Schwalbe Ultremo ZX 23x622, two rides, two punctures

p1tse
p1tse Posts: 694
edited February 2013 in Road general
First time was on the rear and pinched a pothole
Now second time front tyre and unsure how it happened, need to inspect tyre and inner tube when I get a chance
Wanted: Cube Streamer/Agree GTC Compact / Pro/ Race : 53cm

Comments

  • declan1
    declan1 Posts: 2,470
    Interesting.

    Road - Dolan Preffisio
    MTB - On-One Inbred

    I have no idea what's going on here.
  • 16mm
    16mm Posts: 545
    I had a puncture a month over 6 months last year, in ZXs. First ride on them this year another puncture.
    They roll great and are fast, but have poor puncture resistance. Binned mine after todays puncture.
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    16mm wrote:
    I had a puncture a month over 6 months last year, in ZXs. First ride on them this year another puncture.
    They roll great and are fast, but have poor puncture resistance. Binned mine after todays puncture.

    if you binned them then please recycle them and send them to me - seriously :)

    I've had numerous pairs of these in 23 and 25 and can count on 3 fingers the number of punctures I've had!
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    p1tse wrote:
    First time was on the rear and pinched a pothole
    Now second time front tyre and unsure how it happened, need to inspect tyre and inner tube when I get a chance

    Out of interest, what pressures did you do put in them?
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I have two sets of these and they are for sure race tyres but I love them, i've had a couple of visits but mostly because the road around here aren't real tarmac anymore more rutted muddy potholed farm tracks.

    This wont stop me using them just not on the commute when I actually care about how long it takes to get where im going.

    Also keep them inflated 110-120 psi seems to help.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    itboffin wrote:
    I have two sets of these and they are for sure race tyres but I love them, i've had a couple of visits but mostly because the road around here aren't real tarmac anymore more rutted muddy potholed farm tracks.

    This wont stop me using them just not on the commute when I actually care about how long it takes to get where im going.

    Also keep them inflated 110-120 psi seems to help.

    I think they need to be kept at over 100, I only ever had 1 puncture and it was the one time I didn't rememeber to pump them up to what I normally ride on. I don't think it was a coincidence that I got the flat. I even noticed I picked up more abrasions than normal that day.
  • itboffin wrote:
    I have two sets of these and they are for sure race tyres but I love them, i've had a couple of visits but mostly because the road around here aren't real tarmac anymore more rutted muddy potholed farm tracks.

    This wont stop me using them just not on the commute when I actually care about how long it takes to get where im going.

    Also keep them inflated 110-120 psi seems to help.

    I think they need to be kept at over 100, I only ever had 1 puncture and it was the one time I didn't rememeber to pump them up to what I normally ride on. I don't think it was a coincidence that I got the flat. I even noticed I picked up more abrasions than normal that day.

    :lol:
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    They are fast training tyres / amateur race tyres.

    They have minimal puncture resistance.

    On UK roads, why is the OP suprised by this?
  • Secteur wrote:
    They are fast training tyres / amateur race tyres.

    They have minimal puncture resistance.

    On UK roads, why is the OP suprised by this?

    He seems the type to be surprised that the sun comes up every day
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Secteur wrote:
    They are fast training tyres / amateur race tyres.

    They have minimal puncture resistance.

    On UK roads, why is the OP suprised by this?

    Not sure I read much surprise in his post. And as I say, 1 puncture in over 6 months running Zx's shows they aint as bad as people suggest. Yes they cut from time to time, but they stick to the road in all weather and I feel confident using them. If you don't like them, fine. Go use Conti or Michelin or whatever brand you like but don't scare people away from them without having just cause. BTW, the ZX DD are very good at puncture protection and still have lower rolling resistance than a most of the tyres out there.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I've had a pair in my Enigma since last June, not had a single problem with them, and there are a lot of sh*t roads around here.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • 1_reaper
    1_reaper Posts: 322
    Six thasound miles odd last year with several pairs and three flats. Run them at 120. I weigh 65KG. Just maybe the OP is unlucky?
  • They seem to be very hit and miss when you read reviews. I have some in the garage, they came with the bike but I took them off and replaced them with some GP4000s without really giving them much of a chance as the general consensus was if they didn't give you loads of punctures, they'd wear out anyway within 600-700 miles.
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    I'm biased.

    I've only ever had 2 punctures, and both were in the short 6 weeks i was using these tyres - one after 100 miles, the other after about 10 miles.

    Otherwise i've always used Schwalbe Duranos with no punctures and to be honest i couldnt tell any difference from the ultremo's in terms of the ride.

    Buying better wheels (Equipes) made a massive difference - using "sportier" (Ultremos) tyres didnt
  • p1tse
    p1tse Posts: 694
    Not an element of surprise but wanted to gauge other users experience.
    Does inner tube make any difference?

    What I am surprised about is that the hole I got in the inner tube was rim tape side?
    Wanted: Cube Streamer/Agree GTC Compact / Pro/ Race : 53cm
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    Been running ultremos for 2years on all sorts of roads not a single puncture, you've been unlucky is my guess
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    I blame farmers cutting hedges
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    p1tse wrote:
    Not an element of surprise but wanted to gauge other users experience.
    Does inner tube make any difference?

    What I am surprised about is that the hole I got in the inner tube was rim tape side?

    Is this not more likely to be debris inside the rim and not the tyre?
  • Raffles
    Raffles Posts: 1,137
    conti ultra gatorskin here, 23 and i run em at F/R 100/110 and love them and never had a problem .....great tyres
    2012 Cannondale CAAD 8 105
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I had 50 punctures in my first year of riding a road bike, dont believe me ..? i created a thread to record them, I even had two whilst not on the bike in front of multiple BR witnesses.

    Me and the PF we're like that X
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Tyre pressure is a very subjective thing, and also very dependent on weight. I am 65kg and run my tyres at 80f/90r and don't get any problems. In fact, the Schwalbes are great at that pressure, very supple, fast and yet grippy at the same time. No visits from the fairy for a long while.

    If you get a pinch flat then it means you either tw*ted a pothole (so it's a bit tough to blame the tyre) or haven't got the tyre pressure right for your weight.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Secteur wrote:
    They are fast training tyres / amateur race tyres.

    They have minimal puncture resistance.

    On UK roads, why is the OP suprised by this?
    Because people come on here claiming all sorts of wonderful things like no punctures in 1000's of miles or no problems with low spoke count wheels even if they are 100 kg
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    smidsy wrote:
    Secteur wrote:
    They are fast training tyres / amateur race tyres.

    They have minimal puncture resistance.

    On UK roads, why is the OP suprised by this?
    Because people come on here claiming all sorts of wonderful things like no punctures in 1000's of miles or no problems with low spoke count wheels even if they are 100 kg

    I must be lying then, no ultremo puncture's in 2 years and no problems with my low spoke count wheels! not 100kg tho
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    I must be lying then, no ultremo puncture's in 2 years and no problems with my low spoke count wheels! not 100kg tho

    No just lucky. And good on ya for that.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    smidsy wrote:
    I must be lying then, no ultremo puncture's in 2 years and no problems with my low spoke count wheels! not 100kg tho

    No just lucky. And good on ya for that.

    must say i'm surprised, prior to that running ultra gatorskins punctures were a regular occurance, only thing i can pin it on is the tyres and losing 10kg, and obviously some luck, who knows, but am pleasantly surprised :)
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • nolight
    nolight Posts: 261
    I use Ultremo ZX 700x23C tires with 105-110 psi. No problem so far over 1000km.
  • 16mm
    16mm Posts: 545
    Bigpikle wrote:
    16mm wrote:
    I had a puncture a month over 6 months last year, in ZXs. First ride on them this year another puncture.
    They roll great and are fast, but have poor puncture resistance. Binned mine after todays puncture.

    if you binned them then please recycle them and send them to me - seriously :)

    I've had numerous pairs of these in 23 and 25 and can count on 3 fingers the number of punctures I've had!
    The sidewalls on one was disintegrating. Maybe a bad batch, but I'm not getting any more. They are safest in the bin.