PUNCTURES - HELP!!!

Big Jim1

For my Charity ride in aid of my sons Acute Myeloid Leukaemia http://www.justgiving.com/williamlyne

, I'm doing a 265 mile ride over 5 days (actually it's looking nearer 290 miles).



Anyway, I've a Subway carrera hybrid which i've used for off and on road for years now. I use it as a bike to leave places and lock up and not be worried about. So I must have done at least a thousand miles on it over alsorts of terrain. I have never had a puncture and rarely have to pump the tyres up.



I thought as I'd be doing a fair amount of cycling on cycle paths for the charity ride, I'd buy a new higher spec hybrid. So bought a Giant Seek 1.

I've probably rid about 500 miles. During the past 200 miles I have had 3 punctures. the last ride I had 2 punctures in the space of a 52 mile ride. The punctures were after 10 miles, and at 52 miles (hence why I stopped).



So, why on a higher spec bike, am I getting these punctures which I've never had on my cheap Carrera?



The tyres on the Giant are Maxxis Detonators and are pretty slick. I have only really used the bike on roads and cycle paths.



What am I doing wrong?



Any advice is really appreciated

snoopsmydogg

Higher spec will have nothing to do with punctures. Have you tried running the carrera tyres on the new bike?

slowbike

tyres tyres tyres tyres ...

stock tyres on my new bike lasted ~1000 miles ... they're thin and I didn't expect them to last.
the replacement armadillos lasted the same ... a bit disappointed - the tread has come away ...

I'm now on a set of GP 4seasons - hoping they'll last a bit longer.

Big Jim1

snoopsmydogg wrote:

Higher spec will have nothing to do with punctures. Have you tried running the carrera tyres on the new bike?

Could give that a go.

Just wondering why the difference. I mean logic sort of makes you think the carrea and what I put it through, should puncture all the time.

Though they are slightly wider. Maybe that's the difference?

chriscdesign

Are you checking the tyre for the offending item, glass, grit etc? It's worth taking the tyre off and having a very close inspection, both inside and outside. Plus check the rim tape to see if there are sharp points. Plus when mounting the tyre be careful you don't pinch the inner tube as well.

Kingy 123

Continental gp4000s and schwalbe ultremo are two tyres ive used in the past with no problems at all.Ive had one puncture all year and that was a piece of metal that ripped a hole in them.

There are more puncture proof tyres out there but they dont roll as well and feel slugish.

Secteur

Big Jim1 wrote:

and rarely have to pump the tyres up.

??

Big Jim1

Secteur wrote:

Big Jim1 wrote:

and rarely have to pump the tyres up.

??

Unlike my Giant bikes tyres, the tyres on my Carrea seem to hold their pressure over multiple months. I can't remember the last time I had to get the track pump on them.

whereas the Giant bike I usually check they're up to pressure most rides, and often have to add a small amount (but not slow puncture amounts, etc)

Not sure if that's me being really amateur, or naive , or whatever. but just an observation.

Big Jim1

chriscdesign wrote:

Are you checking the tyre for the offending item, glass, grit etc? It's worth taking the tyre off and having a very close inspection, both inside and outside. Plus check the rim tape to see if there are sharp points. Plus when mounting the tyre be careful you don't pinch the inner tube as well.

Went to the Giant shop and exactly the advice they gave me.

We actually found a small bit of grit stuck in the wheel, but I think my argument is that with my carrea I've never had such problems. Why? Surely the quality of the carrea tyre isn't better than a bike 4 times it's price?

The Giant shop chap thought the Detonators should be fine and I've just been unlucky (and should check the things you mentioned).

oh I did check the tyre inside when I changed the puncture and didn't find anything. but didn't check the tape. am about to look in a moment.

Big Jim1

Kingy 123 wrote:

Continental gp4000s and schwalbe ultremo are two tyres ive used in the past with no problems at all.Ive had one puncture all year and that was a piece of metal that ripped a hole in them.

There are more puncture proof tyres out there but they dont roll as well and feel slugish.

thanks will look at this as a possible option.

Big Jim1

Just looked at both inner tubes i.e. to mend them. Both punctures were on the outside in similar places.
So either I was unlucky, or was the same bit of sharp that did the damage.

The thing is, the tyres were peppered with bits of grit that had stuck in. I'm wondering is it because I'm using slick tyres, that's the problem? I mean if I had some tread the grit wouldn't even get close to the inner tube?

Big Jim1

Just found this:
http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheel ... 89crx.aspx

says they're puncture prone.

BoydD

Not wanting to start the whole tyre debate over but.... I run Conti Gatorskins and they are fantastic for puncture protection, however if you do invest get the folding tyres as the wire beads are a cow to get on or off.

B

navrig

Check the inside of the Tyre thoroughly. I once had a Tyre with a thorn which was hidden until I pumped it over 35psi. I blew it off the rims twice and ruined two tubes.

♠ChumBucket♠

With the tyres that came with my bike (maxxis) I got a puncture almost every other ride, they were paper thin!!

I swapped them for continental sport contact (or something), slick in the middle with small nobbles on the edges. They are puncure proof & true to form- I haven't had a puncture yet!

slowbike

Big Jim1 wrote:

Just looked at both inner tubes i.e. to mend them. Both punctures were on the outside in similar places.
So either I was unlucky, or was the same bit of sharp that did the damage.

The thing is, the tyres were peppered with bits of grit that had stuck in. I'm wondering is it because I'm using slick tyres, that's the problem? I mean if I had some tread the grit wouldn't even get close to the inner tube?

Combination of the tyre and the tube - if the tube is wafer thin it is more prone to punctures ...

But as your punctures were in similar places then I'd say it's something in the tyre ... take it off the wheel and carefully inspect it.

I read some advice to align the tyre badge with the valve - that way you have a reference point to locate the cause of any puncture ...

g00se

Generally, standard road bike tyres will be made from softer, thinner rubber. This is to make them faster and easier on the hills. Hybrid/commuter tyres will be thicker with heavier carcasses and naturally more resistant to flints and the like.

You can get puncture resistant road tyres (Continental Gatorskin etc) for commuting and winter training which use kevlar belting etc. but they tend to make the bike a little slower, a little harder up the hills and feel a little less fun.

Race tyres are very thin and very soft, puncture easily and wear out quickly. But they're designed to be the fastest for racing.

Training tyres are a mix between the two - something like Schwalbe Ultremo DDs.

Big Jim1

The thing is, with the Detonators - they were fitted to my Seek 1 which I believe is a commuter bike. I don't see the advantage in more speed if they're considerably more prone to punctures i.e. you can get a few more mph, but lose a greater amount of time mending punctures at the side of the road. It's a bit like the tortoise and the hare, where the hare has to keep changing his inner tube.

I bought some Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700X32C from Amazon. Will see how I get on.
Taking into account on my ride, I'll be carry heavy panniers + a heavy big jim himself, I think the puncture protection is more important than the speed.

I also read this: http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheel ... 89crx.aspx

Every single person said they were bad for punctures.

Big Jim1

This made me laugh and I can sympathise:

"Detonate is exactly what these tires do. I had a stretch where I had 4 punctures in 5 days...front and back tires. You are better off riding bare innertubes wrapped in duct tape"

desweller

You don't have to go all the way from the Maxxis to Marathon+; the Marathon+ are famously unpleasant to ride on and difficult to fit and remove. There are plenty of tyres in between, e.g. Conti Gatorskin, GP4000S etc. etc.