It's Hello from me..

[zumzum]

Hi all, come across this very positive looking site whilst scouring the net for a bit of info and was very impressed!

I have done little cycling over the last 10 years but was into it quite a lot whilst i was a young un.

Recently i have decided to reignite this old passion and use my legs to power me to work and back. (About 28 miles).

As such i have encountered some problems i hadn't expected and was looking for some advice.

I purchased a GT Zum S2 and am very pleased with the bike. I decided to go with a hybrid type due to the route being mostly road and on a national cycle network canal footpath however it is really quite rocky in places. I expected the bike to cope, which it seems to be doing.

The problem lies with my rear tyre having sustained 3 punctures in the last 3 outings. They have all been slow punctures and have coaxed them home stopping to pump every now and then.

So help please...

The bike has Alex ASD - 1 rims and Kenda K West 1.50 tyres. Is it that the rear tyre is not suitable with the relatively sharp rocks? Do i need a wider/thicker tyre (and inner) MTB style? I've tried running a lower psi in the rear hoping it would help but to no avail. Ran recommended pressure and still no joy and puncture happened again. Are presta valved inners more susceptible to punctures for some reason?

If i should change the the tyres what do you recommend to fit the rims i have?

Thanks for your help guys

P.s My Girlfriend has also been cycling this route on her Carrera Subway and it has coped admirably and no punctures.

Whilst she is about 4.5 stone lighter than me, I am not THAT mahoosive at 13.5 stone..(could this be an issue?)

 

[Dayvo]

Welcome to the forum zumzum! No relation to zimzum, are you?

 

[cyberknight]

Welcome and good bye from him <---------------------

 

[zumzum]

Hey guys, no sorry no relation to zimzum..

 

[dan_bo]

I get my kebabs from Zamzams. Know the feller?

 

[Globalti]

Welcome. I think you've just been unlucky with the punctures. When you mended them, did you find the source of the puncture? Was it on the outside or the inside of the tube? If the inside, are you sure it's not tiny piece of aluminium swarf around a spoke hole in the rim? If the outside, are you sure your actually removed the thorn or whatever caused the puncture? If it's none of these, there are tyres that are supposed to be more puncture resistant, though I can't tell you what they are. You could also consider filling your tubes with latex that will self-seal any small holes, but this brings its own special problems. I would ride with the tyres up to maximum pressure as this will give you an easier faster ride and is less likely to puncture.

 

[lukesdad]

I agree keep the pressure high. 13 .5 stone shouldn t be an issue.

 

[rusty bearing]

Bike manufacturers keep costs down by putting cheap tyres on and fitting very thin and cheap (usually) chinese made tubes. We get the 'why do I keep having punctures' question a lot. The usual advice is buy some good ones, problem solved. On my MTB I run Panaracer fire with Tax? tubes....one puncture in the last three years......happiness.

 

[zumzum]

thanks for the warm welcome guys, i have just "fixed" one puncture, which was the tiniest of holes mid tube so patched that.

One of the others was a split right at the base of the valve (presta) and cant be repaired.

The last one i have yet to look at will do so later today.

Touch wood it's just a 3 and over little bit of misfortune.

Thanks for the wrds of advice too, i'll be sure to re check the rim and tyres, i had thought it may be a spoke related issue, so will check for any swarf remains in the rim.

 

[bauldbairn]

Hello and Welcome to the CC forums zumzum.