How common are punctures?

PhildB

Despite daily commuting and off road rides on bridal ways, woods etc, in four years my hybrid only got two punctures. From conversations I've had with roadie colleagues, punctures on road bikes seem are much more (almost weekly) occurance. This surprises me, - are road tyres really that delicate!?

How often do you expect / have you been getting - a puncture (roughly!?)

styxd

Not very often really. I dont know how many miles I did last year, I'd guess somewhere between 6000 - 8000. I can remember getting two punctures in that time (possibly 3)

I use 23c Conti GP4000s tyres at 100psi and I weigh 11 stone. Maybe I've been lucky

wishitwasallflat

Personally I have had about five in three years - but there are so many variables invovled to get any kind of average figure would need a sample of 10,000's and factor analysis.

ilm_zero7

3 this month - getting jacked off now!

sheffsimon

ILM Zero7 wrote:

3 this month - getting jacked off now!

Bit too much information there

Will Nunez

Too many variables.

I do 550 miles per month commute on crap urban roads. Where its not urban the cycle track has many hawthorn bushes lining the way. 99% of my punctures are on the commute. I do 2-300 leisure miles a month at weekend strictly country routes. Have only ever had a pinch flat once in three years on a weekend ride. All the others are the result of crap roads.

Used to use conti gatorskins and had them more frequently then (2-3 per month - more in winter). Since switching to Schwalbe Ive fared a lot better, think ive had 4 in last 6 months

luv_shimano

It really depends on your tyres.

The standard tyres which came with my bike where good to start off with but after 500 or so miles it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to get punctures twice in one ride.

Got some gatorskins and have never looked back.

The only time they've failed me is when I rode over a sheet of perspex.

neilo23

You're asking people to tempt fate by asking this!
I didn't have 1 for 4 years. Don't ask me how. But in May last year I got my new bike and had one within 5 minutes of leaving the house. I would write that I haven't had another since, but that would guarantee that I get one the next time I'm out.

Wirral_paul

Every time the "P" word is mentioned, you get one!! I'll tempt fate and say i've had 3 in 1 year / 4,000 miles or so

rolf_f

Also helps if you keep them pumped up - ie top the air pressure up to correct amount at least once a week. Makes a huge difference but a lot of people wait til the tyres get squishy.

PhildB

That's funny, now you mention it, the last time I got a "P" I remember thinking to myself a few days before "I have'nt had a "P" for years!" , - how weird?!

centimani

This is strange, i just thought about punctures...and when, and came up with the opposite to what i thought i would.
All year round commuter (till late this last summer) and moderate distance pleasure, fitness riding in the countryside.
Commuting, (70% of my riding) i rarely got punctures, but countryside riding (about 30%) i'd fall foul more often.
Why i ask myself, i'd have thought it would be the other way round.

Commuting...i ride a strong secondary, away from the kerbs, away from debris, less punctures.
Countryside...thorns from hedges. There's just no escape, if theyve cut hedges, its in the lap of the gods where the thorns are.

sheffsimon

neilo23 wrote:

You're asking people to tempt fate by asking this!
I didn't have 1 for 4 years. Don't ask me how. But in May last year I got my new bike and had one within 5 minutes of leaving the house. I would write that I haven't had another since, but that would guarantee that I get one the next time I'm out.

Too right, got two on my way home after posting earlier on this thread. First for ages. :evil:

And somebody drove into the back of me at a junction, not hard, just a nudge, to$$er

neiltb

We don't like to talk of those things, but if we talk about cheese scones, I've had 1 in 4 years, short commute.

The wife cycles twice as far and has had 1 in 3 years.

Pross

I've been back riding for just over two years and have had 3 punctures in that time. The first was somehow caused when my foot slipped off the pedal into the front wheel, the second when the blackthorn hedges were being cut (I tried to avoid the worst but my tyre ended up sliced to pieces!) and the last time was on Tuesday when I hit a pothole. I tend to ride tougher training tyres rather than faster but less robust tyres. I think a lot of punctures result from either incorrect tyre pressure or poor maintenance together with people using lightweight tyres for general riding.

bendertherobot

There is no way I could answer this and tempt fate. No way at all.

I have this, well, mate though. He's had excellent luck. He's been riding for 5 years now, 3-4 and sometimes even 7 days a week. Loads of commuting. Probably does upwards of 6-8,000 miles a year. He's had several bikes with Krylion, GP4000, Ultremo and Marathon+

In terms of punctures, he's had three in that time. And never had one on a sportive.

Arguably you COULD add another 2 when an original set of Ultremos went bang together. But they were faulty as is well documented.

So, all in all, pretty good.

CiB

Punctures are dead common. Only poor people with cheap tyres have them.

Seriously? You get punctures when sharp pointy things get through your tyres usually. Avoid sharp pointy things like stones, glass, tree debris and discarded drugs paraphernalia and you might be ok. Best way to avoid sharp pointy objects is to look out for them and try to avoid riding over them. Not riding in the gutter - so primary, or secondary when necessary - is a good start. Avoid potholes and metalwork, and keep the pressure up at around what most people see as the norm at ~100psi and you should be ok.

From time to time you'll get a flat, but avoiding the cause rather than running bullet-proof tyres is a good start. Me? Mich Pro 3s, three flats since about June, two of those in the dim dark of winter.

rc856

I also have a 'mate' who hasn't had a 'P' in a long time.
He uses Gatorskins and they've been great.

Personally, I deflate and inflate my tyres before each ride.
Maybe it's a wee superstition but it does me ok.

shouldbeinbed

More on my roadie than on the folder & the jeep bike.