Fixing Punctures / Puncture Repair / Exploding Tubes

pretty much like lightbulbs, it might last decades or simply minutes.

Lots of punctures all of a sudden? New tyres time.

Based on GA2G's excellent list I fitted Maxxis (forum approved). Rolling with confidence now.

https://www.londonfgss.com/thread11148.html

Its's worth checking your rim tape is covering your spoke ends too

I've been rolling on Gatorskins for a year now and only 2 punctures, 1 caused by me being lazy and not keeping pressure up, and the other through perished rimtape.

My brother recently had a spate of punctures on his (my old) bike, replaced the tyres after the 6th in a month, problem went away.

I endorse Gatorskins, they're a ballache to get on and off the rim but then you hardly ever have to. Never tried Marathons but have heard good from both the forum and colleagues/friends.

I seriously recommend checking your rimtape if you haven't already

Its's worth checking your rim tape is covering your spoke ends too

yes, shit rim tape, or tape that has shifted is often the cause of this....also you say you've seen lot's of cuts, do you routinely remove the flint (shard) that caused the puncture after you've mended tube? also worth pulling out flints all around the tyre every now and then....

I was about to moan about 3 in 2 weeks ! I am running Veloflex Paves and whilst they are great tyres its a bit of a ball ache (in the wallet) to change them after 2 months. Hopefully its just shit luck and it will all be fine again soon.

does the superglue in the cuts really work ? it seems that i am unable to get a small puncture, its always a shard of glass the size of my little toe nail that cuts through.

i have definately found some tyres are just hopeless had a pair of tyres that punctured everytime i went out
try different tyres
i have found bontrager hardcase tyres to be good and puncture proof.

like Dicki says, bonty hardcases pumped to pressure (and cuts regularly superglued) should see you alright - my last pair did me over 4000miles with one puncture.

@ no-one in particular:

is it YouTube- Alanis Morissette - Ironic
for Ed to be allowed to post in this thread?

not the lightbulbs again !

Its true though, its possible to go through a bad patch of getting punctures.
It just happenes, your weight and height shouldnt be an issue,
just get some decent tyres and tubes and keep them at max pressure.

also, take the advice of scoblethefixedgearphilosopher:
and say no to low quality bulbs

Max pressure may not be the best idea

two types of puncture - pinch flat which generally occurs when tyre is too soft
foreign object penetration which tend to happen if the tyre is overinflated as it cannot deform around the sharp item

hence the need to find a healthy balance

I have found here comes a point in a tyres life when it has too many lacerations which pick up Flint and glass. When I get too many punctures in a week I know it's time to replace it.

I got fed up with punctures when i was running shitty michelin cheapos ("Orium" i think they were at a tenner each) so i went with a Gatorskin after some recommendations off the guys on here. Its only been a couple of months of riding on it but i've yet to get a puncture... sod's law is gonna come and bite me in the butt lol!

The other night i was pumping up my tyres outside work as i like to keep them up at near max pressure, and as mentioned above this in itself helps to avoid punctures, and i broke the presta valve. This was annoying but i'm guessing it was to do with the cold weather and a 2 month old tube that gets checked/topped up every weekend as part of my weekly bike checks to keep her running sweet.

Anyway I managed to let half the air out the tyre and still made it to London bridge Evans for a new tube with about 60psi in there and hitting just about every pothole i was trying to avoid lol. Of coruse this is not recommended but just a point in case as i don't think my old Orium's (spits) would have lasted 20metres.

Hands pumps and presta valves should only meet in emergencies

Gatorskins ftw. We all know there's a lot of bullshit talked about components and I didn't believe it before, just bought the cheapest tyres. Gatorskins last and last, great puncture resistance and hard wearing too. They're about £19 a piece for a 700x23 in Condor, a few pounds extra well spent. If you ride without a brake you'll probably never need to change the front one...

I never got punctured on my Continental Ultra Sport, but it doesn't mean they're puncture resistance, it mean I'm just lucky.

when I cut the Ultra Sport tyre in half (worn out and need something grippy), I was alarmed to see how incredibly thin the sidewall is, it's sheer luck that it hasn't got ripped.

specialized armadillo tires work for me. cost few buck initial purchase, but well worth the out lay, as after buying a few innners at a fiver a pop,it adds up to the same only difference is no changing punchers every other day.
any other recommendations?

discovered punctures on mon velo et mon voiture on the same day, :-/

bicycle shops might sell on their inner tubes from puncture repairs (e.g. Lock 7 do)

@ dancing james,

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=fiona%20bevan%20the%20balance&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

Bonti hardcases are decent but shite for skidding - you can wear through them in a days.....

^ they seem pretty tough, cheaper too. But 740g per tyre....?!

A Marathon Plus in 25c is supposedly 580. Still very heavy but the fact you just do not need to worry about punctures anymore is the price paid.

Just put some on in fact as I live where there are lots of fireroads and singletrack paths and they let me take my bike off road whenever I fancy without worrying about punctures.
Went from a 300g Refuse to a 580g Martathon and although it wasn't as bad as I thought I could never say it wasn't noticeable (hills and standing starts mostly)

Lots of punctures all of a sudden? New tyres time.

Based on GA2G's excellent list I fitted Maxxis (forum approved). Rolling with confidence now.

https://www.londonfgss.com/thread11148.html

Its's worth checking your rim tape is covering your spoke ends too

i think you are looking for this https://www.londonfgss.com/thread5985.html

a big -1 for all continental tyres here. Personal experience yes, but they are certainly not failure proof. I hate all of them, irrationally.

Armadillos, vittoria randonneurs or the mac-daddy: marathon plus.

Spontaneous puncture.

Very different to the scheduled ones I get. First Tuesday of the month.

You're also a grumpy fuck for about a week prior.

Conti sportscpntact are solid as a rock of cracked pavement are good.

my top contact split on the side wall, for no reason. it was hanging up at work, while i beeped stock until close to midnight. I think it split out of boredom and spite.

my top contact split on the side wall, for no reason. it was hanging up at work, while i beeped stock until close to midnight. I think it split out of boredom and spite.

Hahhaha. Knew it. We were discussing this at SE Beers as well. The Conti's only drawback; the sidewalls are shit.

I have two tyre patches on my rear. The front sidewalls, are (so far) okay. I think the rear suffers because of the SKS's rubbing occasionally.