keep getting punctures :-(
projectsome
Posts: 4,010
not sure if this is the right section. I've had my bike for about 6 weeks and I've had 5 punctures already. 4 in the back 1 in the front. my tyres are inflated to around 45-50 psi. most of my riding is done on road with a bit of off-road. I try to be careful not to ride over foreign objects etc. Is there anything I can do to prevent punctures occuring so often?
thanks.
thanks.
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Check the rim tape next time you have the tyre off. My Fury had really badly applied rim tape when I first bought it.Some of the spoke holes where exposed and caused many of my punctures.After buying some decent tape and refitting it I had less than half the punctures !0
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When the tyre is off you will see a rubber/cloth lining around the inside of rim that basically protects the inner tube from the spoke holes in the rim,just make sure its nicely centred on the rim all the way around so that you cant see any of the spoke holes.
http://www.crupibmx.com/images/products ... pe-rim.jpg
Also its worth checking inside the tyre for anything that might be left behind from the last puncture.
cheers
Mike0 -
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Halfords do sell rim tape for about £3 but dont buy any just yet,just check that the tape thats already fitted is OK and centred properly .0
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Is it foreign objects causing the punctures? You'll either find them or a hole in your tyre if they are.0
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Check to make sure you are not pinching the tube when you put it back together again0
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wheelbuckler wrote:Check to make sure you are not pinching the tube when you put it back together again
exactly what i was gonna say. just grab the tyre and wiggle it around to make sure the tube is in the tyre.0 -
Five punctures in six weeks isn't that excessive (depending on how far and where you ride of course :? ) I used to reckon on a puncture every 12 miles or so with 50% off-road distance.
If you ride thorny tracks, flinty hills, or through brambles then you'll be experiencing a lot of punctures. I find that the late autumn is the worst time, when I've suffered five punctures in a single ride
There were particular sections and tracks which I would avoid completely as I knew I'd puncture on them.
To minimise your punctures:
Make sure you're running decent rubber. Stock tyres on cheaper bikes isn't nearly as resilient at decent rubber from a top manufacturer. Use decent tubes from a well know manufacturer too.
Run higher tyre pressures. This will reduce the chance of snake-bite punctures (where the tube is caught between the rim and the ground) and will fend off more of the pointy things laying around on the ground. The 50psi you're already running should be plenty though.
When you do puncture, make sure that you thoroughly check the inside of the tyre carcass for anything protruding. Many a time I've stopped to fix a puncture only to find that I have two (or more).
You could try the Slime or similar filled tubes or sealing-strips, which act like a tubeless tyre (see below) but without the hassle. Some folk have great success with them, but I've never rated them.
The ultimate puncture-proofing method is to go tubeless though! You can purchase kits for around £40 which replace the tube with a latex (or synthetic) liquid which seals holes as they appear. Since I went tubeless I have yet to have a puncture
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Its probably worth having a good look at the inner tube and see where abouts its puncturing?
This should give a good indication as to what the cause is, either damaged rim tape or something coming through the tyre?*Rock Lobster Team Tig SL (22lb 14oz)
*C. Late 1950's Fixed Gear
*1940 Raleigh Dawn Tourist with rod brakes0 -
I spent much of the weekend riding over/through brambles and gorse that ripped that ripped my shins to shreads but my Panaracer Fire XCs and Spec tubes didnt seem to care. Have not had a single puncture with them and I'm not the most careful about what I ride over by a long shot.
If your still getting punctures after you've checked the rim tape and tyre for forign objects, next thing will be getting a better tyre/tube combo.0 -
Tyres do have a huge impact, especially if you go for the proper 120tpi versions rather than the OEM 60tpi versions which are knocked out cheaply on eBay (such as the Fire XC Pro's with the small coulred logo). here's my round-up from the last year or so's riding....
Bonty Mud-X's - completely bullet-proof (but they're tubeless with sealant!) 8)
Maxxis Minion - almost puncture-proof! (But weigh a ton) :shock:
Pana Fire - almost puncture-free
Pana Cinder - relatively puncture resistant :?
Kenda - punctures at the merest sign of something pointy :evil:0 -
S_J_P wrote:Tyres do have a huge impact, especially if you go for the proper 120tpi versions rather than the OEM 60tpi versions which are knocked out cheaply on eBay
I think mine may well be the OEM version as I got them cheap off ebay How do I tell?
Still not had a puncture with them no matter what version they are though!0 -
I've checked for debris in the tyre etc. the rim tape looks fine. it could well be something in the wheel etc cos it's always a tiny little hole that looks exactly the same. bought an innertube with goo stuff in today. the tyres and innertubes are made by bontrager. where can i get some of these tubeless innertubes/tyres?0
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CRC sell Tubeless Kits as do JustRidingAlong who sell Stans Kits. Check out their Useful Links section for the ins/outs of tubeless conversion. Also check out the Stans site for information on Stans NoTubes systems, fitting, and useful tips.
The JustRidingAlong site and Stans site also list the types/makes of tyre which make the best tubeless conversion. IIRC Bonty tyres tend to be tubeless-ready.0 -
Make sure you throughly test the tyre for anything stuck in there. With this mountain bike tyres, it's possible to have a thorn stuck in a thick part of the tyre which you don't notice when just skimming your hand round the inside of the tyre. Make sure you press hard and deform the shape when inspecting. If it's just one hole, then it's not likely to be pinching and the pressure is fine. If it's not near the valve then it's not to do with the tube sticking to the tyre and tearing.
If you are certain that the rim doesn't have any sharp dents or burrs and that the rim tape is on correctly and there are no sharp edges on the spoke holes, then it's most likely to be caused by the tyre.
Do you have a hole in the tyre? You should not need to run slim tubes.
The Tubeless kits would be the answer if it's always thorns you are picking up, but it sounds to me that there is something wrong with your setup and my guess would be that you need to inspect the tyre closer.0 -
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I'd say you've just been unlucky so far.
My mate runs tubeless and just changed his tyres over from winter specific to 'less' winter specific tyres for XC riding. He checked the old tyres and found a dozen or so thorns in each one. They had pierced the tyre, sealant had sealed around each thorn then the rest of thorn had been worn down outside the tyre so you wouldn't notice if you had a thorn or not!
That tubeless thing seems like quite a good solution to punctures/flats!Specialized Rockhopper '07
Trek Fuel EX8 '090 -
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Hi,
I've read this with interest. Rear wheel puncture occur's at about 5oc from the valave stem on the rim tape side. Examined the tyre, nothing evident. Rim tape has some very small specks of metal that can only be seen by angling the rim to get it to reflect. So I'm gonna gently emery cloth aound the spoke apertures in that region of the rim. Re inspect and fit a new tube.
Interestingly, it always seems to puncture when I'm pushing on a bit, especially on a wooden or gravel surface. Had this bike 3 months, been mtb ing, for 23 years, yet had more punctures in the last 3 months, tha the 23 years.
let us know how you get on projectsome0 -
I've had a puncture almost ever time I take out my 2007 fury. Had to buy from halfords cos it's a cycle to work scheme.
I had them replace the crap tape on rear wheel after a week and put a new tube on for free.
I'm still getting punctures though!
Am I being too harsh with the bike?
It always seems to pinch the tube but I don't hit the rim cos I'm running at about 50psi. I go over a lot of curbs on my route to work.
How tough should I expect it to be? I'm gonna try and get halfords to give me a new bike.0 -
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i had exactly the same problem with my bike...
take both tyres off and chek the rim tape, square it up and then get some electrical tape and go round the rim over the original rim tape and pop a key or something through the whole in the rim to allow the valve to come thorugh...its worked for me.
hope that helps0 -
60 psi ull never have a problem again or go tubeless? u choice0
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Tuesday last week I took the bike to work again, got a puncture in the rear again on the way home and had to push it home - not nice!
Took it back to halfords - checked the tyre - it had pinched again on the rim. Tape looked ok but it still pinched.
Left it with them - they swapped the wheels and tyres out from another 07 fury and put 60psi in each tyre.
Took the bike to work on Tuesday, cycling back - front goes flat.
Looked at the tyre - pinched on the inside again.
Took it back to halfords again, basically demanded a different bike. I'm not sticking with those 07 Fury rims at all no matter what's been done it goes flat. I'm not rough with the bike and I'm not hugely heavy.
Halfords have said I can have an 08 Fury instead which I know has different rims.
I think I'll have an 18" frame this time as well - even though I'm 6'2" I prefer a shorter reach than the 20" frame.
Anyway, to be fair, Halfords have been very good about everything. I doubt an LBS would have given me a new bike - they simply wouldn't be able to afford to.
We'll see how we get on with the 08 Fury....0 -
Took the 2008 Fury to work and back last Thursday - no problems and no punctures! Woohoo!
I think the Sun Rims are far better.
Much happier on the 18" Frame and it looks nicer as well.0
