mountain bike puncture problems

moon man

moon man

moon man

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Joined
17 Nov 2003
Posts
5,328
Location
St Breward Cornwall
ok so my punctures are becoming a bit of a problem ,12 miles to work on canal path then 10 miles back on main road 4 times a week ,had maybe 14 in 12 weeks ,so its getting silly.
question ,are puncture "free" tyres any good or that slime stuff or maybe you can make your own tyre liners ?
 
Are you inflating your tyres to the correct pressures? Are they overly worn?

Even on really bad paths, I only very rarely get punctures (over 6 months since my last!).
 
moon man said:
65psi and its a 3 month old mongoose ,shards of glass seem to be the main thing and the odd thorn
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ahh k, they're a bugger, I'm lucky to not have glass as a problem around here.

As the guys above have said, Stan's tubeless tyre stuff appears fantastic on the promo vids, would definitely look into it if I started having puncture problems.
 
Something's wrong, you shouldn't be getting that many punctures.

If it's just one hole in the tube, something sharp is puncturing it, and it is probably still inside the tyre, which is why you are getting so many punctures. Find and remove (run your hand on the inside of the tyre/rim feeling for shark stuff).

If there are 2 holes next to each other, it's a snakebite, normally caused by running a low pressure. Try pumping up the tyres more or using a thicker inner tube.

It might just be that you have terrible tyres and thorns go through them like butter :)

Edit: I was a bit slow there.
 
mistercrabb said:
Something's wrong, you shouldn't be getting that many punctures.

If it's just one hole in the tube, something sharp is puncturing it, and it is probably still inside the tyre, which is why you are getting so many punctures. Find and remove (run your hand on the inside of the tyre/rim feeling for shark stuff).

If there are 2 holes next to each other, it's a snakebite, normally caused by running a low pressure. Try pumping up the tyres more or using a thicker inner tube.

It might just be that you have terrible tyres and thorns go through them like butter :)

Edit: I was a bit slow there.
Click to expand...

they are kenda and do seem abit budget!
 
I think you can also get kevlar strips for lining the inside of the tyre which may help your case. You can also get tyres with kevlar internally in the rubber too.
 
1. What type of punctures are they? Tears/punctures or pinch-flats?

- If it is the latter, you are probably using the wrong tyre pressure. See the side of the tyre wall for ideal PSI - it should say something like 35 Min - 60 Max. Aim for 45-50 at least if you're primarily on hard surfaces like tarmac.

- If it is the former, get yourself some puncture resistant tyres like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

2. What type of tyre are you using?

- If you are using knobly mountain tyres on canal paths and pavements, you're not helping your cause - get some slicks/hybrids on. Save the off-road tyres for off-road conditions.
 
specialized armadillo elite "crossroads" tyres are great, pricey but they last for years and it's doubtful you'll ever have another puncure ever again.
 
Continental Sport Contacts are what I use, they are slicks but I have the thickest version, 1.6 on my Zaskar. Not only are they faster than my old tires, they are literally puncture proof - they also come with a free innertube! Should be looking at about £19 a tyre.

Run them at 90 - 100 psi
 
I suppose the question is also what kind of tyres are you running on it currently?

It sounds like you are running a mountain bike, but the fact you are using it for commuting sounds like you might be using it with more road orientated tyres than big nobly things design for off-road?

If using road tyres, then it certainly is worth getting 'puncture proof' ones. I run Specialized Armadillos on my road bike in London, used to get punctures all the time before, now the only one I've had in well over a year was a result of a huge nail.

Mountain Bike wise, you could convert to tubless, I don't get punctures very often since I switched, but you do still see the odd bit of fluid oozing, which suggests where you would usually have got a puncture. It's probably overkill for commuting though.
 
Not had a single puncture on with my Continental Travel Contact tyres and also Schwalbe Marathon Plus, as already mentioned, are pretty strong tyres. Look for kevlar lined tyres which are usually heavier but better at preventing punctures.

Moon man, again as already suggested, you really need to take your tyres off and examine them for small fragments of anything sharp. Careful if you're running your fingers around the inside of the tyre for obvious reasons though. Also have you replaced your inner tubes at any stage as I wouldn't be happy keeping an inner tube with 14 patches on it!!
 
Sorry to bump an old thread but thought it better to bump than start a new one :)

Im currently using a pair of Schwalbe marathon plus tour road tyre and they have been fantastic for my tow path rides,i used to suffer 2 or 3 flats a week due to thorns (averaging 80miles per week) but have suffered NONE since fitting these tyres

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-ma..._Marathon_Plus_Tour_Wired_MTB_Road_Tyre-Black

The only problem with these tyres is they are not very grippy in mud and some sections of the lancashire canal routes that i use are not paved and are very muddy/boggy indeed, so thought i may buy another pair of tyres and rims (quik release) so they are hotswapable depending on the weather

I was going to get the full MTB version of the marathon tour plus but hate the reflective strips on them so wondered about nobby nics,they do some puncture protection ones and wanted to know if they are anygood ? ,has any one used a pair and if so do they offer decent protection against thorns ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110824767910?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
 
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