Punctures!

[Skipper]

Have you ever had a persistent puncture problem? I have a hybrid with 700 x 38 tyres, and three weeks ago I picked up my first puncture in ages. I mended it, checked the tyre for any residual grit, but got another puncture (in a different place) two rides later. Mended again, checked tyre again, but another puncture three rides after that. Went to mend the puncture a day later and the front tyre had gone down this time! Mended two punctures, but this morning I picked up ANOTHER rear tyre flat! I'm becoming expert at this now .... reluctantly. I have checked both tyres thoroughly for offending sharp objects and not found anything. Am I just unlucky? I'm considering "puncture-proof" tryes, and/or tubes ..... are these any good?

 

[summerdays]

Are you saying you have never found the item that pierced the tube in the first place?

Next time before you take off the tyre ... mark where the valve is line up with on the tyre, then take out tube and once you have found the puncture, line the two up and keep looking.

Or are you running your tyres fairly soft and getting pinch flats?

(And I do use puncture resistant tyres ... not perfect, but no more than one or max two a year normally - and some of that is down to not always keeping my tyres pumped up fully).

 

[Skipper]

Tried that on each occasion, scrubbed and checked the tyres exactly where the hole is, and found nowt. But since the puncture happens in a different spot each time, I'm thinking I've just been unlucky. Tyres are pumped up nice an' ard each time.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Are you replacing the tube in exactly the same relationship to the tyre each time? I would be very suspicious if I had not found what actually caused of any of the punctures. some times whatever is in the tyre only becomes evident when the tyre is inflated again - thus causing another puncture. Try another tyre.

 

[Booyaa]

I have the same problem, it's a pain in the arse. Not sure why it happens but it does.

 

[Biker Joe]

No such thing as a puncture proof tyre
On my hybrid I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres, a puncture resistant tyre which I find have a very good puncture resistance.
Does what it says on the box, so to speak.
Perhaps there will be other suggestions for tyres but I do like these.

 

[tyred]

Are the tyres worn thin? Some tyres are just junk anyway, even when they are new.

Are the punctures definitely on the outside of the tube, next the tyre. If they are on the inside, you probably have rim tape issues.

 

[RWright]

I had a week that I got like five or six punctures, it was crazy, never the same place. I think you are just unlucky but I would make sure that the tube is not getting pinched by the tire bead. I put tire liners in my main two bikes tires anyway and have only had one pinch puncture since. I may go knock on wood until my knuckles bleed now.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

No such thing as a puncture proof tyre
On my hybrid I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres, a puncture resistant tyre which I find have a very good puncture resistance.
Does what it says on the box, so to speak.
Perhaps there will be other suggestions for tyres but I do like these.

I use Bontrager racelite hard cases, an excellent puncture resistant tyre, I had two punctures last year, one my fault, I was that busy watching traffic I ran over a large piece of debris and destroyed the back tyre.
Sounds like Skipper has been unlucky or the tyres are worn out.

 

[Alien8]

If you want to minimise the risk of punctures spend a minute after every ride spinning your wheels and dig out any embedded bits from the tyres. And keep your tyres pumped up.

I like race lite hardcases (13.99 at JE James) - good compromise between speed and puncture resistance. My rear has just gone through 5k-miles with no punctures so far.

 

[theFire]

No such thing as a puncture proof tyre
On my hybrid I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyres, a puncture resistant tyre which I find have a very good puncture resistance.
Does what it says on the box, so to speak.
Perhaps there will be other suggestions for tyres but I do like these.

I had these on my hybrid but changed them because they are just so damn heavy! Plus I managed to get a puncture on them! It was a cable clip thing and it went in the side!

I changed to GatorSkins as I've had these my road bike for over a year now (3000+ miles) without a puncture.

The hybrid is so much more of a joy to ride now!

 

[wisdom]

Heres one that caused some problems with detection.
On my way home from work i got a puncture,did the usual inspection of feeling around inside the tyre.Nothing found.Put a spare innertube in and got home okNext morning,yes you guessed right same tyre was flat!!!!
No problem i used the other bike and went to work,Arrived home that night and set about the punctured wheel.Again found nothing inside the tyre,Proceeded to carefully look at the tyre under a lamp all round looking thoroughly into the grooves of the tread.Nothing found at all.There had to be something surely,turned the tyre inside out under the lamp after 5 minutes i cpotted a small silver dot twinkle under the lamp..
After some gentle poking with a sailmakers needle i pushed the object through enough,to grip it with some snipe nosed pliers.It looked and felt like a hardened piece of wire and had gone into the tyre at 90 degrees.
My only conclusion was,on my ride to work there were roadworks,they were cutting slots into the road with a petrol powered disc cutter and the cooling slurry was all over the road.
It could have been some of the discs reinforcing wire,which wears down through use.Its possible.

 

[Mallory]

Conti GP 4 Seasons 23mm. Pumped to 110psi and not a single fairy and i've rode in ALL conditions.

I've just got a set of 28mm for my hybrid so maybe look at these for yourself. Nice and light as well.

 

[smokeysmoo]

If you can't find any evidence for the punctures then I'd say +1 for rimtape.

It's inexpensive, often overlooked and can make a big difference.

Heck you can even use a couple of wraps of insulation tape if your stuck.

 

[Mallory]

If you can't find any evidence for the punctures then I'd say +1 for rimtape.

It's inexpensive, often overlooked and can make a big difference.

Heck you can even use a couple of wraps of insulation tape if your stuck.

Just make sure you don't go too thick with the rim tape as it can make getting some tyres back on a right PITA