If you go mountain biking, it is only a matter of time before you get a puncture. You are more likely to get a puncture in the wet because the surface tension of the water on the tyre causes particles to stick to the tyre. So you have a few options. You can repair your puncture by the mountainside (usually in the rain). Bring a spare tube and fit it (in the rain) or take option three, use sealants or self sealing tubes. There are now sealants on the market designed to make your life a little easier. If you are not mechanically minded, then sealants are well worth considering. Lots of people just couldn't be bothered repairing punctures whilst on the move. They would rather walk back to the car and bring the bike to a bike shop the following Monday. Unfortunately this puts a dampener on their weekend outing.

So what are sealants?

Sealants are usually made up of particles suspended in a solution of latex liquid. When the tube or tyre is punctured, the solution clots the hole and solidifies to form an airtight seal. It should be noted that this only works on small to medium sized holes. If your tube or tyre is ripped then there is no hope for it. But then patches will not usually work in this situation either.

There is also an option to use tubeless tyres that are self sealing. These can be a little more difficult to get right. They are generally used by more experienced cyclists and involve using sealing tapes, sealant and usually very well fitted tyres or even specialist rims. They offer big advantages for weight and rolling speed and are very popular amongst racers. However, for the beginner or someone who is not mechanically minded we would recommend self sealing tubes over a tubeless solution.

• Roughen the area of the tube around the puncture as it helps the glue adhere to the tube.
• Apply the glue sparingly to both the tube and patch and let it dry out almost completely before applying the patch to the tube.
• Inflate the tube slightly to put it into the tyre. If you don't inflate the tube you are more likely to pinch it as you put it back into the tyre.
• Only use tyre levers if you have to. Often people re-puncture their tube using levers.
• It is advisable to apply talc to prevent the repaired tube from sticking to the tyre.
• Check the inside of the tyre before refitting to make sure there is no sharp items still present.