Discussion
I commented on a puncture thread at the start of the month. My next ride was my first puncture in 18 + months and 9 - 10k miles ... my Mrs got a puncture on the same ride ... we only had two gas canisters (she forgot the pump ... ) on of which got wasted, resulting a 9 mile ride on a total flat down Carlton Bank into Helmsley. So now, I don't comment on such threads.;)
I'd been off the bikes for 12 days until yesterday. I went out on the old steel road bike, and within a mile I had a "pffffffffft!" and most of the air I'd put in the tube had escaped. Half an hour to sort too, as I couldn't get the damned bead to seat properly in the rim, which required giving the whole wheel a 'good kicking' to get it to pop into place. I was crossing my fingers big-time, too, as it was my last repair patch 
A bit of an 'odd' puncture too, as it was almost perfectly round, without a 'flap' of rubber, almost like someone had used a mini hole punch on it. Given my location at the time, I think I may have been shot at...? Rough area of Farnborough, that Mayfield Road
...oh, and yes, I know the tyres have 'had it'. But they'll have to soldier on for now, while I decide what type and size to replace them with.
A bit of an 'odd' puncture too, as it was almost perfectly round, without a 'flap' of rubber, almost like someone had used a mini hole punch on it. Given my location at the time, I think I may have been shot at...? Rough area of Farnborough, that Mayfield Road
...oh, and yes, I know the tyres have 'had it'. But they'll have to soldier on for now, while I decide what type and size to replace them with.
Nice method above for resting the bike I'm gonna nick that!
Last puncture I had was on the first big ride since I fitted the new tyre to my bike, think it was a pinch due to using levers. Barstard went, 1/2 mile from my house at the end of a 70 mile club ride on a 45mph down hill! Spent 20 mins trying to reseat the tyre, as one little bit wouldn't sit 100% on the rim, gave up and limped home on the pavement with 40psi in there
I notice they are conti 4 seasons, great tyre I have on my steel bad weather roadie
But Ive been running : http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-randonneur-ii-tyr... on my commuter in 32c. Bloody brill tyre, bit heavy but handles 8 miles of tarmac. 2 miles of gravel singletrack and lumpy bridleway with easy, great tyre for mild off road and tarmac, lasted ages, cheap, roll well and no punctures.
Contis are better for just road, the Vittorias are better if you factor in gravel and tracks IMO
Last puncture I had was on the first big ride since I fitted the new tyre to my bike, think it was a pinch due to using levers. Barstard went, 1/2 mile from my house at the end of a 70 mile club ride on a 45mph down hill! Spent 20 mins trying to reseat the tyre, as one little bit wouldn't sit 100% on the rim, gave up and limped home on the pavement with 40psi in there
I notice they are conti 4 seasons, great tyre I have on my steel bad weather roadie
But Ive been running : http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-randonneur-ii-tyr... on my commuter in 32c. Bloody brill tyre, bit heavy but handles 8 miles of tarmac. 2 miles of gravel singletrack and lumpy bridleway with easy, great tyre for mild off road and tarmac, lasted ages, cheap, roll well and no punctures.
Contis are better for just road, the Vittorias are better if you factor in gravel and tracks IMO
On the mountain bike, had a few over the years, but its par for the course really.
Road bike, one puncture in the 3-4 years ive been doing it (a few thousand miles). It was a morning riding to work, and the previous night I had been telling a mate "ive never had a puncture" and poo-poo'ing the idea of solid rubber tyres that he was saying was a great idea.
True story.
Road bike, one puncture in the 3-4 years ive been doing it (a few thousand miles). It was a morning riding to work, and the previous night I had been telling a mate "ive never had a puncture" and poo-poo'ing the idea of solid rubber tyres that he was saying was a great idea.
True story.
TwistingMyMelon said:
Nice method above for resting the bike I'm gonna nick that...
...I notice they are conti 4 seasons, great tyre I have on my steel bad weather roadie
But Ive been running : http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-randonneur-ii-tyr... on my commuter in 32c. Bloody brill tyre, bit heavy but handles 8 miles of tarmac. 2 miles of gravel singletrack and lumpy bridleway with easy, great tyre for mild off road and tarmac, lasted ages, cheap, roll well and no punctures.
Contis are better for just road, the Vittorias are better if you factor in gravel and tracks IMO
I shall have a look into those, thanks! I'm looking for something to suit exactly the use you describe. It was going to be 28c GP 4 Seasons. I'd tried some larger Conti 'tough' commuter tyres salvaged from the wife's old bike, but they were too big. They were either 38c or 40c I think (couldn't find a size on the sidewall, unusually). Would you be willing to put a calliper on those Vittorias, as fitted, for me? I can get a better idea then of whether there's frame (and brake calliper) space for them, and whether I'll need to ditch the salvaged mudguards to get them on....I notice they are conti 4 seasons, great tyre I have on my steel bad weather roadie
But Ive been running : http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-randonneur-ii-tyr... on my commuter in 32c. Bloody brill tyre, bit heavy but handles 8 miles of tarmac. 2 miles of gravel singletrack and lumpy bridleway with easy, great tyre for mild off road and tarmac, lasted ages, cheap, roll well and no punctures.
Contis are better for just road, the Vittorias are better if you factor in gravel and tracks IMO
I had 3 punctures in the first 35 years of riding a bike.
I've since had 5 in 10 weeks! They're driving me crazy at the moment.
I run 700 x 38c commuter tyres on a hybrid bike. After the first 3 punctures, I swapped the tyres to a pair of Michelin Protek Puncture Protection Tyres.
I then got a puncture in the rear tyre on the commute to work - thankfully it was a glorious sunny morning for the 25 min walk to finish the journey.
Next, I tried to be smart and thought I'd run 'self healing' inner tubes, but the 'puncture fairy' had other ideas and promptly granted me with yet another walk home!
I think I'll have to bulk buy some inner tubes - are there any brands that are better than others?
Or, is it possible to swap to a smaller tyre with my existing wheel?
I've since had 5 in 10 weeks! They're driving me crazy at the moment.
I run 700 x 38c commuter tyres on a hybrid bike. After the first 3 punctures, I swapped the tyres to a pair of Michelin Protek Puncture Protection Tyres.
I then got a puncture in the rear tyre on the commute to work - thankfully it was a glorious sunny morning for the 25 min walk to finish the journey.
Next, I tried to be smart and thought I'd run 'self healing' inner tubes, but the 'puncture fairy' had other ideas and promptly granted me with yet another walk home!
I think I'll have to bulk buy some inner tubes - are there any brands that are better than others?
Or, is it possible to swap to a smaller tyre with my existing wheel?
I've had two on Vittoria Rubino Pros. One was from a box staple coming through Balham, and the other thanks to some utter cock distributing a box of drawing pins (all point upwards, so no accident) across a road near Cobham.
My mountain bikes are both tubeless, and having no issues at present.
I did, however, go through a phase of puncturing Continental GP 4 Seasons (one set of 23c and one of 28c) almost constantly on my commute. The record was three in one 15 mile ride, two on the back wheel (in different places on the tyre/rim) and one on the front. I flogged them on eBay, and have since been puncture free on some Conti CX Race (or something like that).
My mountain bikes are both tubeless, and having no issues at present.
I did, however, go through a phase of puncturing Continental GP 4 Seasons (one set of 23c and one of 28c) almost constantly on my commute. The record was three in one 15 mile ride, two on the back wheel (in different places on the tyre/rim) and one on the front. I flogged them on eBay, and have since been puncture free on some Conti CX Race (or something like that).
Always used to have to guesstimate my tyre pressures as gauge on pump was broken.......was getting pinch punctures regularly until i bought a new pump and discovered i was only running 60-70 psi, am now running at 100psi and no more punctures since 
Always used to be the rear that blew which meant touching the chain which meant getting oily marks all over bar tape as didn't want to put riding gloves back on as didn't want oil inside them !!
Nowadays i've stuffed a couple of pairs of latex gloves into saddle bag with my spare tube so as to keep hands oil free if doing a rear wheel puncture again, top tip from the Spirit there
Always used to be the rear that blew which meant touching the chain which meant getting oily marks all over bar tape as didn't want to put riding gloves back on as didn't want oil inside them !!
Nowadays i've stuffed a couple of pairs of latex gloves into saddle bag with my spare tube so as to keep hands oil free if doing a rear wheel puncture again, top tip from the Spirit there
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