Every ride...a flat
 

Hi guys, I live in Boca Raton FL and ride along A1A every Sunday for 4 years since my move here. I ride Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra on Vittoria Randonneur Rigid Tyre, Full Black Reflex, 700 x 28c.

(about 1K on them) and about 2 month ago, I started to get flat tire every time I rode. After couple of flats, I brought my bike to a shop and they replaced an inner liner on my rear wheel (only rear tire got punctured so far)

Next Sunday ride, flat again. Got an outer liner on my rear tire, guess what happened next ride...flat. When replacing tubes, I usually go with my hand thru the inners of the wheel to find something that punctured, nothing to be found, Was suggested to replace my tires with Gatorskins. Thinking of doing it. But for now...

So my questions is, what can cause those punctures? Any suggestions based on your experience? Thanks in advance.

i feel this thread, and am curious what people say.

i rode approx 7,000 miles since jan 2021 without a single flat. then a slow leak a month or two ago and three flats since then. three kinds of tubes, two tires, one shop change, the others by me, no sharp bits inside the tire…. at wits end! same roads as all the other miles 😑

Are you able to pinpoint the location of the flat on the tube? Then match that up to the point on the tyre/wheel?

Is it the same exact tire that flats? I don't know the answer to your problem, but last summer I started getting weekly flats in my rear tire. I found the location of the leak in the tube, carefully checked the tire for issues, and replaced the tube only to get another flat the next week. I even took the tire in to my LBS to see if they saw any problem. They didn't, so I again replaced the tube and the next week got a flat. I was running Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, which should be pretty flat-resistant. Anyway, after five weeks of this, I threw out my rear tire, moved the Marathon Plus that was on the front to the rear, and haven't had a flat since. It's clear that my tire had some problem that neither I nor my LBS could detect. That's my experience, and when I was in your position, I discarded the tire that kept flatting, which solved the problem.

Yep, that I was going to do. I have one old Gator..., will replace the problematic tire to see if it will solve the flat problem. Thanks

I'm a huge fan of patching tubes with the flatted tire on hand. Now I can match up the patch to the tire and know exactly where to look for the problem.I don't rest easy until I know what caused that flat. If at all possible, I patch tires at the roadside and reuse the tire. Both to locate the issue and flatten the patch with tire pressure against the tire. (And I still have 2 spare tubes to go.)

Now, there are holes so small that finding them outdoors with roadside noise is impossible. The spare goes in and I am nervous 'till I get home unless I found the cause with my eyes or fingers. At home, I inflate the tube and find the hole under water. Then patch the tube, pull the spare and go looking for the cause.

For multiple flats on the same tire, that patched tube tells you a lot. 2 or more holes at your first patch makes the cause obvious. (Or egual distance from the valve on the other side.) A huge help in finding those tiny steel wires from car treads that can be 1/16" long and barely thicker than a hair (and can embed themselves completely inside the tread).

For tubed setups that repeatedly flat, it may be something embedded in the tire, or it may be something in the rim bed, especially on single wall rims, e.g., spoke nipple edge burr, etc. Remove the rim bed liner or rim tape, thoroughly clean the inside of the rim, blow it out with a compressor, feel for anything even slightly prickly, then install new rim bed liner or tape.

You absolutely need to determine why each flat happened. Otherwise unless your flats are from road hazards puncturing the tread into the tube you'll continue to have flats regardless of what tires you put on the bike.

If you can't diagnose the causes then you might benefit going tubeless.

I had a similar issue once and it was the tire's internal sidewall that had a manufacturer defect (the fibres were torn or something like that and there was a weak round spot). When the tube was inflated, it was rubbing against that defect and tearing for that reason.

If your pressure is good and replacing the tube didn't solve your problem, the next logical thing to do is to get a new tire.

Again, patch your tubes and reuse them. (And keep the tire mounted the same each time - with the label at the valve or opposite.) The patches become a running documentary on your issues.

I know, nobody has time to patch tubes. But I'll bet that had the OP been patching his, he wouldn't have enev needed t come on the forum to ask what's going on.

I Patch mine at home and then TEST Them for 24 hours.

Flats happen randomly, that’s just how it is. Of course you check for intrusions and that the rim bed is ok, but flats are caused most often by random road debris, which means they can happen anytime…literally. There’s an expression, “a run of bad luck…”

You wouldn't happen to be pinch flatting, would you? Low pressures for comfort, then hit a patch of square-edged broken pavement at-speed?

Apparently, the cycling Gods are upset.

Have you tried turning the tire inside out? You could have a tiny piece of wire from a shredded car/truck tire that you can’t feel with your finger.

Several years ago while on tour I woke up to a flat tire. The leak was so small I had to run the tube through a convenient puddle to find the puncture. Once I did I matched it up with the tire but still couldn’t feel anything until I turned the tire inside out. That’s how I found the piece of wire. It was maybe 1/8 of an inch long.

If you decide to replace the tires here is a very good option...

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3e679f66a7.png

Try running a used dryer sheet, piece of old soft t-shirt or handkerchief around the tire-preferably with the tire off so you can run it over all surfaces. If nothing in the tire snags, do the same with the rim. Cotton balls work too. Fingers might not find a snag but one of those things should.

Someone mentioned changing the liner or rim tape. When doing that make sure it is the right width. I had this same issue once and the rim tape seemed fine until I realized it was just a bit too narrow and it would squirm over enough to expose a spoke hole edge and that caused the flats

I had one of those last year. I could feel it on the inside of the tire, and JUST see it, barely, but I don't wear my glasses to ride, and I had a hell of a time trying to grab hold of it with my fingernails and pull it out, by the side of the road.

Also try checking the rims. There may be sharp metal poking out to the inner tube....Something that escaped quality control during manufacture of the rims. Even a liner won't help in situations like that. You'll need to carefully file down such defects or grind them away with a small grinder like the small wheel grinder dentists use.

Personally I don't change tires on the side of the road. Id rather walk/jog 2-3 hours home until I can get to a decent base to change my tires. Been burned too many times getting a flat after changing tubes on the road and don't like that stress

Trick - the pliers on my Leatherman are the best I've ever used for things like tire hairs. They have real bite right out to the end. Open them 1/8", press firrmly into the tire, squeeze and pull. I've also bought very good tweezers in the women's cosmetics in supermarkets. I've never pulled tire hairs with them so I don't know if they have the grip to do that. (Excellent for picking out tiny splinters and broken thorns out of skin. My yard's got roses, raspberries, black berries and marionberries.)

Consider finding a coop and signing up for a tire repair class. I can repair 5 flats and be home, showered and fed before you get back.

I seem to be getting more flats this year than previous years but I believe it’s just random. I usually average 3-4 flats a year . I’m already up to 5 this year . I ride every week and pretty much year round. All but one flat this year have been thorns … drought? I dunno it just seems to be one of those years. I now have more patch experience so …?

[QUOTE=79pmooney;22540660]Consider finding a coop and signing up for a tire repair class. I can repair 5 flats and be home, showered and fed before you get back.[/ can ]
I can change 23mm tires without levers in a few minutes, it just pisses me off when a tube fails after swapping. Like it makes me unreasonably upset, id rather just walk a couple of hours. Flats just really upset me, idk why