Punctures, punctures, punctures
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Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:38 pm
Anyone else get a LOT of punctures around Perth ? I'm not sure if I'm just really unlucky, or maybe my ass is just too fat (my punctures are mostly on my rear tyre)
I upgraded my bike recently from its factory tyres to Gatorskins, but still haven't seen a reduction in the amount of punctures I get. Happens on regular commutes, weekend rides etc. I'm getting one about once a week at the moment. Anyone ever used the Kevlar tubes ? I understand they're a bit heavier, but if it means non-interrupted rides that's OK. Current tubes I buy are - http://www.this link is broken/au/e ... -prod20484
I thought the gatorskins might be a bit tougher but haven't noticed an improvement....
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby HappyHumber » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:42 pm
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:47 pm
Perhaps I'm just unlucky....or not paying enough attention to thorns etc. on the road as I rid. But, wondering if others use specific tyres/tubes that they find durable....might be worth a try.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby Thoglette » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:59 pm
Do they happen at the same location on your trip?
Where on the tube do they occur? Sidewall? Inside? Outside?
Where on the wheel/tyre do they occur (bit o'crap stuck in the tyre, nick on rim)
Normally if you're getting a hole in the tube w/out a hole in the tyre that's pinch flatting (snakebites). Which usually happens on the back wheel. The answer to that is fatter tyres or more pressure. I like fatter tyres, myself.
Oh, final thought. About 20% of the time I manage to pinch the tube when installing, resulting in a flat shortly thereafter
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby HappyHumber » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:11 pm
there's a heap of possible scenarios; it's just piecing together the clues.
I 'forensically' examine my tubes after puncturing. If there's one thing I've learnt to really hate about fixing flats it's the prospect of having to do it *again* soon afterwards. This usually even includes me briefly pumping air back into it on the side of the road or path to identify the hole location (and type/size) there and then - rather than later.
As a tip I always mount the tyres with the branding at the rim valve hole to give me a "12 o'clock" reference point on the tyre.
Think of the valve stem in the removed tube as at always at 12 o'clock. If you find the hole(s) at say 3 o'lock - thoroughly check within the tyre inside and out at 3 o'clock and 9 oc'lock to allow for 180deg flipping; if it's at ~5 on the tube; check (AT) 5 & 7 on the the tyre etc etc.
If it's not caused outright by something actively piercing the tyre and tube; I tend to get my little spates of flats after something has changed; eg. a new tyre on a rim; or the rim tape has been disturbed for some reason (replacement spoke etc). Something isn't quite happy... there's an exposed rough edge or chafe point where something isn't quite sitting right.
otherwise.... are you riding the correct pressure for your own body weight as well as the tyres recommended range?
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby HappyHumber » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:43 pm
sometimes you just gotta pay your dues and work out what will appease the puncture fairy.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:26 pm
Mine seem to be right in the middle of the tube, so as if something has pierced the tyre as opposed to pinching etc. I'm definitely no expert in replacing a tube though so I would rule out me messing something up when inserting a new tube.
Can't say it's the same spot in the ride. Happens at various places but I guess sometimes it could be a slow one and gradually go down.
I did initially have a great run when I first bought this bike. Didn't have a puncture for first 6-7 months. Seems that since I've popped the cherry it keeps on popping haha.
I generally keep my pressure towards 120psi which is the max for the tyre. Generally somewhere between 110 and 115ish.
I guess I'm just going through a bad run. Just annoying going through so many tubes. I patch up the tubes I puncture but I keep those as "emergency spares" when I don't have any new ones left to go in.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby commute » Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:34 pm
The worst is when you put a new tube in but don't get all of the glass out of the tyre and end up with a flat the next time you ride.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:06 am
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby 10speedsemiracer » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:10 am
Are you using rim tape ?
Have you reviewed your technique for repairing/installing tubes?
BTW I've switched to Schwalbe tubes like this :
as I had a bad run with successive Conti tubes. Haven't had a flat in 3 mths.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby twowheels » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:24 am
I mark one side of the valve stem, tyre & rim with a paint pen as a reference point to locate punctures.
Also take the tyre off the rim and blow out with compressed air or water jet & dry, I've previously had some metal filing caught between tyre & tube, thus no tyre penetration could be found.
Does your bike route take you past Mt Lawley golf course? Few years back my commute went past there, I got a daily caltrop puncture till I worked out where I was getting them, then varied my route.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby Thoglette » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:04 am
I've had three genuine punctures in 16,000km over six years. As noted, that's mostly luck. Plenty more pinch flats, but that's me not watching tyre pressure carefully enough (I like'm low)novice_101 wrote:Lucky b@stard
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:16 am
10speedsemiracer wrote:Pls don't misinterpret this, am not casting aspersions on your abilities.
Are you using rim tape ?
Have you reviewed your technique for repairing/installing tubes?
BTW I've switched to Schwalbe tubes like this :
as I had a bad run with successive Conti tubes. Haven't had a flat in 3 mths.
I take no offense, I'm definitely not ruling myself out as the problem I do tend to be a little impatient when changing tyres if I'm commuting, as I'm time poor, but normally I take my time, and I don't SEEM to be catching the tube when I'm putting it in, but who knows. I don't even know what rim tape is
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby Thoglette » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:40 am
Sheldon Brown can tell you What Every Cyclist Should Know About Flat Tiresnovice_101 wrote:II don't even know what rim tape is
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby Knox_Harrington » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:25 pm
I'd also say make sure you partially inflate your new tube before putting it in to make sure it's circular and sitting up nicely inside the tyre before pulling the bead over the top of the rim. That should help avoid pinching issues.
It's definitely hard to be methodical on the side of the road with your bike in a state of disrepair and the clock ticking, but if you can stay cool and really think about what you're doing it saves so much time in the long run!
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby HappyHumber » Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:08 pm
When you said 'middle' of the tube - this could still possibly mean to me the inner diameter (nearest the spoke ends) or the outer diameter (nearest the the road contacting tread surface) Anywhere in between would more suggest a rim problem or more of a sidewall puncture.
This is also another reason I like to be methodical when doing road/trailside repairs. Again; for anything other than the most obvious holes (usually rapid deflation aka. blowout) - I still briefly try to reinflate the punctured tube once it's out of the tyre to quick locate by feel & sound the hole to give me a quick assessment of what's likely to have caused the issue in first place.
I'm not racing nor playing for sheep stations; I just want to get back on my bike and stay on it til I get home an don't want to have to fix another flat before then! I learnt this the hard way on an Audax ride once... I think it was 4 repair stops over 200km, each a long way from home . Ultimately the problem was rim tape/spoke hole related; but I went through 2 or 3 of my own spare tubes another of someone elses as well as a spare tyre someone else was carrying folded up.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:31 pm
Yep, I partially inflate the replacement tube with my mouth before replacing, so as it is circular as you say. I sometimes struggle getting the wheel to sit first time around, in the area around the valve. Though I've changed my method lately to ensure I do that bit first, as I don't want to struggle getting that but on and causing a pinch once I hit the CO2 gas to inflate the new tube.Knox_Harrington wrote: I'd also say make sure you partially inflate your new tube before putting it in to make sure it's circular and sitting up nicely inside the tyre before pulling the bead over the top of the rim. That should help avoid pinching issues.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:33 pm
Good lunchtime reading that thanksThoglette wrote:Sheldon Brown can tell you What Every Cyclist Should Know About Flat Tiresnovice_101 wrote:II don't even know what rim tape is
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby novice_101 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:38 pm
Yes, I think I'll take things apart this evening and check the tyre and rim more methodically, there could be a foreign body in there somewhere. I HATE multiple-repair stops on the same ride. Really wrecks your momentum. On a positive note, I've noticed the cycling community is pretty friendly, as I'll get asked if I need help a lot of the time, and have actually taken up the offer once, and had a gas bottle given to me when I was in desperate needHappyHumber wrote:When you said 'middle' of the tube - this could still possibly mean to me the inner diameter (nearest the spoke ends) or the outer diameter (nearest the the road contacting tread surface) Anywhere in between would more suggest a rim problem or more of a sidewall puncture.
This is also another reason I like to be methodical when doing road/trailside repairs. Again; for anything other than the most obvious holes (usually rapid deflation aka. blowout) - I still briefly try to reinflate the punctured tube once it's out of the tyre to quick locate by feel & sound the hole to give me a quick assessment of what's likely to have caused the issue in first place.
I'm not racing nor playing for sheep stations; I just want to get back on my bike and stay on it til I get home an don't want to have to fix another flat before then! I learnt this the hard way on an Audax ride once... I think it was 4 repair stops over 200km, each a long way from home . Ultimately the problem was rim tape/spoke hole related; but I went through 2 or 3 of my own spare tubes another of someone elses as well as a spare tyre someone else was carrying folded up.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby HappyHumber » Thu Apr 12, 2018 6:27 pm
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby dasinc » Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:50 pm
Well worth the extra weight.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby Mububban » Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:11 am
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby jaseyjase » Wed May 16, 2018 4:54 pm
yep, add in a shark tooth shaped shard of glass to that list for me.Mububban wrote:.. double Gs, a 25mm nail and a metal staple.
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Re: Punctures, punctures, punctures
Postby BrisBoy » Wed May 16, 2018 8:08 pm
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