I give up!

absv
absv Posts: 149
edited April 2010 in MTB beginners
Got my new bike yesterday, Specialized Hardrock Sport. I went out for a test ride and got a puncture about 2 miles from home, que me pushing/carrying it home :lol: It turned out to be some glass, can't be helped I suppose. Noticed my pressures were low (after reading this forum) so I took them up to 30psi.

Went out today, about half a mile from home and another bloody puncture! I was only riding along a grass bank, can't see any damage to the tyre itself.

Is there something I'm doing wrong or just plain bad luck?

Comments

  • Eranu
    Eranu Posts: 712
    Bad luck, just carry a spare tube or two and a punture repair kit. I had a ride last year where I got 4 punctures in the space of about 200 yards :)
  • mf5
    mf5 Posts: 207
    You may want to purchase some new tyres, they usually put pretty rubbish ones on new bikes, mite give you a bit more protection but its just bad luck really
  • john74
    john74 Posts: 254
    check the inside of your tyres you may still have a shard of glass poking through the tyre hence puncturing the second time. this happened to me the other day with a thorn.
    2010 Forme Reve
    2010 Giant Talon 1
  • absv
    absv Posts: 149
    john74 wrote:
    check the inside of your tyres you may still have a shard of glass poking through the tyre hence puncturing the second time. this happened to me the other day with a thorn.

    Ahh good point, I'll check that. I forgot to say earlier that I don't have a pump (just one that runs from the car socket) and the LBS wasn't open today, hence me having to carry it home again :lol:

    All good fun though! :D
  • jpstar
    jpstar Posts: 561
    Make a pump top of your list, even if you dont have a spare tube, you can keep topping it up to get you home. Also, a puncture repair kit, such as the sticky pads rather than the glue on ones, much faster to repair tyre and get going again.
    Rigid Specialized Hardrock
  • john74
    john74 Posts: 254
    stick with mtbing and you will become an expert at tube changing.
    from punture to new tube and being fully inflated ive got it down to 4 mins.
    2010 Forme Reve
    2010 Giant Talon 1
  • rubins4
    rubins4 Posts: 563
    I had 2 in half an hour the other day, both snake bites. Completely my fault. Gutted. :lol: ( Infact, the first one I thought was a bit unfair).
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12613038
    Cat With No Tail wrote:
    Anyway, fk dis, I iz off 4 a ride innit. l8rz peepz
  • TorchXC
    TorchXC Posts: 33
    had this on my felt within the first few days, changed tubes over to airways and haven't had one in over 200 miles :)
    running my pressures at 30ish sometimes lower depending on terrain
    Giant Reign
    KCNC / Superstar / Shimano SLX / Avid Elixir 'R' / Jagwire / SDG Ti Fly / 66's / Fox RP23.
  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    absv wrote:
    Went out today, about half a mile from home and another bloody puncture! I was only riding along a grass bank, can't see any damage to the tyre itself.

    If you inspect the tube to find the puncture, it can give clues as to what is happening. If it's on the "outside" of the tube, it'll have been a thorn or glass or something, so check it's still not in the tyre. If it's 2 holes on the inside of the tube, it'll be a snakebite / pinch flat, where the tube gets pinched by the rim. These things just happen, but running higher pressures can help. If it's a single puncture sort of in the middle of the "inside" of the tube, check the rim strip is aligned correctly and that the tops of spokes aren't protruding through it.
  • wavey1490
    wavey1490 Posts: 39
    check yout tyre and the rim too encase it got a small spur on it once it went flat plus get yourself a pump for on the trail and put more pressure in your hoops you want to run them around 45-50psi. With it being so soft at 30 you may have got a pinch flat
    Anorexic Racing Snake ;)
  • absv
    absv Posts: 149
    wavey1490 wrote:
    check yout tyre and the rim too encase it got a small spur on it once it went flat plus get yourself a pump for on the trail and put more pressure in your hoops you want to run them around 45-50psi. With it being so soft at 30 you may have got a pinch flat

    Will check the rim tonight as I didn't do that when i checked the tyre :oops: I'm a bit nervous about taking the pressure up and higher, it's currently at 30psi and the sidewalls appear to be bulging a bit whereas the same pressure in my missus bike looks OK. Shall I just wack it up to 40psi and hope for the best?

    The second puncture was just a hole in the tyre but with jagged edges; you know if you put a few holes with a pencil in cardbaord, that kind of effect.
  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    You'll be fine; the tyres and rims will be rated for much higher pressures than 30psi. The rims might have a maximum pressure written on them somewhere, and most tyres will also tell you the maximum pressure as well as recommended minimum pressure. You'll probably find that your tyres suggest 30psi was too low.

    Anywhere between 30-60 psi is usually fine on most mountain bikes.
    absv wrote:
    The second puncture was just a hole in the tyre but with jagged edges; you know if you put a few holes with a pencil in cardbaord, that kind of effect.

    How big is the hole in the tyre?
  • absv
    absv Posts: 149
    asdfhjkl wrote:
    You'll be fine; the tyres and rims will be rated for much higher pressures than 30psi. The rims might have a maximum pressure written on them somewhere, and most tyres will also tell you the maximum pressure as well as recommended minimum pressure. You'll probably find that your tyres suggest 30psi was too low.

    Anywhere between 30-60 psi is usually fine on most mountain bikes.
    absv wrote:
    The second puncture was just a hole in the tyre but with jagged edges; you know if you put a few holes with a pencil in cardbaord, that kind of effect.

    How big is the hole in the tyre?

    I couldn't see one.what would a pinch flat look like?
  • drobeu0
    drobeu0 Posts: 21
    rubins4 wrote:
    I had 2 in half an hour the other day, both snake bites. Completely my fault. Gutted. :lol: ( Infact, the first one I thought was a bit unfair).

    Snake bites, is that code or a mbk term i haven't heard of or actually snake bites if so where are you riding the amazon!
  • asdfhjkl
    asdfhjkl Posts: 333
    absv wrote:
    absv wrote:
    ]The second puncture was just a hole in the tyre but with jagged edges; you know if you put a few holes with a pencil in cardbaord, that kind of effect.

    I couldn't see one.what would a pinch flat look like?

    Oh, you meant tube, not tyre.

    See below. The punctures will appear on the "inside" circle of the tube, due to being pinched by the rim.
    drobeu0 wrote:
    rubins4 wrote:
    I had 2 in half an hour the other day, both snake bites. Completely my fault. Gutted. :lol: ( Infact, the first one I thought was a bit unfair).

    Snake bites, is that code or a mbk term i haven't heard of or actually snake bites if so where are you riding the amazon!

    It's a nickname given to pinch flats, because you get two punctures on opposite sides of the tube, making it look as though a snake has sunk fangs into it :P
  • rubins4
    rubins4 Posts: 563
    :P :P

    Yeah, thats the one.

    No snakes round my way, fortunately!
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12613038
    Cat With No Tail wrote:
    Anyway, fk dis, I iz off 4 a ride innit. l8rz peepz
  • nwmlarge
    nwmlarge Posts: 778
    how much do you weigh?

    i weigh 85kg and run 45-50psi at both ends on my maxxis high rollers on my giant stp hard tail.

    i have got one puncture so far and i put this down to technique over sharp objects or trail features and the pressure in the tyre preventing any pinch flats.
    i mostly ride down hill and jumps with the occasional 10mile jaunt about the place.
    2013 Saracen Ariel 162
    2010 Specialized Allez in Matt Silver

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