How to avoid punctures ??

Jody400

2011 Carrera fury (not that I should imagine it makes much difference)

6 punctures in less than 6 weeks !

Getting bored of them now, always caused by a thorn, always in the back tyre.
I know it's where I ride that causes part of the problem (the Mrs insists there is more to it as it's only my back tyre that gets the punctures :roll: ). I am wondering if there is anything I can do to reduce the risk?

thicker tubes?
different tyres? (rather not have to buy new tyres)
Slime?

what do I need and which brand should I buy ?

Twelly

Have you aligned the punctures with the tyre? Is the puncture in the same place every time?

You need to sweep the inside of the tyre for anything stuck in the rubber, you may find the same thorn has been spiking you.

If it is just bad luck... I had the same problem on my road bike. Swapped to a tyre with decent puncture protection and fitted a slime inner tube and I have had no problems since. This is a last resort though as it will make your wheel very heavy.

Jody400

Different thorn every time, I always sweep the tyre (made the mistake of not doing it when I was a kid!), often pull out thorns that haven't made it all the way through !

waby1234

I think that's a bit if bad luck, I've not had a puncture for months, but it depends what you are riding on.

You could try some puncture protection but depends on the advantages vs the disadvantages.

estampida

twellysmat - really..... a slime filled tube makes your wheel heavy....... who would have thought it

an old tube used as a sleeve will cut out most pinch punctures and most sharp objects damage, but twellysmat will argue endlessly that this is a bad idea (just cut the valve off and cut the tube up the inside)

but new tyre with heavier side-wall and tread, and a tube filled with slime will weigh more and cost you more that cutting up an old tube......

and you are more likely to get flats when its wet (the water acts as a cutting lubricant) on sharp objects, but twellysmat is the expert here..... apparently.... :roll:

EH_Rob

estampida wrote:

twellysmat - really..... a slime filled tube makes your wheel heavy....... who would have thought it

an old tube used as a sleeve will cut out most pinch punctures and most sharp objects damage, but twellysmat will argue endlessly that this is a bad idea (just cut the valve off and cut the tube up the inside)

but new tyre with heavier side-wall and tread, and a tube filled with slime will weigh more and cost you more that cutting up an old tube......

and you are more likely to get flats when its wet (the water acts as a cutting lubricant) on sharp objects, but twellysmat is the expert here..... apparently.... :roll:

Not that you're bitter about it or anything.

Chunkers1980

What a knob. This is beginners, you need to state the obvious.

cooldad

What tyres do you have at the moment. And ignore twellysmat and estampida - ongoing lovers tiff.

pilch

Sounds obvious really... but try to avoid riding over stuff that looks like puncture material, not always possible granted, but certain times of year when they cut hedges etc can be a nightmare... thorn laden twigs and cut off bits all over the shop, instead of riding over the debris just try and ride round it.

danlightbulb

I think slime tubes are great for thorn punctures. They add 100g per wheel over standard tubes hardly excessive. If you ride thorny areas then they are worth a try imo.

Brad123

I also had lots of puncher some time back. Did a lot of looking around and found ghetto tubeless. Did the back tyre first as was worried it would not work. 2 weeks later did the front. Have not had a flat yet and got lots of thorns in the tyres.
Just a idea
http://www.mtbtechniques.co.uk/MaintananceGhetto.html

FunBus

I haven't used Slime for years and when i did, the only thing i found it useful for was to highlight where the puncture was......with green slime oozing out! I dont rate it.

Twelly

cooldad wrote:

What tyres do you have at the moment. And ignore twellysmat and estampida - ongoing lovers tiff.

Oh if only we were lovers, but Mr 4 tubes has rejected me I personally think he is just playing hard to get. One day he will fall into my arms... one day.

estampida wrote:

twellysmat - really..... a slime filled tube makes your wheel heavy....... who would have thought it

an old tube used as a sleeve will cut out most pinch punctures and most sharp objects damage, but twellysmat will argue endlessly that this is a bad idea (just cut the valve off and cut the tube up the inside)

but new tyre with heavier side-wall and tread, and a tube filled with slime will weigh more and cost you more that cutting up an old tube......

and you are more likely to get flats when its wet (the water acts as a cutting lubricant) on sharp objects, but twellysmat is the expert here..... apparently.... :roll:

Ahahaha

waby1234

Get a room!! :-)

oxocube1

Use Tyre liners. They go between the innertube and the tyre protecting the tube. They don't add much weight, lighter than slime tubes and are a lot less messy.

YeehaaMcgee

I'm jinxing myself here, I know, but I can;t remember the last time I had a thorn puncture, modern tyres all seem quite resilient to them.
So, with that in mind, what tyres are you currently running?

estampida

he better be properly dilated, cos I pack some girth.... :roll:

lesz42

i use Panaracer tire liners, only once they failed in 3 years! light too


thorn about 3/4s of a inch long, right thru, and punctured in the inner face of the tube too


£10 a wheel

chez_m356

cooldad wrote:

What tyres do you have at the moment.

what condition is the tyre in ? i once had 4 punctures in a worn tyre in less than 2 hours, solution, new tyre, not had once since

MrGeebs

Re: How to avoid punctures ??

Walk.

cooldad

I think the OP has lost interest. Maybe he got a puncture and is still walking home.

YeehaaMcgee

MrGeebs wrote:

Re: How to avoid punctures ??

Walk.

Assuming you mean of the biological bipedal transport, then no, that doesn't work. I once had Nike Airs that punctured

paul.skibum

I am goign to go one further than Estampida and suggest getting a big arse downhill tyre, a normal size tube and putting a road tyre inbetween the tube and tyre to act as some added protection from flats - a sort of double bag technique as politically incorrect people might suggest employing with an ugly girl.

FunBus

i was brought up to believe the double bag technique was to put a paper bag on your own head, in case the one you already put on hers comes off!

following that belief, i would never recommend deploying the double bag technique whilst riding. A puncture will be the least of your worries!

....i like your thinking though Paul.

YeehaaMcgee

FunBus wrote:

i was brought up to believe the double bag technique was to put a paper bag on your own head, in case the one you already put on hers comes off!

Mutual autoerotic asphyxiation?
Sounds like you were bought up by someone from the house of lords.

FunBus

Luckily not......being at an age where Maggie Thatcher could have been my mum, my beliefs could have been far more obscure if that were actually the case.

maxedoutman

Darn punctures!

I went almost 3 years without one, purchased a new bike and got one within 5 minutes! Weird thing is it was on the inside of the wheel so couldn't even blame a thorn!

Twelly

maxedoutman wrote:

Darn punctures!

I went almost 3 years without one, purchased a new bike and got one within 5 minutes! Weird thing is it was on the inside of the wheel so couldn't even blame a thorn!

Rim tape not covering the ends of the spokes

cooldad

Or half a pinch flat.

Giraffoto

Types of puncture (not a complete list)
Wear puncture: caused by movement between the tube and tyre. Make sure the tube is the right size. Half inflate your tyre, wobble it around on the rim, let it down and re-inflate it. Not many people are this thorough. Or go tubeless.
Pinch flat: The tube is pinched between the rim and some hard obstacle. Pump it up a bit more and be a bit more careful about what you ride over. Can also be cause by using tyre levers to get your tyre back on - exercise those thumbs instead!
Inside puncture: Something has made a mysterious hole in your tube where it touches the rim. Fix your rim tape, and check for projecting spokes (this last especially if you built the wheel yourself. I just know. . . )
Instant puncture: You've ridden over something, it's stuck in your tyre and punctured the tube. Watch where you're going in future, and give recently cut hedges a wide berth. And make sure you get whatever it is out of the tyre
Delayed puncture: The same as above, except it hasn't gone through the tube straight away and takes a while to go down. Prevention as above.
Also . . . if you assume you can't do anything to prevent punctures, you won't try and you'll get more.

si2k2000

Having just bought a new mountain bike I'd be interested if there is an equivalent tyre to the Continental Gatorskins I run on my road bike which have been very reliable so far.