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Best way to stop punctures

bevans1986bevans1986 Posts: 29
edited January 2010 in Road beginners
It says it in the title really, I have a Carrera Virtuoso with the original tyres and I keep on getting punctures. I have done approx 1000 miles, the tyres seem in ok condition.

So what are my options? I was looking at some sealent (the slime stuff) but you can't use it with presta, so I have been looking for self sealing tubes however there are none that I can find in the correct size i.e. 700 x 25 finally I have been looking at some puncture resistant tape or new tires: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Larg ... elID=24609

Any advice would be most appreciated!

Posts

  • ademortademort Posts: 1,924
    Are the punctures in the same place?Could be a spoke problem, have you checked. Do you have rim tape on the rim, if not it helps to fit a good quality rim tape. Also the correct tyre pressure also plays a part in minimising punctures. If all of the above are ok then perhaps it,s just bad luck. You could just buy two Michelin Krylion carbon tyres 700x25c and all your troubles should be over?
    Ademort
    ademort
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  • bevans1986bevans1986 Posts: 29
    Ahh the spokes, that's not something I thought of, i'll check that. I've got to say the wheels are shockingly built I should really have taken them back but I never got round to it and it's been a bit too long now.

    Thanks for the suggestion re the tires too, reviews look good so i'll consider them. Thanks!
  • sub55sub55 Posts: 1,025
    Best way to stop punctures
    :?:

    stay in bed :lol:
    constantly reavalueating the situation and altering the perceived parameters accordingly
  • lifecyclist2010lifecyclist2010 Posts: 101
    http://www.notubes.com/product_info.php ... cts_id/481

    Best and only PROPER puncture resistant tyre combo! You got to check out their videos as well they are an awesome product.
  • pastey_boypastey_boy Posts: 2,083
    tubeless isnt the miracle cure it purports to be . two rides on two different sets of tyres and punctures both times,one from a sidewall gash and the 2nd from a piece of glass. the first i can understand but the glass puncture should have sealed. gone back to normal tubes but i may give tubless one last chance on my new bike as i spent a fortune on the gear and maybe just had bad luck
    Viner Salviati
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    Px Ti Custom
    Cougar 531
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    Orange Clockwork 2007 ltd ed
    Yeti ASR 5
    Cove Hummer XC Ti
  • rakerake Posts: 3,204
    some of them rims are drilled for schrader valves. if your using presta tubes the hole may be too big to support the tube around the valve.
  • skinsonskinson Posts: 362
    MTB or road bike
  • ktaylorktaylor Posts: 58
    As the Dime bar advert once said: "I like armadillos"
    http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/2192/specialized-armadillo-tyres-cycling-puncture"
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    If your rims are ok and not causing punctures (you do know to look for the reason behind the flat dont you ? - they dont usually happen for no reason) then upgrade your tyres.

    Conti Gp4000S have been brilliant for me - run them at 90 PSI and you'll have no problems.

    Other people will have other fave tyres though.
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    If your rims are ok and not causing punctures (you do know to look for the reason behind the flat dont you ? - they dont usually happen for no reason) then upgrade your tyres.

    Conti Gp4000S have been brilliant for me - run them at 90 PSI and you'll have no problems.

    Other people will have other fave tyres though.
  • bevans1986bevans1986 Posts: 29
    Thanks for the replies guys.

    I checked out the rims, spokes and valve which all appear fine.

    I run the tires at 100psi usually, it is strange though because throughout the summer I had no problems with punctures but since it started getting colder (October time) I am inundated with them. However from what you have all said I will look at getting a new set of tires and hope that this solves the problem!
  • ProssPross Posts: 34,877
    Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but you aren't pinching the tubes when fitting them are you? I assume you know to partially inflate them before putting them on the rim? Wouldn't bother with the sealant myself, makes a right mess.
  • John StevensonJohn Stevenson Posts: 962
    You can put sealant into Continental presta-valve tyres. The valve cores are removable.
    John Stevenson
  • bolshiebobbolshiebob Posts: 7
    bevans1986
    You can buy slime liners from Halfords.

    It is a flexible strip that fits between the inner tube and tyre and can be used for virtually all tyre sizes.

    Since using them I have gone from puncture a week to a few punctures a year.

    side wall punctures are not prevented however and hawthorn will still be a problem
  • rakerake Posts: 3,204
    it might just be flints and glass that era embeded in thrb rubber out of sight. try new tyres.
  • morstarmorstar Posts: 5,748
    I can second third and 4th all the comments regarding rims, spokes etc.
    My only complaint with my commuting bike related to the unprecedented number of punctures I got.
    I got absolutely stuffed in every department. Tyres were made of tracing paper, rim tape was poorly aligned and the rims were burred. Suspect the tubes weren't great either.
    With hindsight, it is also somewhat amusing that I had an old tube of glue in my saddle bag that had all the stickiness of teflon.
    New rim tape x 2, new inner tube x2, new tyres x 2 and last but not least, a new tube of glue.
    Not a great expense (I don't do great expense) hardly a puncture since.
    Overkill? Possibly, best money ever spent on the bike? Definitely, I was beginning to dread riding and had absolutely no confidence in the bike.
    I'd suggest a similar approach.
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