Road bike tire recommendation (Cycling)

[widgeon13]

I have been having a rash of flats. The last four rides have been plagued by flats and I went to the bike shop and they found a very small piece of metal in my tire, thought that would eliminate the problem. Not the case. Still had a flat yesterday. Going to go with a new tire and wondering if any are less prone to flats and puncture or pinch flats than others.

Last year I rode all summer without any flats. I have checked the rim and tire and can't find any damage so there must be a thorn or something in the tire that is causing this crap ever time I ride. This season I started riding the road bike before they swept the roads and shoulders and must have picked up something. UGH!

Always check my inflation and very careful putting new tubes in, am I just cursed.

[nota]

tyre wipers ?
little bent metal bits that knock off sharp stuff
hopefully before it gets thru the tyre

heavier thicker tyres called training tyres exist
as do tubes with selfsealing goop in them

both add rotating weight

[Laneco]

Specialized makes a tire called the Armadillo that's pretty flat resistant without being ridiculously heavy. Also, make a point of checking and airing up the tires before EVERY ride. I have not pinch flatted (other than getting a flat and riding a flat tire before I could get stopped) in probably ten years. I credit that to always having the right tire pressure before the ride starts. Well, that and my mad bunny-hoping skillz on the road bike - LOL!

angela

[greglepore]

Check the rim strip as well. A lot of uys I ride with have switched to Conti Gatorskin 25's as their training tire, lower pinch flats and not a lot of rolling resistance penalty.

[Joe Bob]

I use talcum powder on the tubes......they slide inside easier and it seems to reduce pinch flats. I had a series of issues with tube ruptures last year. Ended up being a foreign object under the tape inside the sopke hole.....how the heck it got in there, I don't know.

Gatorskins are good but uber rpricey, the 25 gives you a more comfortable ride. I still stick to my 23s and the Continental Grand Prix.

[vash]

gatorskins.

i am not 100% flat-free, but awful close. nothing makes me smile than grabbing my bike, pushing on the tires and finding them rock hard. i hate starting the ride messing with a presta valve.

my silca pump needs a tune.

[Joe Bob]

I agree with Cliff. Less flats when tires are at the proper pressure.

An easy way to start the day with hard tires.....I fire up my Makita contractor compressor. I have a presta valve filler on the end of a dust blower type gun.

20 seconds later it's at the tank is at the preset pressure and I top off my tires and I'm on the way.....

My 30 year old floor pump sits over in the corner in case there is a power failure.....%^)

[widgeon13]

Thanks for the recommendations. I did replace the rim strip last summer with a fabric and checked it the other day but I will check it all over when I put a new tire on the rim, will also use some talc. Nothing like smelling baby powder for a long ride.

I am guessing that something really tiny but abrasive is embedded in the tire and wears as I ride.

[Joe Bob]

Try marking the location on the tube. Replace with a new tube on the road.....if you get another flat and it's in the same spot you may have an issue.

Pull the wheel when at home, using the tube insert the valve and track down the problem location by referencing the puncture location. Use a bright light and a mag glass.

You may have an issue or just a run of bad luck.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

gatorskins.

i am not 100% flat-free, but awful close. nothing makes me smile than grabbing my bike, pushing on the tires and finding them rock hard. i hate starting the ride messing with a presta valve.

my silca pump needs a tune.

Floor of frame pump, Cliff? for their older floor pumps, take it apart and open the leather cup at the end of the shaft. Just press them open with your hand then put some grease on it and reinsert it back in there. it will work much better with plenty of pressure. Now, you might have to change out the rubber seal in the chuck for the presta valve.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I agree with Cliff. Less flats when tires are at the proper pressure.

An easy way to start the day with hard tires.....I fire up my Makita contractor compressor. I have a presta valve filler on the end of a dust blower type gun.

20 seconds later it's at the tank is at the preset pressure and I top off my tires and I'm on the way.....

My 30 year old floor pump sits over in the corner in case there is a power failure.....%^)

Ditto. A cheap HF compressor is ideal for this as well.

Also, I've taken to running sealant in all of my training tires, just for peace of mind.

[fanaudical]

+1 on Armadillo's; my last set lasted 8 years - not one flat! They rolled well too. (Sadly, can no longer find them in the sizes I need for my recumbent.)

[lowyder993s]

1 set 8 years??? You must be a waif! Me...I get 6 mos outta my tires. +1 on the gatorskinz...looks like I have 800 miles plus right now on this set.

[red-beard]

I use both the Specialized Armadillo and the Gatorskins.

For training, I use standard Armadillo. They are the most puncture resistant tires around. That said, nothing is puncture proof. They are heavy and they do not have the best rolling resistance.

I used to use Armadillo Elites (lighter) for my longer rides. But I found that the Ultra Gatorskins have lower rolling resistence.

[widgeon13]

I'll be shopping for some of these on Tuesday, thanks again for the input.

[crb07]

Tube/tire liners with gatorskins. I get maybe one flat a year.

[rwest]

I've been using the Forté brand by Performance bike in the "Gotham" version; they're about twelve bucks and seem to last forever and I'm using them on my commuter bike which sees pretty nasty in town road debris.

Couple other tips: when you do ride through glass, if you feel you can do it safely, put your gloved hand on the tire to knock any off before it starts digging in; after or before each ride, examine your tire for little cuts, then look in them for the glint of glass and use a small pick or safety pin to flick it out. Slivers of glass don't usually cause a flat right away, but slowly work their way in, so you can usually pick them out before they cause a flat.

Rutager

[Joe Bob]

I just swapped out my trusty Grand Prix for the Conti Ultra....we'll see how they do.....

[fanaudical]

Originally Posted by lowyder993s

1 set 8 years??? You must be a waif!...

Two contributors to long tire life on my recumbent: I don't weigh much (~140 lbs) plus I run wide tires (~20mm rims). I lost track of mileage on those tires, but I think it was 6k+.

[herr_oberst]

I agree with rwest about holding your thumb on the tire for a few rotations after you run over something sketchy.