Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Kilo TT: Two flats in a week

first was rolling up what burely counts as a curb, blew the tube right out instantly.

caught a thorn the second time. it got caught in the tire, didn't notice it til i went out to ride it the next day. i haven't replaced it yet but does that mean i need a new tire as well as a new tube?

and what can i do about this? both times were rides around the block in clean suburb streets. a total of maybe 10 minutes of riding.

obviously it has something to do with you riding a kilo TT...:rolleyes:

Patch the tube, check pressure before riding.

buy gator skins, i have them on all 3 of my bikes, i rode over a 20ft+section of road covered in glass with no problems. stock kilo tires are as good as cat ****, garbage.

You should be fine... just bad luck.

yeah, the geometry on those kilos is really prone to popping tires :lol:

Get a set of gatorskins and forget about popping tubes every time you ride.

What handlebars are you running? Cause drops are less likely to cause flats over bullhorns or heaven forbid risers!

What handlebars are you running? Cause drops are less likely to cause flats over bullhorns or heaven forbid risers!

yeah, dont use bullhorns or risers. you'll flat at least twice a week.

for total anti-puncture and snake-bite avoidance, I recommend mustache bars.

See if you had posted this question in the mechanics section [since it has absolutly nothing to do with SSFG] you'd get helpful responses.

rides around the block in clean suburb streets :thumb:

When you take over the tire to change/patch the tube, check both the tire inside and out and the rim for anything that could possibly be puncturing the tube.

Make sure your tires are inflated to the PSI indicated on the side before every ride.

If you continue to have flats, get new tires. Gatorskins seem to be the crowd favorite around these parts.

those stock kendas that the kilos come with are pure garbage.

those stock kendas that the kilos come with are pure garbage.

If you don't skid they work fine:thumb: I have been hoping they'll go bad so I can get Gators.

those stock kendas that the kilos come with are pure garbage.

Not really. Its just fun to say that stock stuff is crap.

They lasted longer skidding and had fewer flats than the $40 Lithions that I replaced them with.

Not really. Its just fun to say that stock stuff is crap.

And there is my excuse to replace :D

Mine too! Heh.

they actually are garbage...Gator Skins for me all bikes i have rock them, no complaints since.

Make sure your tires are inflated to the PSI indicated on the side before every ride.


the PSI on the side of tires is not the recommended PSI, it's the maximum that the manufacturer of the believes the tire can handle safely.

To figure out what PSI is for you, do the simple math (copied from some dude in the road forum):


Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67


Example: You are 150lbs running 28's

Pressure (psi) = (0.33*150) +33.33 = 82.83psi (rear)
Front Pressure = .9*Rear Pressure = .9*82.83psi = 74.55psi front

I assume that these numbers only apply for 700c.

Should've gone with a Bianchi Pista, since they're flat resistant.

It could be because your wearing down your tires and they need replacing. Massive skids does cause this, believe it or not.

Not really. Its just fun to say that stock stuff is crap.

They lasted longer skidding and had fewer flats than the $40 Lithions that I replaced them with.

I totally agree, the Kenda's came on the Vuelta wheels I bought for my conversion. I wore through the rear in a couple of months, replaced it from the LBS with a Lithion (girl behind the counter said she has been on the same pair for almost a year) it lasted less than a month. Colors are nice though, but I guess that doesn't matter when it's hanging on the blown tire nail in the garage.

Blah blah blah, lots of nonsense in here.

Cheap bikes come with particularly cheap tires. Get some better tires that are a little bit more flatproof.

That rolling over a curb sounds like a pinch flat. That's when you hit something hard enough (or you don't have enough pressure in your tires) that the obstacle (a curb) squeezes your tube between itself and the rim, and leaves a snakebite like pair of holes in the tube. Patch 'em and move on with your life, to which you could consider adding some more gentle handling skills.