I have absurdly bad luck with flat tires.
02-04-24, 11:34 AM
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Has anyone suggested tightening the valve cores?
02-04-24, 11:46 AM
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02-04-24, 11:54 AM
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Use tubeless wheels which have no spoke holes in the rim bed and don’t require taping. For example Mavic Ksyrium UST, or Shimano Ultegra WH6700, WH6800, WH7850, or WH-RS500
02-04-24, 12:07 PM
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02-04-24, 12:28 PM
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I'll always go with armored tires, but there is a speed penalty, so if you ride with a group you now have to work harder, or if you ride solo, the numbers you post won't make you as cool.
I don't bother with a patch kit, never worry about sealant maintenance, I don't even bother to swerve around debris fields.
I don't bother with a patch kit, never worry about sealant maintenance, I don't even bother to swerve around debris fields.
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02-04-24, 12:29 PM
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On a recent ride, I spent a little time on a highway and heard a rhythmic 'clicking' as my wheels turned. Got home and found this buried in my rear tire. Tire had not lost any air. Pulled out the nail, jammed in a plug, and about 600 miles later the tire is still in use. I didn't have to run a slow, heavy, rough-riding tire, didn't have to change a tube on the side of the highway in 40-degree temps, and the "fix" took about 60 seconds in the comfort of my garage.
But yeah, Leisesturm , tubeless tires are misery!
But yeah, Leisesturm , tubeless tires are misery!
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02-04-24, 02:23 PM
#32
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Back in the 60s-70s I had a couple of tire cleaners on my bike. they were little bent wire widgets that approximated the curvature of the tire and were supposed to scrape off any objects standing proud of the tread before they punctured.
02-04-24, 02:42 PM
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On a recent ride, I spent a little time on a highway and heard a rhythmic 'clicking' as my wheels turned. Got home and found this buried in my rear tire. Tire had not lost any air. Pulled out the nail, jammed in a plug, and about 600 miles later the tire is still in use. I didn't have to run a slow, heavy, rough-riding tire, didn't have to change a tube on the side of the highway in 40-degree temps, and the "fix" took about 60 seconds in the comfort of my garage.
But yeah, Leisesturm , tubeless tires are misery!
But yeah, Leisesturm , tubeless tires are misery!
02-04-24, 05:14 PM
#34
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02-04-24, 08:02 PM
#35
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Sure, flats are annoying, but there's always a bigger fish. Your tire got you home and then when flat? That's absurdly good luck.
After long, hard experience, I've always carried two tubes on every ride. But a few years ago, I got three flats on one 60-mile road ride. (And yes, I've also learned from long, hard experience to carefully check the inside of the tire casing to ensure the piercing contaminant had been removed.)
Used up both my tubes and was walking 8-miles home in my thin cycling socks when a kindly fire-chief (shout out to the Elfin Forest FD in CA) and his wife picked me up and drove me home. Wouldn't let me pay for their gas or trouble.
Flats are part of the game. Thankfully cellphones and Uber are now also part of the game.
Edit: Absurdly bad luck is when you flat on a shoulderless, high-speed road on a hot day; standing sweatily in the dirt and rocks in your ridiculous plastic shoes with cars whizzing by while spooning the tire off the rim with sweat constantly getting in your eyes. Had that happen a few times. Made me question my choice of sport.
After long, hard experience, I've always carried two tubes on every ride. But a few years ago, I got three flats on one 60-mile road ride. (And yes, I've also learned from long, hard experience to carefully check the inside of the tire casing to ensure the piercing contaminant had been removed.)
Used up both my tubes and was walking 8-miles home in my thin cycling socks when a kindly fire-chief (shout out to the Elfin Forest FD in CA) and his wife picked me up and drove me home. Wouldn't let me pay for their gas or trouble.
Flats are part of the game. Thankfully cellphones and Uber are now also part of the game.
Edit: Absurdly bad luck is when you flat on a shoulderless, high-speed road on a hot day; standing sweatily in the dirt and rocks in your ridiculous plastic shoes with cars whizzing by while spooning the tire off the rim with sweat constantly getting in your eyes. Had that happen a few times. Made me question my choice of sport.
02-04-24, 08:13 PM
#36
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Tire liners! (with inner tubes)
We have goat heads here in Colorado Springs, where I commute. I used to get 2-3 flats a month. Fifteen or twenty years ago I started using tire liners and went to 2-3 flats a year.
Tire liners let me ride more supple tires. I've tried reinforced flat-resistant tires and I hated their dull, lifeless character (although they had nice grip).
Goathead thorns, small pieces of glass and wire and very small nails and screws are no longer ride killers, although two or three large roofing nails and a couple of freak machine screws have made their way in through the unprotected side wall. Also once some bailing wire.
I will also say that if a big enough hole wears into the tire over time and debris gets in, it will eventually work its way between the inner tube and liner and cause flats.
So while tire liners don't provide as much protection as reinforced tires they let me ride more enjoyable supple tires.
I have no experience with tubeless tires.
We have goat heads here in Colorado Springs, where I commute. I used to get 2-3 flats a month. Fifteen or twenty years ago I started using tire liners and went to 2-3 flats a year.
Tire liners let me ride more supple tires. I've tried reinforced flat-resistant tires and I hated their dull, lifeless character (although they had nice grip).
Goathead thorns, small pieces of glass and wire and very small nails and screws are no longer ride killers, although two or three large roofing nails and a couple of freak machine screws have made their way in through the unprotected side wall. Also once some bailing wire.
I will also say that if a big enough hole wears into the tire over time and debris gets in, it will eventually work its way between the inner tube and liner and cause flats.
So while tire liners don't provide as much protection as reinforced tires they let me ride more enjoyable supple tires.
I have no experience with tubeless tires.
it depends on the type of puncture. something really tiny like a bit of steel wire, mostly you never even know. the tiny tiny hole gets immediately clogged from the inside by the sealant that gets pushed out by the air pressure. you may never see the evidence, and nothing needs to be done.
a thorn might be big enough that as riding you’d see and hear the PSHHH and some sealant either squirting or bubbling out. typically for that, you stop, remove it, and spin the tire around to assist in getting enough sealant pushed through the hole to seal up. after this, you either keep riding or if you lost a lot of air, pump up a bit. it sounds sketch but i had this happen on a 40+ mph 2,500’ descent, i slowed and stopped halfway, hit it with a CO2 cartridge, spun the tire and jumped back on. it was a piece of thorn in my front tire, i don’t want to think about sudden deflation at 45 on a tire without sealant.
a REALLY big hole, you either a) trash the tire or b) jam a “plug” in from the outside, add sealant through the valve opening, and reinflate. i like this one https://shop.dynaplug.com/products/dynaplug®-pill which is tiny, fast, and super easy to use. if you were losing pressure from multiple good size thorn hits, you might pull them out and use a few of these.
you would normally never pull the tire off to do anything except trash it for a new one. tubeless sounds complicated but it’s just different - and the various things you might do (add air, add sealant, plug a large hole) are all super easy.
a thorn might be big enough that as riding you’d see and hear the PSHHH and some sealant either squirting or bubbling out. typically for that, you stop, remove it, and spin the tire around to assist in getting enough sealant pushed through the hole to seal up. after this, you either keep riding or if you lost a lot of air, pump up a bit. it sounds sketch but i had this happen on a 40+ mph 2,500’ descent, i slowed and stopped halfway, hit it with a CO2 cartridge, spun the tire and jumped back on. it was a piece of thorn in my front tire, i don’t want to think about sudden deflation at 45 on a tire without sealant.
a REALLY big hole, you either a) trash the tire or b) jam a “plug” in from the outside, add sealant through the valve opening, and reinflate. i like this one https://shop.dynaplug.com/products/dynaplug®-pill which is tiny, fast, and super easy to use. if you were losing pressure from multiple good size thorn hits, you might pull them out and use a few of these.
you would normally never pull the tire off to do anything except trash it for a new one. tubeless sounds complicated but it’s just different - and the various things you might do (add air, add sealant, plug a large hole) are all super easy.
Been done.
I'll always go with armored tires, but there is a speed penalty, so if you ride with a group you now have to work harder, or if you ride solo, the numbers you post won't make you as cool.
I don't bother with a patch kit, never worry about sealant maintenance, I don't even bother to swerve around debris fields.
I don't bother with a patch kit, never worry about sealant maintenance, I don't even bother to swerve around debris fields.
Since the bike routes in organized races do tend to be in a little better condition, I'm willing to take my chances on "fragile" tubes and tires during a race. But I'm absolutely OK with hard case tires for my training rides.
02-04-24, 09:21 PM
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You say that, but I have no idea when I picked up the thorn that flattened that tube. It might have been early on and yes, I was lucky it got me all the way through my short ride. Or it could have been right towards the end and I only made it home simply because I was that close. Regardless, it was only a 20 mile ride and once again, punctured a tube. I have literally had over a dozen (maybe two dozen) flats since October.
I went out for a run one morning before it got too hot. I asked the doorman of the hotel-casino, "Where's a good place to run around here?"
He replied with a smirk, "That depends on who's chasing you."
When we got home, even the clothes I never unpacked stunk of cigarettes.
02-04-24, 10:09 PM
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Bridge. Brooklyn. For sale. PM me.
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02-04-24, 10:50 PM
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For my training rides, I have no problem with armored tires. I put some Schwalbes on my K2 with some Michelin puncture resistant tubes and haven't had a flat on that bike since. Every other bike, multiple flats.
Since the bike routes in organized races do tend to be in a little better condition, I'm willing to take my chances on "fragile" tubes and tires during a race. But I'm absolutely OK with hard case tires for my training rides.
I've used Marathon Plus for 15 years and never had a flat, prior tires gave me flats at about once a week.
If you train with Marathons, you'll absolutely scream with thin skinned tires on race day.
02-05-24, 12:09 AM
#40
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You're tougher than I am. I could never live in Vegas. I did a biathlon there in the late 80s as a teenager and my parents used it as an excuse to pay the casinos' lighting bills for a weekend.
I went out for a run one morning before it got too hot. I asked the doorman of the hotel-casino, "Where's a good place to run around here?"
He replied with a smirk, "That depends on who's chasing you."
When we got home, even the clothes I never unpacked stunk of cigarettes.
I went out for a run one morning before it got too hot. I asked the doorman of the hotel-casino, "Where's a good place to run around here?"
He replied with a smirk, "That depends on who's chasing you."
When we got home, even the clothes I never unpacked stunk of cigarettes.
02-05-24, 03:30 AM
#41
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I've been cycling for 20 years and always refused to use tubeless because of the mess and making things too complicated. I usually punctured 2 to 4 times a year, and it was easier and cleaner for me to simply use a patch or replace the tube.
Three months ago I had a puncture on my gravel bike. And during the next 2.5 months I had 10 more punctures, including 2 punctures in the same wheel in less than a kilometer. I said that was enough and I switched the gravel bike to tubeless.
It wasn't that difficult. I bought a couple of valves and sealant as the tires were already taped from the factory. I managed to seat a tire with my floor pump and had to use the gas station compressor on the other (fortunately, I live almost next to it). Once seated I put the sealant through the valve and everything worked smoothly so far.
I still don't like the idea of having to check if sealant has dried up and having to add it at unknown intervals that I assume will be too short in the summer because my garage gets really hot. In any case, I finally managed to have zero punctures in the last 2 weeks, so I suppose it was worth it.
Three months ago I had a puncture on my gravel bike. And during the next 2.5 months I had 10 more punctures, including 2 punctures in the same wheel in less than a kilometer. I said that was enough and I switched the gravel bike to tubeless.
It wasn't that difficult. I bought a couple of valves and sealant as the tires were already taped from the factory. I managed to seat a tire with my floor pump and had to use the gas station compressor on the other (fortunately, I live almost next to it). Once seated I put the sealant through the valve and everything worked smoothly so far.
I still don't like the idea of having to check if sealant has dried up and having to add it at unknown intervals that I assume will be too short in the summer because my garage gets really hot. In any case, I finally managed to have zero punctures in the last 2 weeks, so I suppose it was worth it.
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02-05-24, 06:12 AM
#42
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I understand that they won't last forever, but that beats one of the likely failure modes. That said, I've had an "in use" tube last quite a long time; perhaps just to spite me.
02-05-24, 07:10 AM
#43
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Before I bought a 2nd wheel-set for my studded snow tires I spent 5 or six years swapping tires twice a year on my 26" MTB. The Mr. Tuffy's just wanted to fit the tires they were being transferred to.
I suppose some tacky spray adhesive or light double sided tape would help keep the liners in place during installation.
02-05-24, 11:50 AM
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It seems like you're presented with three options for dealing with tire-related issues:
- Tubeless Tires:
- Pros: Solves flat tire issues, provides a comfortable and supple tire.
- Cons: Requires appropriate equipment, and there might be a small learning curve.
- Tubed Tires (Puncture Resistant):
- Pros: Puncture-resistant, potentially durable.
- Cons: Have a dead feel and are slower compared to other options.
- Tubular Tires:
- Pros: Described as magical and claimed to solve all tire-related issues.
- Cons: None
02-05-24, 12:02 PM
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It seems like you're presented with three options for dealing with tire-related issues:
- Tubeless Tires:
- Pros: Solves flat tire issues, provides a comfortable and supple tire.
- Cons: Requires appropriate equipment, and there might be a small learning curve.
- Tubed Tires (Puncture Resistant):
- Pros: Puncture-resistant, potentially durable.
- Cons: Have a dead feel and are slower compared to other options.
- Tubular Tires:
- Pros: Described as magical and claimed to solve all tire-related issues.
- Cons:
NoneSteep learning curve, must carry an entire spare tire.
02-05-24, 02:49 PM
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LOL. I worked in a gas station in HS, fixing flats was one of my duties. I've seen blunt and rounded things go through a tire. If it gets caught in the tread just right, it will continue to slowly pierce the tire until it goes through, usually it will cause a slow leak because it's then acting as a plug. The craziest ones were a spark plug and a spoon.
02-06-24, 12:54 AM
#47
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People here at BF seem to have forgotten that sealant also works in inner tubes! 
VegasJen , I'd say you owe it to yourself to try sealant in your existing setup, assuming you have removable valve cores. For Presta valves with removable cores, these little bottles squirt the sealant right in, without much fuss: https://www.amazon.com/Stans-NoTubes...70&sr=8-4&th=1
For Schraeder valves I just use Slime, from a bigger bottle. Supposedly, neither will work with TPU tubes, however. I hope somebody is hard at work developing a TPU tube sealant...
Give yourself half a chance there in goathead country. Seriously!
Good luck! (that helps, too)
VegasJen , I'd say you owe it to yourself to try sealant in your existing setup, assuming you have removable valve cores. For Presta valves with removable cores, these little bottles squirt the sealant right in, without much fuss: https://www.amazon.com/Stans-NoTubes...70&sr=8-4&th=1
For Schraeder valves I just use Slime, from a bigger bottle. Supposedly, neither will work with TPU tubes, however. I hope somebody is hard at work developing a TPU tube sealant...
Give yourself half a chance there in goathead country. Seriously!
Good luck! (that helps, too)
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02-06-24, 01:40 AM
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I hardly get a flat tyre in comparison to others in my group. Why? Iam not certain but this is what I do that non of the other riders do.
- I check my tyres with a dental probe after every ride (while cleaning my chain and relubing it).
- I fill in any cuts or holes in my tyre with a shoe repair goo that dries as hard as rubber and is not sticky like some silicones. This stops foreign material getting caught up in them.
- Have been riding for twenty years and I have become more observant to avoid anything that may cause a puncture.
- I am too busy watching where I am going to chat with the others while riding.
- Whenever I ride over suspicious materials I always wipe the front wheel with my gloved hand, and back of thumb for rear tyre, while riding, to dislodge anything that may have gotten stuck into the tyre.
- I allign my inner tube valve stem to the centre of my tyre trademark. So after a flat, I put some air in tube to find where the puncture is. Then I know where exactly on the trye the foriegn material penetrated. This garantees that I don't miss it and get a second flat for the same reason.
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02-06-24, 03:05 AM
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