Avoiding flats (700x 23C tyres)

Gambatte

My Btwin roady has done 500 recorded miles, 100+ of them this week as I've started trying to take the commute to 5 days a week. No punctures till this week. Monday a pinch flat, due to lower than normal pressure (bit lazy/daft, I was rushing to get out monday morning) and today on the way in. This time the pressure was up, but a gap next to a manhole/drain cover caught me out and pinch flatted the rear again.

Didn't find changing them a problem, carry a spare tube and CO2. But I do want to find out what else I can do.

Anyone got any more advice apart from;

1 keep the pressure up
2 watch where you're riding (might be a bit more difficult, when it starts getting dark?)

Thanks

The tyres are the originals 'Hutchinson'(?)

ddraver

I'd say 2 in 500 miles isnt excssivly bad luck

but it sounds like bad luck to me given there were obvious causes for both of them

redddraggon

Do you have a track pump with a pressure gauge? I did over 500miles with badly underinflated tyres before I got the track pump, although I only got one flat.

Do you know what pressures you are getting in your tyres?

thatlondon

Nothing you can do other than keep the pressure at the side wall recommendation (110 - 130 psi normally) and try to avoid riding too close to the kerb. I find that to the right of drains generally keeps you out of the rubbish.

If you don't use the bike for racing or fast club runs then have a look tyres like the specialised armadillo, which has a puncture resistance strip. I commuted on a set of 700x28c for over a year in all wethers through central london and did not suffer any punctures.

Believe it or not the 28c tyres are not as fat as you may think, and they do help. I have 23c on my race bike but i like the extra comfort for commuting.

Nic

Gambatte

Got a track pump with a gauge and a separate digital gauge (cos the TP gauge is useless) Tyrewall says 100 psi, so its usually around 97-105.

Possibly coincidence/bad luck that both punctures happened in the same week. Silver lining was that I wasn't in a hurry and the weather was OK. Best way to get the experience I reckon.

Maybe I'll get onto CRC, get a job lot of tubes and keep a few at work.

redddraggon

Gambatte wrote:

Maybe I'll get onto CRC, get a job lot of tubes and keep a few at work.

I've just bought 25 tubes off ribble, worked out at £1.44 each including delivery. They are the same conti race 28s that my LBS are selling at £5 each. Hopefully I won't ever need that many, but I thought I'd stock up.

redddraggon

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.a ... NTTUBE0450

Really cheap, should last me years.

Gambatte

I’d already ordered by the time I saw this.
I ended up with 10 tubes for £19.99, individually they’re £2.99.
Happy enough, gives me plenty of time to patch and check the quality of the repair.

daniel_b

Will the rubber not deteriorate over time?

ie if you don't use them all for say 5 years, will they still be in the best shape?

Also, what is the difference between SV42mm, and LV52mm??

Dan

redddraggon

Daniel B wrote:

Will the rubber not deteriorate over time?

ie if you don't use them all for say 5 years, will they still be in the best shape?

Also, what is the difference between SV42mm, and LV52mm??

Dan

Keep them out of the sun and the tubes should be fine. 52mm is a longer valve length than 42mm, the longer valves are for the more aero rims.

jakob_s

Good quality tyres. You get what you pay for!.

IsledeBlanc

get some of these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... lus%20Tyre

Schwalbe Marathon Plus, 9 months everyday London commuting (25 miles / day) no puctures. They're not fast and they weigh a fair bit, but that's the trade off.

Mikey Mouse

I had two puncutes recently after going virtually the whole year without one.Both on the back wheel.Changed rear tyre.As the rear tyre was in a good condition i saved it to put on the front.The front is worn.

fossyant

No chance against pinch flats.... I got hit twice by one hole, same place, in two rides... Second time was looking out for the damn hole !

afctumike

Specialized Armadillos for me! I haven't had a puncture since I fitted them.

There's as much glass in shards on the roads around here as went into the Crystal Palace - well it was made near here after all (Chance Brothers Glassworks at Smethwick).