Road Cycling - Everybody Loves a Flat

I've had 2 flats in the past 2 days. Of course that can't compare to those of you who had like 4 in 1 hr! I would like to know what is the cause of these misterious flats. Rim tape is excellent, no debri in the tire or the rims, new tube (Wrench Force), used TREK tire levers, and inflated properly. SO whats the DEAL!? Holes just dont appear for no reason. What tubes should I use? Could it be the tires? I have Kenda tires 700/23c. So everyone, what do you do to keep from getting flats that has seemed to work so far?

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how many miles on urr tires

1000 miles. Bike is new. Tires are new.

())_CRAYOLA_))>

Pinch flats?
Do you have "snake bite" holes.

Nope. I make sure the tubes arent twisted or caught in the tire beads. There is just one little hole, in different spots on the tube when compared to the previous flat tube. this is the rear tire and the front tire has never had a problem. im think of replacing the tire in the rear to see if that helps. maybe the tire itself is damaged.

It sound like maybe a loose piece of glass is in side the tire and when you roll the tire around to look in it, the glass keeps moving to the bottom of the wheel.

Nope. There is absolutely nothing inside the tire. no spokes poking or anything. Its weird. maybe i dammage the tube when installing? I rode for a couple of hrs yesterday and them after about a mile today it was flat.

Just shoot it in the headset and roll it off into the ditch and walk home.

It IS strange...lets us know if you figure it out!

Try wiping the inside of the tire slowly with a soft cloth on the next flat --if it happens soon. othherwise, don't bother.

A guy brought me a tire in which he was having constant flats. 3 tubes and a box of patches later he says "What's wrong? Am I doing something wrong?" I ran my bare hand around the inside of the tire several times but felt nothing; then I used a soft rag and it snagged on the tiniest bit of a needle that was not visible from the outside or felt by the hand on the inside.

Tire presure. Ensure tire presure is high..

I've had times when I can't find anything in the tyre. It's only when I get the full pressure in the tyre that the tiny piece of glass or whatever pokes its head out and punture the tube.

It can be the full air pressure combined with your weight on the tyre as it rolls down the road that brings out whatever is causing the problem.

At this point you could try swapping the tire & tube from the rear to the front, and the tire & tube from the front to the rear.
It will tell you if the problem is with the rim or with the tire.

I kind of doubt that you are getting bad tubes right out of the box.

unless he bought a bad batch of them

contrary to the title of the thread, I hate having flats, if that is the last thing I will be doing:crash: :crash:

Thanks for the advice everybody. Tried all of your ideas and it seems to be working. Cross your fingers!

I think I shall once again take this opportunity to gloat and say that I have had just one flat now in 14,000km. Can anyone else make that sort of claim?

If not, the solution is simple. Go and get yourself some "Mr Tuffy" tyre liners if you can. Good luck finding any though. I had to go to Brisbane to get mine.

Originally posted by Chris L
I think I shall once again take this opportunity to gloat and say that I have had just one flat now in 14,000km. Can anyone else make that sort of claim? No, I can't say that. I had 3 flats in one week, on two different bikes.

Originally posted by Chris L
If not, the solution is simple. Go and get yourself some "Mr Tuffy" tyre liners if you can.I don't have a problem fixing flats but one thing I don't do is use tire levers at all when I'm installing the tire. In some cases it means a real wrestling match, but it's worth it.

Removing tire - tire levers
Installing tire - no tire levers

It works for me.

I had a rash of flats like that several years ago. When I changed my rim tape
out, I stopped having them. I used a thicker tape.

I use slime tire liners and a slime yube on the rear wheel

don't have probs with flats

Are you using standard weight tubes? I have had more proablem with the light weight ones, frankly not much with either as broken glass and thorns are not a proablem for me.
kev