Multiple punctures, advice needed.

Chinn39

I have had 3 punctures in the last four rides, before this none in over two years. I was riding 23mm shwalbe luganos at 100 psi, after first puncture took the opportunity to change tyres as they were showing wear. Now riding on 25 mm Michelin lithium 2 reinforced at 90psi and had two punctures in three rides. I am just under 80kg and riding the same roads generally, no obvious incident preceding puncture and no debris left in tyre or innertube.

Am a) unlucky and need to just crack on
to heavy to ride at 90 psi (side wall indicates 102 psi max) - if so what psi would you recommend.
C) something else I need to consider

Thanks in advance.

wbrad

Are the tubes puncturing in random positions or the same place each time? Inner side or outer side? Is your rim tape OK?
90psi sounds ok to me.
It's possible you are just having a bad run, but you would normally expect to find evidence at least one out of three times.

Sirius631

I had a spate of punctures earlier this year. I checked for the usual suspects, and found nothing each time. I then double checked the base tape, and found that it had become displaced slightly, allowing the slightest edge of spoke hole to become exposed. I used a screwdriver to re-centre the tape, and I've not had a repeat incident after that first month.

ayjaycee

Sometimes sh1t just happens. I recently had a bad day after nearly 1000 miles of very trouble free riding. Over the course of 25 miles, the rear wheel punctured, the front went 5 miles later, the chain came off at the front, it started peeing down and I came off big time on the towpath which was my final leg and a short way from home. Luckily, I came off on the 'land' side of the towpath (as opposed to going into the canal!) and it was a reasonably soft landing - at first I thought that I had got away without any damage to me or the bike but after I got home with various noises coming from the drive train, I looked closely and found a small chip and scratches on the rear derailleur and my right wrist started aching as the adrenaline rush wore off. It transpired that the RD was OK but the hanger was bent and has since been replaced. Now I've got that lot out of the way, here's to another 1000 miles of trouble free riding!

surrey_commuter

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19696485#p19696485]Chinn39[/url] wrote:

I have had 3 punctures in the last four rides, before this none in over two years. I was riding 23mm shwalbe luganos at 100 psi, after first puncture took the opportunity to change tyres as they were showing wear. Now riding on 25 mm Michelin lithium 2 reinforced at 90psi and had two punctures in three rides. I am just under 80kg and riding the same roads generally, no obvious incident preceding puncture and no debris left in tyre or innertube.

Am a) unlucky and need to just crack on
to heavy to ride at 90 psi (side wall indicates 102 psi max) - if so what psi would you recommend.
C) something else I need to consider

Thanks in advance.

Always remember that luck does not exist so concentrate on the other factors

Vslowpace

My experience is it's either coincidence or the tyres are worn and could do with being replaced.

Chinn39

All punctures on back wheel, first puncture was likely my own fault hit a decent size stone in poor light. But since then have ridden on new tyres and tubes.

I took the tyre and tube off and checked rim tape - seemed fine. Felt along the inside of the rim and found a dry piece of mud - obviously now removed. Not sure if this would be problem as would surely be against tyre wall rather than innertube, but may have been more I suppose.

I have reduced rear pressure to 80 psi and will give that a try.

When thinking over what I was doing wrong did think that the inner tubes have been sat in my saddle bag for the last two years, maybe led to being more easily perishable but think this is grasping now.

Hoping I ride a few miles before next puncture, upside to all this was I discovered a new LBS with really friendly staff and potential group rides, so hopefully a silver lining.

Bobbinogs

You need to find out why you are puncturing and then go from there. 90psi sounds ok but if you tw@t a big stone/pothole then you will probably puncture whatever.

The old trick is to take your time fitting the tube/tyre at home and line up the tyre logo (or other distinguishable mark) against the valve. Then, when you puncture, keep the tube and check it very carefully.

If there are two holes like a snakebite then it is likely you have pinchflatted. Line the tube against the wheel and you can check to see if the rims are still sharp...don't forget that the tube could have gone either way from the valve hole so repeat if necessary.

If the puncture was a single hole on the outside of the tube then line the tube against the tyre (aligning the valve against the logo/mark) and use the puncture location to narrow down the close inspection of the tyre...don't forget to repeat in the opposite direction of the valve.

Finally, if the puncture is on the inside of the tube then use the wheel/tube method and check for spoke/rim tape issues.

As stated above, punctures are not down to luck but the cause may have resolved itself (shard of glass falling off the tyre, etc)

cookeeemonster

Take note of all of the above first but...the best thing that has made a difference to me is a combination of buying puncture resistant tyres and checking them regularly. Because I commute everyday on crap cyclepaths/roads I check more or less after every wet ride and every time I need to pump the tyres up (once a week or so).

Amazing the amount of crap you can dig out of your tyres...which could otherwise work their way in (especially in the wet) and cause a puncture days/weeks/months down the line.

Actually I lie...the biggest difference has been to move to fat (35mm) tyres run at a lot lower pressure than normal road tyres...but I'm guessing you dont have that option even if you wanted to go that route.

bianchibob

When I reduced tyre pressures from around 100-105psi down to 90psi hoping to get a more comfortable ride I was plagued with punctures, several pinch many picking up flints on Hampshire roads. Got fed up with it so went back to higher pressures and punctures diminished rapidly.
My view for what its worth is that the 'softer' tyre is more prone to picking up and holding road debris that manifests itself as punctures.

beski

I went through a spate of punctures so changed to Schwalbe Durano Plus tyres which seem to be very good for puncture resistance (no punctures since, fingers crossed!)
Regarding tyre pressures I presume it depends on body weight (a heavier rider would need greater pressure to prevent pinch flats)
Checking tyres for small pieces of debris is good advice, on my previous tyres two punctures were from the same miniscule piece of gravel/flint embedded in the tyre which was missed on my first check after puncturing. I could only just feel the sharp point on the inside of the tyre, and had to dig it out with a pin!

fenix

Chinn - where are the punctures ? Are they from objects in the tyre, pinch flats, rim side ? Are you pinching the inner tube when you replace the tyres ?

Is your track pump old and lying about the pressure maybe ?

Chinn39

Thanks for all advice, I am now up to 5 punctures in six rides. I wasn't fastidious enough to with tyre position to be able to identify individual areas of tyre for specific inspection. Close look at inner tubes has shown all but first which was an impact have single hole / split in various positions which appear to be a third of the way up the innertube side wall.

I have so far tried reduced psi with no improvement, and had been using tyre levers to seat tyre.

Final steps have been new rim tape, tyre off - rim inspection - no obvious sharp points. A lot of trying and finally seating tyre by hand with no levers ( but still think if it was due to tyre lever it would be instant flat). I have also got a pressure gauge and found track pump underestimating by about 10 psi.

Here is hoping steps above plus accurate 90psi do the job.

On the upside I can change a tube at the roadside quicker than Ferrari, have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people to stop to make sure all ok.

jgsi

Multiple punctures = rider error.. simple as.
By the way Lithion 2 is rated up to 8bar.

desweller

In the side of the tyre eh? Do you have a damaged tyre carcass? Check for splits. What do the punctures look like? Are you using tyres levers to fit your tyres?

fenix

1/3 of the way up the sidewall sounds to me like you are catching the inner tube when you install the tyre.
Its the only explanation.

Bobbinogs

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19702766#p19702766]Fenix[/url] wrote:

1/3 of the way up the sidewall sounds to me like you are catching the inner tube when you install the tyre.
Its the only explanation.

Yepp, sounds likely particularly if the tyre inspection reveals nothing.

OP, don't forget to put a little air in the tube before fitting. Enough to get it into shape but not too much that it won't go into the tyre easily. That usually helps prevent nips with a lever but it also makes sense to be aware of the issue and be careful with that lever.

drlodge

I *always* try and find out what has caused the puncture before fitting a new inner tube, suggest you do the same. When you take the punctured inner tube out, find the hole and than marry this up with the tyre. That will tell you whereabouts on the tyre the puncture occurred, and you should then be able to work out what caused it.

Usually they'll be a small hole or some debris still in the tyre that needs to be removed. If there really is nothing, have a good look on the inside of the tyre and the rim at that point. As noted above, if the puncture is some way up the side then its more likely to be caused by the rim, rim tape or tyre fitting.

Chinn39

thank you for all the replies and advice.

I managed a 30 mile ride on fairly rough roads yesterday without incident.

Final steps of changing rim tape and perseverance with seating the tyre without levers coupled with an accurate pressure check seems to have done the trick. I have had the tyre off, inside out and checked with a light twice and can't find anything.

Got to think I was catching tube with levers.

Anyway I am off to sacrifice another animal to the puncture gods to try and appease them before trying a mid week ride.

PADDY_MB

I was totally fed up with punctures every ride. Even at 100 psi, I was picking them up with farmers trimming thorn hedges...etc. I then got a pair of Continental Gator skins and 2000 miles later, no punctures and the rolling isn't bad either (I'm not going to get any race medals at my age).

fenix

Except that the OP is causing his punctures himself in fitting the tubes and catching them....

Gatorskins are fine - but not the answer here.

drlodge

Gatorskins are NOT fine, horrible tyres!

itboffin

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19705186#p19705186]drlodge[/url] wrote:

Gatorskins are NOT fine, horrible tyres!

^ this is very good advice ^

perfectmark

What is the clearance like on your rear wheel, do you have a mud guard for example? Just wondering if you have a very tight clearance, maybe debris is getting caught on your tyre and then pushed into it as your wheel rotates.

redscouse

i am over 85 kg and have my 25 mm conti gp 4000s at 110-115psi according to pump...no pinch flats but flint still gets me occasionally, especiallty after foul weather around sussex downs

VeloHunter

Check your rim tape isn't causing them, I snarled my tape following a legitimate puncture which then went on to cause a half dozen others.