Tandem Cycling - Our First Flat

Only 220 miles or thereabouts on our new C'Dale tandem and we got a flat. Non-catastrophic. Didn't even know it until the next day.
The hole was tiny. Located on the side, a bit towards the inside arc of the tube rather than the outside. Checked everything for sharp edges, found nothing wrong.
From the location, I'm guessing rim pinch? The bike came with IRC "Tandem" model tires. Been keeping them at 100 psi, the rated pressure.
I've seen recommendations on Bike Forums for tires, such as Armadillo or Conti Gators, but nothing about tubes. Does anyone have some suggestions for replacements? The OEM units feel like low-budget generic tubes and I'd like to replace them with stouter alternatives.
Do "self-sealing" tubes actually work or is that hype?

Got a related question. Several years ago "Kevlar" tires were the rage. Was that a passing thing? Haven't seen that word used in any modern tire descriptions.

Flats will happen!
We are using the Maxxis Re-Fuse tires on our tandem. They also have a Kevlar bead (folding tire) and a protective tough layer between the actual tire rubber/casing. Good riding and easy to install.
Living in Arizona we get lots of flats: thorns, goatheads, glass (no bottle law) and ripped up steel belted radial tires from cars (nasty tiny pieces of steel).
Did have a Re-Fuse lose a chunk of rubber after 1,700 some miles on rear of tandem, but *no* flat.
Innertubes don't matter as much much as the actual tire.
A rim pinch usually has 2 little holes (snakebite) next to each other.
Self-sealing tubes do work to some degree, but are heavy and can be difficult to install due to their bulk; when you do get a larger hole flat (bigger than 1/8"), will not seal and the goop from inside tube leaks all over the inside of the tire. Then to top it off, the tube is not patchable. Tried it and went back to normal tubes.
Just our experience over 33+ years of riding TWOgether.
Rudy and Kay//zonatandem

From your description that sounds like a pinch that occurred during mounting the tire. You have to be careful not to have any tube squeezed between the rim and the tire when pushing the tire bead over the top of the rim.

These days I use Salsa tubes with long stems to go with my high-profile rims. My experience is that any mid-range, right-size tube, for example a house-brand tube from Performance, will work faultlessly.

I still use kevlar belted folders, Panaracer T-Serv for Messenger 700 X 28. My experience is that folders stay on the rim better when they go flat, and the belt may lower flat frequency. I would do practically anything to avoid a front tire flat at speed, and I am always on alert to stop fast with a flat.

Tandems are different from single bikes, in that you can't shift your weight to unweight a wheel when the tire goes down. This means that avoiding flats, particularly front tire flats, is very important. A bare rim slides like it is on ice (which means you can't steer back under your weight if the wheel drifts out), and I have actually had a wired-on tire come halfway off the rim. One bead came completely off the rim We stopped upright on the grass in the ditch.

If a tire starts to go down, you want to try hard to stop before it is completely flat.

Thanks for the two new tire recommendations!

The first year we got our tandem (five years ago) we had a flat about every two weeks on average. They were both pinch flats and punctures and one glass cut that ruined the tire . Sine then we have gone to kevlar belted tires, usually Continental gatorskins and one Pannaracer Tserv , We also increased our pressure to 120 PSI. Since then we have had only one flat from a tube that cracked at the valve. We continue to carry a folding tire in case we would have a catastrophic failure like the glass cut. I do think that as a new captain I was unable to steer the longbike around debris, potholes, etc as well as I do now. I also had never really experienced pinch flats before riding the tandem but with team weight slightly over 300# I think the greater pressure is essential and well within the ability of road bike tires to handle (many are rated to 110-115) . We ride 28 tires on both the tandem and on our single but on the single I only use 100 PSI and 95 for my wife's.

When I bought my Worksman cruiser, it came with the tires already mounted and partially inflated. So I just aired 'em on up and took it for a ride. Came back, and one of the tires was flat, similar to yours, with the hole towards the inside. I fixed it and that never happened again (I've had other flats, but not from that).

I don't know if there's that much difference in tubes. A thicker tube is maybe a little more flat resistant, but also heavier, so I don't know if a high-quality tube is the light one or the heavy one.

I also had never really experienced pinch flats before riding the tandem but with team weight slightly over 300# I think the greater pressure is essential and well within the ability of road bike tires to handle

Yeah, this is new territory for me - since I was about 6 years old have always owned at least one bicycle but never aired tires up to 100# or more before. Unfortunately, we're over 300#. Hopefully something can be done about that. Will have to check total tonnage on the truck scale at work. :D

I threw that in for comic relief, but there actually is a truck scale where we work and it's very accurate.

EDIT: Where do you folks buy tires? I found two online sources. BicycleTires.com and BikeTiresDirect. BicycleTires.com has the best price on 700cX28 Conti Ultra Gators I've seen. Even cheaper if you buy a few at once.

We've been using them here too in the pot holed, glass strewn, 'what was that'? road conditions of NE N.J. First started out with the 32's and now with the 28's too. We've been very happy with them and have had zero flats (so far). But being a boy scout, you must be prepared, so a tube and repair kit always make the trip, along with CO2 and a mini pump. And a story that might help you one day.......had a series of 3 flats on a single one day. :notamused: Same tire. Couldn't figure it out. Ran out of CO2. Couldn't feel anything. Finally, turned the tire inside out and there was a tiny bit of glass, on the inside of the tire. Moral of the story is just b/c you can't feel it, doesn't mean its not there, lurking.........:eek: But get your tires up to pressure and check, don't assume, that even though they feel hard, that they still have the correct pressure. Every ride.
Have fun!
INDY

Where do we buy tires- you have found two good sources, also Nashbar when they are on sale. Also agree with Imnotdeadyet- carry a good pump capable of reaching high pressure. I buy cheap tubes from performance/nashbar/local shops now days they last for years . The first year I couldn't keep enough on hand

Good pump is a must. We use the Topeak Mt. Morph . . . it unfolds (really!) with a footpad (like a floor pump) and a flexible hose. Also, we carry 1 spare tube, patch kit and piece of nylon in case we need to boot up a tire (OK, a folded dollar bill will work too).
Our pump gets 100 lbs of air in 700x25 tire with 100 strokes. Also available with a built in guage. Will pump up to 120 lbs easily. *Almost* a pleasure to have a flat with a handy-dandy pump like that!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

My stoker wife was asking about the little CO2 cartridge thingies today. Does anyone use those? Sounds like most of the experienced members on this forum use a pump on the road...

We use 16g C02, but also carry a mini-pump for pre-inflation, friends, and when the CO2 runs out. On the single, I am CO2-only nowadays. But I think if I got a lot of flats, CO2 would probably not be worth it. As a rare-use sort of thing, it is preferable to carrying a full-size frame pump all the time.

Zona, I don't understand why you feel that 100 strokes is good. If I ever had to crank 100 strokes, I would feel like my pump was no good at all. 100psi isn't a very big reward for 100 strokes, and certainly not a pleasure.

I kinda thought 100 strokes sounded like a lot of work, but kept my mouth shut 'cause I don't know :p

Does anyone have some suggestions for replacements? The OEM units feel like low-budget generic tubes and I'd like to replace them with stouter alternatives.

My understanding is that no matter what the branding, all inner tubes come from the same factories in Asia and they're all good; so you might as well get whatever you can find on sale.

Like igg3, we carry a very small pump we use to pre-inflate to make sure the tube is properly seated. We then use a CO2 cartridge with a minimal air chuck to inflate the tire. It works great and the CO2 + chuck store neatly in a small pack under the captains seat with a multi-tool, spare tube, and patch kit. On an unfamiliar ride we'll carry an extra CO2. The micro pump is carried by a mount to the side of the captain seat tube bottle cage. It an emergency the little pump could be used to air-up the tire to get us home - not 120 psi - but we haven't had to do this (knock on wood).

Be sure to get familiar with the CO2 inflator at home before you need it on the road. Some people don't like them, but I find it to be a great solution. Some prefer to carry a full size pump, but I like to go with the minimum set up that will adequately serve the purpose and for us, this arrangment has worked great.