Puncture resistance - any tips

CiB

Just punctured 5 miles in this morning. That's 2 in two days after about none in 2 years. What do you lot recommend most highly for puncture prevention? I used to have a kevlar strip between tyre & tube years ago, maybe that's the answer. Have never tried the gel that fills the tube - is that stuff any good?

The bike has Mich Pro Race 3 tyres - would prefer to keep them. Puncture 1 the other day looked like a thorn had poked through the tyre on the main road contact area of the tyre, this morning's was a small shard of glass, again through the tread, if it had any tread.

I'll look for responses and drop off to get what looks like the best recommendation after work tonight. Meetings etc most of the day preclude my further involvement in this thread today tho.

Ho hum - off to work, by car. How dispiriting is that?

mick_cornick

Specialized armadillo’s or conti gator skins? Use the racing tyres for faster/summer rides but for day to day puncture proof riding I've not had a puncture on either of the two I suggested.

Furbes

I commute on my MTB with conti double fighter tyres & a slime strip along the inside of the tyre , they seem to do the trick for me at least .

dirk_van_gently

This time last year I was almost ready to give up on commuting because of the number of Impromptu deflations (never use the P word). I use a CX bike, and after much searching went for Vittoria Cross XN, and over the winter have used XGs. I am never one to tempt the Impromptu deflation fairy, but to date I have only had about 3 deflation's in the past year, prior to that I was getting about one a week.

il_principe

ChrisInBicester wrote:

Just punctured 5 miles in this morning. That's 2 in two days after about none in 2 years. What do you lot recommend most highly for puncture prevention? I used to have a kevlar strip between tyre & tube years ago, maybe that's the answer. Have never tried the gel that fills the tube - is that stuff any good?

The bike has Mich Pro Race 3 tyres - would prefer to keep them. Puncture 1 the other day looked like a thorn had poked through the tyre on the main road contact area of the tyre, this morning's was a small shard of glass, again through the tread, if it had any tread.

I'll look for responses and drop off to get what looks like the best recommendation after work tonight. Meetings etc most of the day preclude my further involvement in this thread today tho.

Ho hum - off to work, by car. How dispiriting is that?

I'd suggest that buying Pro Race 3's and then adding additional kevlar or "sliming" the innertubes would be somewhat counter productive. PR3's are expensive, light, fast rolling tires, no point in paying for those benefits and then effectively negating them.#

I'm running Pro Race 3's on my new FFWD wheels at the mo and after one initial p*ncture they seem fine. However, took the bike out on Sat with the Fulcrum 0's installed. Fulcrums are shod with Conti GP4000S (Attack/Force) and I've got to say I prefer the Contis, IME they have admirable punc resistance.

However, the GP's and the PR3's are really too good for commuting. I use Vittoria Rubino Pro's on the commuter, been running them for over a year now at 120psi and not punctured once. Highly recommend them.

Furbes

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

This time last year I was almost ready to give up on commuting because of the number of Impromptu deflations (never use the P word). I use a CX bike, and after much searching went for Vittoria Cross XN, and over the winter have used XGs. I am never one to tempt the Impromptu deflation fairy, but to date I have only had about 3 deflation's in the past year, prior to that I was getting about one a week.

[Impromptu deflations] - I like that one :!:

Aguila

I also like conti gator skins,only 2 punctures in 4000 miles on them.

Other tips are:

1 Very close attention to tyre pressure. Use a proper track pump and keep pressures up middle of recommended range. I run at 100psi.

2 Have a very close look at the inside of the tyre to make sure you haven't left any fragments poking through.

3 Make sure your rim tape is fully intact.

thesmellyone

having brought Marathon Plus tyres a year back i don't even both avoiding glass on the roads and I've had zero punctures. Mine were very easy to get on and I've not had a problem with them since. Only draw back is that the feel of the ride has changed but for puncture free cycling i don't really care

Get yourself a pair and you see why so many folks on here use them.

The complaining tadpole

+1 for the Marathon Plus. While were on the subject has anyone tried the Schwalbe Durano Plus? It has a smartguard layer the same as the M+ but is a slicker, lighter tyre.
I'm tempted to give them a go but I cant find any reviews & the only place I've seen them
want's £33 each :shock:

sarajoy

The complaining tadpole wrote:

+1 for the Marathon Plus. While were on the subject has anyone tried the Schwalbe Durano Plus? It has a smartguard layer the same as the M+ but is a slicker, lighter tyre.
I'm tempted to give them a go but I cant find any reviews & the only place I've seen them
want's £33 each :shock:

I'm sorry, I have absolutely nothing to add to this thread, I just got inspired by Mr. Tadpole's name and found myself doing this:

http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?khs5v7hokwc

The complaining tadpole

That looks like an older tadpole than the one in my daughters storybook that inspired my name. ( After all we were all tadpoles at one time & I can be a miserable sod sometimes, so it seemed quite appropriate! ) The tadpole in her story was very young & kept moaning about the frogs in his pond ( in case your interested )

rbonegio

Not sure if this applies to road bikes, but I found it makes a huge difference with my MTB slicks to check the outside of the tyre once a month or so, and remove any glass, stones or other fragments that have become imbedded in the tyre. Since I started doing this with my Schwalbe Marathon Racers I think I have yet to puncture (honestly can't remember when the last one happened). Prior to this, the tyres were fine for several months after purchase, but I then started to puncture quite frequently. Problem solved though(!) and can definitely recommend these tyres very highly for commuting - I think they weigh quite a bit less than the standard Marathon tyres, so would definitely go for the Racers.

gtvlusso

Mick Cornick wrote:

Specialized armadillo’s or conti gator skins? Use the racing tyres for faster/summer rides but for day to day puncture proof riding I've not had a puncture on either of the two I suggested.

+1

They are like concrete boots! Great tyres for the daily grind - both sets.

cjcp

CIB - if you've had none in two years, sounds like you're doing everything right already. Looks like you're after immunity rather than resistance.

Christophe3967

I have both Rubino Pros and Gatorskins at present, and have used Armadillos in the past. They're all good for p***ture resistance but the Armadillos have no feel or grip compared with the other two. Having read the various threads, I have resolved to get some GP4000S s for the road bike next time.

Check the tyres weekly for glass, nails etc and keep them at a good pressure. And be good. The P Fairies only visit when you've done something really naughty.

lost_in_thought

Perhaps, and I'm making an assumption here, if you have had the same tyres for 2 years, they're just a bit worn out and you need new tyres...

I have the tyres that came with the bike on my SS commuter, never had a p*******, ride pretty indiscriminately over glassy areas, potholes I'm too dozy to avoid etc. but since I've only had it for just over a year, the tyres are still OK.

In fact, I haven't had an unscheduled deflation for nearly 4 years, (touch wood) which is fortunate seeing as I don't carry tools or a tube.

All I do is keep them pumped up, and check them for wear.

Wooliferkins

Gatorskin man myself they even survived the winter turbo sessions. I find when mine wear out they tell me very quickly. From no problems to serial punctures, possibility ChrisInBicester?

CiB

Thx all. I like the PR3s, they boot some donkey as far as I'm concerned so swapping them out for something else not the preferred choice, esp as they've only been on since January, about 600 miles ago. I reckon it's just a double-dose of bad luck so two fingers to the PF...

cjcp wrote:

CIB - if you've had none in two years, sounds like you're doing everything right already. Looks like you're after immunity rather than resistance.

Yeah - I want a bomb-proof bike that weighs about 3½ oz and will still get me to work in around an hour, and up to the farm in < 3. Not much to ask is it?

Toodle-pip.

biondino

The complaining tadpole wrote:

That looks like an older tadpole than the one in my daughters storybook that inspired my name. ( After all we were all tadpoles at one time & I can be a miserable sod sometimes, so it seemed quite appropriate! ) The tadpole in her story was very young & kept moaning about the frogs in his pond ( in case your interested )

TCP - here's your new avatar:

woodford2barbican

schwalbe stelvio plus

doog442

none in 2 years :roll:


get your original tyres

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