Mountain Biking - I have never flatted on an MTB tire in 16 years

Now I don't ride MTBs as much as many of you, but I do enough miles on the road in winter on my hard tail, and now I'm riding in the woods 2x weekly (combined trail/road ride of about 2-2.5 hours each time out). I got my first hard tail in 1992 or so. I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire (I ride 2.1" tires). I would imagine they're pretty hard to puncture, primarily because the knobby surface largely eliminates a major cause, which is sharp debris sticking to the tire surface and working its way through the rubber. It's much harder for items to stick to the actual tire surface since the knobbies are doing the rolling. MTB tires are also thicker than 700c road race clinchers.

Is that typical? I'm still carrying a spare tube and I'm prepared, but it never seems to happen.

If you quit carrying a tube, it will happen.

If you quit carrying a tube, it will happen.

Duh.

You would think MTB tires/tubes are easier to change, but I've found that road tires and tubes are easier. I've had a couple flats in the past few years where, unless someone was holding up the nail or sharp piece of metal like a field goal attempt, it was otherwise impossible to puncture at an exact angle like that, but it did. I know roadies can be weight weenies, but I've found that Slime rim strips are worth their weight in gold when it comes to puncture protection.

Out of curiosity, do you run full psi on the Fly Ti?

Actually, knobby tires provide an easier place for pieces of debris to become trapped. Although there usually isn't much broken glass on the trail thankfully.

I have never flatted on a road bike in almost 40 years.

I have never flatted on a road bike in almost 40 years.

You're not riding enough.

blah blah blah I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire (I ride 2.1" tires). blah blah blah

Dude, you have totally cursed yourself.

You also don't ride enough...

You also don't ride enough...

Wait. 40,000 bicycle miles since May 2005 isn't enough?

I'll ramp it up just for you.

Dude, you have totally cursed yourself.


Oh no, not a flat. On my bicycle. In the middle of nowhere. Please God, no, no, no, no.

Now I don't ride MTBs as much as many of you, but I do enough miles on the road in winter on my hard tail, and now I'm riding in the woods 2x weekly (combined trail/road ride of about 2-2.5 hours each time out). I got my first hard tail in 1992 or so. I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire (I ride 2.1" tires). I would imagine they're pretty hard to puncture, primarily because the knobby surface largely eliminates a major cause, which is sharp debris sticking to the tire surface and working its way through the rubber. It's much harder for items to stick to the actual tire surface since the knobbies are doing the rolling. MTB tires are also thicker than 700c road race clinchers.

Is that typical? I'm still carrying a spare tube and I'm prepared, but it never seems to happen.

Must be those awesome Motobecane tubes.

Must be those awesome Motobecane tubes.

Indeed.

You're not riding enough.

Aaaand that's why you've not flatted your mtb stuff yet. Or, riding somewhere with uglier terrain than Stewart and so on would likely do it as well. :thumb:

If it's unpaved, it's too technical for me as it is.

If it's unpaved, it's too technical for me as it is.

Nah, it isn't that bad. You can't have put in as many road miles as you say you have without gaining a modicum of decent handling skills. Methinks you sell your handling skill short.

I'm with the OP

I ride trails about 5 times a week (50mi/wk+) and have never gotten a flat. My local trails never put me more than a mile or two away from home base (car, camp, etc). I wonder what the use of carrying a spare tube and tools is? I would rather hike my bike than fix a flat in the middle of a trail. Is this typical?

I'm with the OP

I ride trails about 5 times a week (50mi/wk+) and have never gotten a flat. My local trails never put me more than a mile or two away from home base (car, camp, etc). I wonder what the use of carrying a spare tube and tools is? I would rather hike my bike than fix a flat in the middle of a trail. Is this typical?

Yes. Depending on your locale, you could be riding way the hell away from home/pavement, have a long walk due to a mechanical, be somewhere where you are unlikely to run into anyone to get a hand from for a long while.

I've had plenty of rides with plenty of sh#t gone wrong with my or others bikes when we've been a long way from the cars or home. The ability to fix it and either limp home by bike or continue the ride is a nice thing. Can you carry everything for every eventuality? No, but you can at least have the basics.

Short list of stuff gone wrong on some rides I've been on: helivaced a rider out last spring from one trail. Steri-stripped a rider's chin after he'd put a big gash in the underside. Splinted a few fingers. Fixed many, many flats and broken chains. Broken crank bolt. Broken frames. Critical bolts fallen out somehow-->replaced with some spares carried. Broken shifter/brake cables - fixed in a couple cases by someone having a spare. Loads of bonking or dehydrated riders - somewhat fixed by sharing a bit of food and water. Broken pedal bodies, springs, or cleats that have fallen off shoes. Broken cassette teeth, mangled derailleurs, bent or broken chainrings, chainring bolts that go missing. Lots of stuff that coule potentially mean a looooong hike depending on where it happens. Keeping your stuff in good repair sometimes doesn't cut it, 'cause sh#t happens. Knowing how to, and having something to fix it with, can make a difference.

See this thread for plenty of opinions on the subject:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=273114&highlight=camelbak

Now, all that said, if you don't ride in remote spots, and are always within a mile from home or something... (those must be lotsa' laps on some really short loops to get 50 miles a week but never get more than a mile or two from home.) Then I wouldn't sweat things.

I carry a spare tube of course. If I snap my chain I'll have to walk a couple of miles.

Wait. 40,000 bicycle miles since May 2005 isn't enough?

I'll ramp it up just for you.

Did you go back in time with your mountain bike or something? Great Scott!!! :lol:

Oh no, not a flat. On my bicycle. In the middle of nowhere. Please God, no, no, no, no.

Be thou not afraid! For thine is the power of the sacred tire lever...

This week alone (in 3 days) I've gone through 2 flats (one MTB one Road). Annoying, but managable (thanks for the cheap patch kit perfomance).

Now I don't ride MTBs as much as many of you, I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire
Is that typical?


It's pretty hard to get flats when all you do is ride in grass fields.
Also lose the fenders and the Super Hero costume.

http://i36.tinypic.com/29xua15.jpg

Did you go back in time with your mountain bike or something? Great Scott!!! :lol:

C law thinks P cad should not be time travelling with his Motobecane as it weakens the ti welds

I don't flat too often. I had a freak flat a couple of weeks ago - it was fine when I left for Tahoe and flat when I got there :wtf: Other than that, it had been a year and that flat was a pinch.

That is amazing! You have been very lucky or your very good at avoiding crap. I used to get four to ten flats a year. Some were pinch flats and others were just locust thorns and punture vine that grow in this area.

My assistant Larry's theory (he's an ex MTB racer): I run higher tire pressures (45-50lbs). He thinks if I was running the 40lbs or so he thinks is better for single track, I'd get more pinch flats. That makes sense.

I've had 3 flats this year so far WITH Stans tubeless.

i flatted out my rear the other day hoppin' a curb to go home after riding on the trail for an hour or so. go figure.

it depends on what you ride. I have limited trails here in Indy and they are packed dirt with some roots and smooth rocks. Outside of a pinch flat, there is nothing on these trails that will pop a tire. Thorns are not common and not very tough where they do exist. Some areas have thorns that are evil and sharp rocks, etc. I know I will curse myself, but I bet I could ride here once a week all season and not have a flat for years.

I personally think changing a road tire is easier. Maybe because I have done it many more times. When I change my MTB (which I do when I put on semi-slicks) is just seems like more work. I think it is the tube is so massive you feel like it is going to catch or pinch somewhere in there before you start to inflate it.

I think the changing effort for road v. MTB tires varies. I have two pairs of tires for my Allez, 1 specialized pro and 1 specialized armadillo, and the armadillos as difficult or harder than most of the MTB tires I've ever changed. The pros are the easiest to change though :)

around here the trails are littered with thorny bushes and vines. i try to avoid the bushes, but the vines get me on the trails. i haven't gotten a flat on the trail yet, and i do carry patch kits and a spare tube, among other things.

I really do think my stretch without a knobby puncture is rather astonishing. I'm ready for one, but so far, so good. I get most of my flats on the road bike on damp/wet roads, I generally ride the MTB when it's dry in the summer, but often ride in on sloppy roads in winter.

I really do think my stretch without a knobby puncture is rather astonishing. I'm ready for one, but so far, so good. I get most of my flats on the road bike on damp/wet roads, I generally ride the MTB when it's dry in the summer, but often ride in on sloppy roads in winter.

When I ride easy (non-rocky) trails, assuming I don't hit a nasty thorn I don't often flat. When I'm riding my preferred terrain (lots 'o rocks) I'll flat every few weeks. Or tear out/slash a sidewall. I think I've had only two flats on my roadbike in the last 5-6 years though.

Now I don't ride MTBs as much as many of you, but I do enough miles on the road in winter on my hard tail, and now I'm riding in the woods 2x weekly (combined trail/road ride of about 2-2.5 hours each time out). I got my first hard tail in 1992 or so. I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire (I ride 2.1" tires). I would imagine they're pretty hard to puncture, primarily because the knobby surface largely eliminates a major cause, which is sharp debris sticking to the tire surface and working its way through the rubber. It's much harder for items to stick to the actual tire surface since the knobbies are doing the rolling. MTB tires are also thicker than 700c road race clinchers.

Is that typical? I'm still carrying a spare tube and I'm prepared, but it never seems to happen.

As long as it's not the same set of MTB tires you were running 16 years ago. Just lucky I suppose. Still not quite typical. I tend to flat once every month or two. But then again I'm a beast of a mountain bike machine riding my all carbon fiber rigid singlespeed 369er off 80 ft hucks into traffic, so I'm bound to flat from time to time.

I haven't been lucky with flats on my mountain bike, my road bike or my Big Dummy. Then again, I am a a hack so it isn't a huge surprise.

Then again, I am a hack

Aren't we all?

It really depends on the terain. On really rocky stuff, it's easy to pinch flat. There are also areas with many thorns that will also get you.

After going tubeless (with Stan's sealant) in 2003, I've NEVER had a flat and can run absurd low tire pressure when needed (sloppy/muddy stuff). Prior to 2003, I'd flat about every other ride.

... Brad

Now I don't ride MTBs as much as many of you, but I do enough miles on the road in winter on my hard tail, and now I'm riding in the woods 2x weekly (combined trail/road ride of about 2-2.5 hours each time out). I got my first hard tail in 1992 or so. I have NEVER had a flat riding a knobby tire (I ride 2.1" tires). I would imagine they're pretty hard to puncture, primarily because the knobby surface largely eliminates a major cause, which is sharp debris sticking to the tire surface and working its way through the rubber. It's much harder for items to stick to the actual tire surface since the knobbies are doing the rolling. MTB tires are also thicker than 700c road race clinchers.

Is that typical? I'm still carrying a spare tube and I'm prepared, but it never seems to happen.

BS

BS

Truth. Zero point zero zero knobby tire flats over 16 years, 4 separate MTBs. But to be fair, I ride my MTB 500-1000 miles annually. More these days however.

My knobby puncture is coming. I can feel it. I'm hoping it doesn't occur near a large angry bear.

Truth. Zero point zero zero knobby tire flats over 16 years, 4 separate MTBs. But to be fair, I ride my MTB 500-1000 miles annually. More these days however.

My knobby puncture is coming. I can feel it. I'm hoping it doesn't occur near a large angry bear.

Be sure to bring a camera.

My knobby puncture is coming. I can feel it. I'm hoping it doesn't occur near a large angry bear.

When ever I go a long streatch without a puncture its rather spectacular when I get one (ie when your are turning hard, trying to get out of a storm, or the most obvious one; when you have no patch kit).

BS

Shut up.

Truth. Zero point zero zero knobby tire flats over 16 years, 4 separate MTBs. But to be fair, I ride my MTB 500-1000 miles annually. More these days however.

My knobby puncture is coming. I can feel it. I'm hoping it doesn't occur near a large angry bear.

lol... Are you riding on mashed potatoes?

Actually, I find it hard to believe that knobby tires ever puncture. I base this on experience.

You aren't riding hard enough if you aren't flatting.

You aren't riding hard enough if you aren't flatting.

I thought it was if you aren't crashing???

I thought it was if you aren't crashing???

That as well.

I just started riding a couple of weeks ago and have settled on 25 psi for stuff like this...

http://steaktaco.com/images/z080709.jpg

About 70 miles on trails with sections like above, loose rocky climbs, roots, but mostly hard-packed. No pinch flats... yet.

You aren't riding hard enough if you aren't flatting.

I fail to see the connection.

Actually, I find it hard to believe that knobby tires ever puncture. I base this on experience.

Come out here.. I will introduce you to the goathead.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/mcoine/goathead.jpg