Another Freaking Flat Tire

[Scoffin]

Ok, I've had my Felt road bike for 8 months now. With 1000 miles on it so far, I've had 3 flat tires. One self inflicted, the other two I picked up a little pebble or sliver of rock in the tread that punctured the tube. I'm at work right now and no replacement tube handy. With a 70 degree day outside, I'm unable to ride home.

Anybody have a suggestion for a tire that won't pick up these little slivers that are everywhere here in Iowa? I don't mind a heavier tire if I can be sure I'm going to make it to and from work without worrying about flats. Do they make slicks for road bikes? I really feel that the tread that is carved into the current tire is the culprit. If it was solid tread, I don't feel I would be having these problems.

As a precaution I always clean off the tire after running through a section of road that has sand or rocks on it with my glove.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have..

 

[lokstah]

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have..

Welp, there's no holy grail, of course. Puncture flats happen. There are certainly plenty of tough, smooth-tread tires on the market if you're convinced that the tread is an issue--though in my experience, it tends not to be. The toughest tires on the road, mind you, are big knobby bastards.

Your best bet--aside from avoiding pointy pebbles, keeping your PSI up and keeping the tires surface clean as you go--is to find a tire with a reputation for toughness that fits in your budget. Michelin's Megamium is moderately priced and supposedly rugged; Conti's Gatorskin road tires are apparently fairly tough as well.

Goooood luck.

 

[OCRoadie]

Welp, there's no holy grail, of course. Puncture flats happen. There are certainly plenty of tough, smooth-tread tires on the market if you're convinced that the tread is an issue--though in my experience, it tends not to be. The toughest tires on the road, mind you, are big knobby bastards.

Your best bet--aside from avoiding pointy pebbles, keeping your PSI up and keeping the tires surface clean as you go--is to find a tire with a reputation for toughness that fits in your budget. Michelin's Megamium is moderately priced and supposedly rugged; Conti's Gatorskin road tires are apparently fairly tough as well.

Goooood luck.

Add Specialized Armidillo tires to the list of rugged tires.

 

[dhk]

Ok, I've had my Felt road bike for 8 months now. With 1000 miles on it so far, I've had 3 flat tires. One self inflicted, the other two I picked up a little pebble or sliver of rock in the tread that punctured the tube. I'm at work right now and no replacement tube handy. With a 70 degree day outside, I'm unable to ride home.

Anybody have a suggestion for a tire that won't pick up these little slivers that are everywhere here in Iowa? I don't mind a heavier tire if I can be sure I'm going to make it to and from work without worrying about flats. Do they make slicks for road bikes? I really feel that the tread that is carved into the current tire is the culprit. If it was solid tread, I don't feel I would be having these problems.

As a precaution I always clean off the tire after running through a section of road that has sand or rocks on it with my glove.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have..

I switched from Michelin Pro Race to Conti GP3000s and have not had a puncture on them in 6000 miles...knock on wood.

You didn't say what brand of tires or pressure you use. Believe running max sidewall pressure will get you more cut-throughs on the sharp gravel. I ran the max rating for many years, but have found that 100-105 psi gives better ride and grip, fewer flats, and longer tire life.

 

[biker7]

Good advice dhk. At 188 lbs I am now running 110 psi on my 23mm Vittoria's.
Will see how it goes. Sometimes its better to be lucky then good when it comes to flat tires.
George

 

[cameron41]

There are a number of tyre liners that may help.

BTW if your commuting to work why aren't you carrying spare tubes or at the very least a puncture repair kit ?

 

[Shane422]

Ok, I've had my Felt road bike for 8 months now. With 1000 miles on it so far, I've had 3 flat tires. One self inflicted, the other two I picked up a little pebble or sliver of rock in the tread that punctured the tube. I'm at work right now and no replacement tube handy. With a 70 degree day outside, I'm unable to ride home.

I ride in Iowa as well, Ankeny and the Saylorville area mostly. I believe the Felts have Alex rims. I was having flats on my old Alex rims until we put new rim tape in. For some reason the stock strips didn't match up right. For tires, I ride Panaracer Stradius Elite 700x23, kevlar bead. I'm on me second set and both have done really well, but last only about 12 months each. The rubber seems to break down from light exposure at that time. But I never had any punctures. Barr Bicycles on 86th usually carries these. But Irwins carries the Specialized tires that someone else mentioned. You must have bought your Felt from Irwins since Barr is the only other Felt dealer and they just started selling them a few months ago. Tell the guys at Irwins your problems with flats and they'll have a suggestion. They've always been quite helpful.

 

[Scoffin]

Thanks for the all the input. Just to answer some questions. I was running the stock tires on my Felt. The come with Inertia's on them. I dropped it off last night and am having the Specialized Armidillo's put on. I was running at 100-103 psi and made sure to top it off every morning before going to work. As to why I'm not carrying a spare tube or patch kit. Well, to quote Forest Gump "I'm not a smart man". I just started biking late last year and for one thing, I've never changed a tube on my bike yet. Second my sag wagon is always a phone call away. My commute is only 7.5 miles. It's a good nature walk if needed.

Shane422, I ride up around Saylorville as well. I normally ride from downtown, across the dam, and back down through Johnston to get home at night. It's a nice 20 mile ride when I get done. I live over by Hoover High School.

We'll see how the Specialized tread works. Looks like a tough tire.

Thanks again..

 

[bikeguy]

I highly recommend Specialized armadillos or Hutchinson Excel tires.

-Bikeguy

 

[mrowkoob]

Thanks for the all the input. Just to answer some questions. I was running the stock tires on my Felt. The come with Inertia's on them. I dropped it off last night and am having the Specialized Armidillo's put on. I was running at 100-103 psi and made sure to top it off every morning before going to work. As to why I'm not carrying a spare tube or patch kit. Well, to quote Forest Gump "I'm not a smart man". I just started biking late last year and for one thing, I've never changed a tube on my bike yet. Second my sag wagon is always a phone call away. My commute is only 7.5 miles. It's a good nature walk if needed.

Shane422, I ride up around Saylorville as well. I normally ride from downtown, across the dam, and back down through Johnston to get home at night. It's a nice 20 mile ride when I get done. I live over by Hoover High School.

We'll see how the Specialized tread works. Looks like a tough tire.

Thanks again..

You dropped the bike off at your LBS to have a flat fixed and new tires???? Come on you better start learning to change tubes cause you´re gonna have lot´s of flats in the future. It takes a few minutes to learn, after that the difference in one who does regularly and you will only be the speed of the manouvre. Maybe 1-2 minutes for the fast one and 5-7 minutes for the untrained.

 

[Shane422]

As to why I'm not carrying a spare tube or patch kit. Well, to quote Forest Gump "I'm not a smart man". I just started biking late last year and for one thing, I've never changed a tube on my bike yet. Second my sag wagon is always a phone call away. My commute is only 7.5 miles. It's a good nature walk if needed.

As someone else mentioned, you need to learn some basic bike fixing skills as well. Look into the "Park Tool School" at Bike World. The first class is very basic. It covers changing/patching a tube, chain repair, brake and deraillor adjustments, and a few other general things for about $65. I took it in January and I already know how to do most of that, but it increased my confidence in some of those skills. The second class goes into more major things like bottom brackets, and headsets.

 

[Insight Driver]

You dropped the bike off at your LBS to have a flat fixed and new tires???? Come on you better start learning to change tubes cause you´re gonna have lot´s of flats in the future. It takes a few minutes to learn, after that the difference in one who does regularly and you will only be the speed of the manouvre. Maybe 1-2 minutes for the fast one and 5-7 minutes for the untrained.

I want to chime in here as well. Do learn how to fix a flat. It's a normal skill we all learn as regular bikers, flats happen. That said, Specialized Armadillos are a heavy tire with a stiff bead, hard to get on and off. I'm currently using Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. I carry a spare tube and a CO2 cartridge. The cartridge is small and it's a snap to fill a tire when you change the tube out. You can fix the holed tube when you get home.

Keep in mind that any tire as it wears gets more flat-prone because there is less rubber between the tube and the sharp things on the road. I was proud of my flat-fixing ability and got my bubble burst when my LBS guy said it was stupid to keep fixing flats on old tires when you can get new tires and ride longer before you flat again.

 

[p38lightning]

I agree with several others that Specialzed Turbo Armadillos (the wire beaded NOT the foldable) are very puncture resistant. I'd also carry some plastic tire irons, some kind of pump, and a patch kit, to get myself home no matter what tires I was riding on.

 

[el Ingles]

I agree with several others that Specialzed Turbo Armadillos (the wire beaded NOT the foldable) are very puncture resistant. I'd also carry some plastic tire irons, some kind of pump, and a patch kit, to get myself home no matter what tires I was riding on.

About 30 years ago you used to be able to buy a device - well a bit of bent wire really - that bolted to the fork and rubbed on the tyre to knock off any stones etc before they got another chance to cause a puncture . Anybody still make them ??