Puncture, puncture, puncture .........

[potsy]

Marathons = horrible heavy things......

You say the same about proper bikes too (ie-bikes with gears) so we know your opinion is wrong: M+ are the future

 

[dondare]

You say the same about proper bikes too (ie-bikes with gears) so we know your opinion is wrong: M+ are the future

Marathon Supremes are probably the future.

One day there might even be a Schwalbe Marathon Supreme Plus XTR.

 

[Debian]

I only get punctures a) when I have no spare tubes on me / I forgot my mini pump AND I also neglected to check the bike at lunchtime and only find the puncture when I hop onto the bike to ride home.

Since I changed to Schwalbe Big Apples I have had no punctures at all in nearly six months and that's doing ~60 miles a week on a mixture of road, canal path and bridleway.

 

[Crankarm]

I didn't use SMP+ and I didn't get punctures. I just watched where I was riding .

 

[goo_mason]

I didn't use SMP+ and I didn't get punctures. I just watched where I was riding .

So as long as you watch where you ride you'll never get punctures? Now who's away with the fairies?

 

[Crankarm]

So as long as you watch where you ride you'll never get punctures? Now who's away with the fairies?

You should try it. It works.

 

[goo_mason]

I didn't use SMP+ and I didn't get punctures. I just watched where I was riding .

But I do watch where I'm going. And my eyesight is perfect, before you ask!

I loved the SM+ tyres I put on my MTB when I used it for commuting. The only punctures I ever had with them were unlucky ones - a 2" brass nail that went straight in, and a massive shard of broken glass hidden beneath some leaves.

Prior to using them I used Conti Travel Contacts which were utterly hopeless and would puncture at the mere sight of anything sharp.

Got good mileage out of 2 sets of Schwalbe Stelvios on the road bike, but when the last set suddenly started to puncture, I ended up with Ultra Gatorskins as they were all they had in the shop the night I got a big flat on the way home. Been excellent so far with no U.D.Es to date!

 

[goo_mason]

You should try it. It works.

That's on par with Bonj's claims that if you rode fast enough without mudguards, you wouldn't get wet/dirty!

You can avoid obvious broken glass / sharp detritus, but there's some stuff you'll never see which can still puncture your tyres. Tiny sharp pieces of stone, thorns, police stingers for example....

 

[stumpy]

I used to be convinced that the sheep were spitting sharp stones at my tyres as I only got puntures near fields of sheep..........Bit odd.
I'm fully recovered now though....

 

[Crankarm]

That's on par with Bonj's claims that if you rode fast enough without mudguards, you wouldn't get wet/dirty!

You can avoid obvious broken glass / sharp detritus, but there's some stuff you'll never see which can still puncture your tyres. Tiny sharp pieces of stone, thorns, police stingers for example....

An interesting insight into what you get up to ...... .

 

[Panter]

One day there might even be a Schwalbe Marathon Supreme Plus XTR.

*dreams*

I've been truly astounded by the puncture resistance of my M+
I gave them a good check yesterday morning and the rear will certainly need replacing soon, it looks as if it's gone 10 rounds with Freddy Kruger

It still isn't letting anything through though

 

[hackbike 666]

Marathons = horrible heavy things

Wrong. Marathons on the rear = comfy ride.

Don't care...If they get me to work without me faffing about with inner tubes then they are good in my book.

 

[Moodyman]

Agreed hackbike. I was adding that the M+ with the thick rubber layer are comfortable - especially on the rear.

They offer great shock absorption.

 

[661-Pete]

You can avoid obvious broken glass / sharp detritus, but there's some stuff you'll never see which can still puncture your tyres. Tiny sharp pieces of stone, thorns, police stingers for example....

How many people, I wonder, look carefully at the stuff they dig out of their tyres on their routine inspection (assuming you all do a routine inspection that is! )

I would say, about 90% of what I prise out are little fragments of flint or chert (a hard brownish rock similar to flint). Mostly about 1-2mm long and very sharp edged. Not surprising, seeing as I live in the South Downs area (chalk and greensand) where these kinds of rock are extremely common: there's no way they won't be liberally scattered over every road in the district. And you haven't a prayer of spotting such fragments lying on the road, even if you do the Sherlock Holmes act... The remaining 10% will be broken glass and thorns: you have a slightly better chance of spotting those in time, but I challenge anyone to claim to have spotted an isolated 2mm sliver of glass just lying on its own in the road while belting along at 20mph+...

I very rarely find any bits of metal in the tyre, I can't remember the last time metal caused a puncture....

Of course the big advantage of puncture-resistant brands is that the flints etc. take longer to penetrate them, so you have more chance of spotting and removing the flint in your regular inspection. But they only postpone the puncture: if you neglect your tyre you'll get the puncture in the end! And with larger fragments of glass, or long thorns, you stand no chance!

Another bummer is when a flint enters the hole left behind when you previously extracted another flint. In that case it's got less distance to travel... !

 

[dondare]

Another bummer is when a flint enters the hole left behind when you previously extracted another flint. In that case it's got less distance to travel... !

Take the flint out.
Superglue the hole.