tyres
So look out for (and avoid!) broken glass and thorns. An alleyway might be a short-cut but it could also be the main cause of your punctures.
Pump up tyres to the maximum recommended pressure (the maximum's written on the side). Harder tyres mean easier pedaling as well!

If you still get too many punctures, take note of these points;

Occasionally turn your bike upside down and dig out any stones, thorns, metal shards or pieces of glass embedded in your tyres. Dig them out before they reach the inner tube and cause a flat.
Buy new tyres. Points about tyres:
1. It's not a simple case of "good" and "bad" tyres. While one tyre might be good in one way, say cheap or have good road holding, another might be more durable or more puncture-resistant. Your bicycle retailer should know the advantages of each of the brands.
2. Many puncture resistant tyres include a Kevlar layer (as used for bullet proof vests), but there are other approaches (e.g. Schwalbe's Marathon Plus tyres and Dutch Perfect tyres).
3. You might get 10,000 miles out of a durable tyre.
4. Knobbly tyres are a disadvantage when cycling on asphalt or concrete. They take extra effort to move. They are really meant for mud tracks.
Some people have tried solid tyres. But problems with vibration (aching wrists and ankles) and snapping spokes are usually reported!
Many cyclists carry a spare inner tube and swap that with the punctured one. They then patch the holed inner tube at home at their leisure. According to folklore patches stick better if allowed to cure for some hours before the inner tube is used.
The standard "London" taxi will easily carry a standard bicycle and rider (dismounted!) - useful if you are pressed for time and not too far from your destination