Saturday, November 20, 2010

Road bicycle flats? How to prevent them?

I have a problem with bicycle flats. Almost every 200 km i get a flat (I changed 6 tubes already). Ive got a road bicycle with tires Michelin Orium 622x23 and i inflate them to 7.5 bar.

(8 is max). There is pretty much glass on road and that is the main cause of flats. Does anyone know how to prevent punctures?Road bicycle flats? How to prevent them?
I ride about 160km a week and flats are just a part of cycling. Besides ensuring your tires are good quality and fairly new, the best way I've found is to pay attention to the road surface. There is so much debris - glass, nails, thorns etc. One time I ran over a razor blade and it sliced my tire all the way through. I also check and wipe off my tires after each ride.Road bicycle flats? How to prevent them?
Use a different brand tire that resists punctures--though now you have to deal with the extra weight (if you are a weght weenie) and the extra rolling resistance.



You can also use tire liners and Slime tubes.



Good luck and and enjoy the ride!





[EDIT]



Slime or other types of sealants for both tubeless and non-tubeless applications does not build up and unbalance tires unless it has been sitting stagnant for years. The lifespan of Slime tubes is about 2 years..
Don't use slime tubes as they unbalance the wheel as the slime tends to builds up in places inside the tube. Get some reinforced tyres that will help.
yeah

don;t ride on the edge of the road where all the glass is

it;s safer to be a few feet in the lane anyway

ride where the car;s ;left tire would be

presto

no glass

safer as well



wle.
Watch where you ride and anytime you run over glass or you feel a bump from something in your tire stop and wipe off the tire before it works it way further into the tire. Slime doesn't work on high pressure tires.
several companies make tires for road with kevlar belt in the tread. continental, specialized, vittoria, maxxis, hutchinson. don't use slime in tubes. you should be runnin max PSI so there is less tread in contact with road. go to a bike shop see what brands they carry. or order on-line from bike nashbar or performance cyclist.
This time I agree with sno f.

Put on a set of tires with a kevlar belt under the tread and run the tires at maximum pressure.

After you get a flat, are you patching the hole inside the tire? This needs to be done to prevent the tube from being pinched by said hole.

Good Luck

On my tandem I carry a spare tire with a folding bead. When I get a flat I install the spare tire with a new spare tube. Then I repair tire and tube when I return home. Easier and faster with this method.

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