Cold Weather Puncture Probs

[Tony E]

Hi All, today was pretty cold and windy (I probably didnt need to tell you that). I do a 8 mile commute each way and this morning i got to work OK. However on the way home I got a puncture in the front and the rear lost a load of pressure. Ive got to do the full autopsy on why but I think I lost a load of tyre pressure in the first 15 mins of the ride home and this caused the puncture. The tyres are 700x32.

Is there a reason why extreme cold would cause such a big drop in pressure?

 

[fossyant]

No. You may have picked up a double puncture. Unless there is a faulty valve. Never had any issues in extreme cold. I've ridden in down to minus 15 over a number of days in 2010

 

[Kookas]

If anything, tyres ought to keep their pressure better in the cold because there's less movement of air.

 

[Crankarm]

Hi All, today was pretty cold and windy (I probably didnt need to tell you that). I do a 8 mile commute each way and this morning i got to work OK. However on the way home I got a puncture in the front and the rear lost a load of pressure. Ive got to do the full autopsy on why but I think I lost a load of tyre pressure in the first 15 mins of the ride home and this caused the puncture. The tyres are 700x32.

Is there a reason why extreme cold would cause such a big drop in pressure?

Errr ......... the sudden drop in pressure was caused by the puncture or multiple punctures. Nothing to do with cold weather. What tyres and tubes do you use and to what pressure do you inflate them?

 

[PaulSB]

While I fully agree the temperature can't impact tyre pressure to cause a puncture I wonder if other factors caused by cold weather do?

I've been extraordinarily fortunate with punctures in recent years. Last spring during a very cold, dry period I punctured 3 times in 5 days on country roads. Coincidence or some other factor?

The week before I had moved Continentals to Schwalbe Marathon. As a result of the punctures I binned the Marathons and went back to Continental which I do feel are a better all round tyre.

I'm sure this was just coincidence or bad luck but the OP got me thinking.

 

[Arsen Gere]

Unless there is an underlying reason, punctures should be like buses. None for ages and then a few together. I've had years without them then two in a day. Poisson distribution I think.

 

[thegravestoneman]

None for 25 years then three, mind you I haven't ridden for 25 years.

 

[Tony E]

Yeh....the rear tyre deflated all the way and so its a double puncture. The tyres are 700x32 Maxxis Detonator. Normally i take the cheap tyres off the bike when i buy it and fit kevlar re-inforced ones. However I really like these and plan to run them for good - unless i get too many punctures.... I find the re-inforced ones a bit heavy. Its probably just co-incidence but ive ridden that bike for months then the day the temp drops to something silly and the bike gets coated with ice, I get two punctures......

 

[Tony E]

Just fixed both punctures by fitting replacement inner tubes. Interestingly both tyres had about 5 or more cuts from small sharp bits of gravel, some of which must have found their way through. My theory is in normal conditions the gavel cycle track I use has some "give" and the gravel moves away from the tyres as you go along. The other afternoon everything was frozen solid and any sharp bits of gravel cut into the tyre.... BTW the pressure I normally use is 8-psi.

 

[al78]

Just fixed both punctures by fitting replacement inner tubes. Interestingly both tyres had about 5 or more cuts from small sharp bits of gravel, some of which must have found their way through. My theory is in normal conditions the gavel cycle track I use has some "give" and the gravel moves away from the tyres as you go along. The other afternoon everything was frozen solid and any sharp bits of gravel cut into the tyre.... BTW the pressure I normally use is 8-psi.

I assume that was a typo and you meant to write 80psi.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I assume that was a typo and you meant to write 80psi.

Or he didn't and that is the reason for the punctures?

 

[Tony E]

Yeh - typo.... i meant 80.

 

[jonny jeez]

Not whilst riding.

but...and I have 3 witnesses to this. I fixed a flat in a pub garden back in October some time. A small group of older riders turned up and we chatted. Conversation turned to punctures and as one of the chaps said the magic word, there was a loud bang! and my (actually my mates) tyre popped off the rim, whilst the bike was leaning against a bench.

tube just popped, all on its own, like 10 minutes after fitting.

We could only assume a sudden drop in temp provided some shrinkage and a little pinching of some sort.

talk about co-incidence though.

 

[Leodis]

Switched to Schwalbe Marathon Plus last weekend, tired of Kojaks letting me down (ba boom). Now I am just tired with the extra weight of Schwalbe Marathon.

 

[MichaelO]

Now I am just tired with the extra weight of Schwalbe Marathon.

I can’t wait until the day I notice the difference with a heavier tyre…it’s the spare one round my midrift that causes more issues!