alathIN

Had a nice ride into work in the cool fog this am, except for an unplanned session of tube-patching practice.

Have two decisions to make:

1) Ride home conundrum (vote here: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-me...ease-vote.html )

2) New tires?

Since the ride home conundrum is dealt with under mechanics, I wanted to ask the commuter tire experts here whether this is just a fluke thing that happens or whether I should consider different tires.

The bike is a Volagi Viaje. I use panniers and carry significant weight when I commute: security chain, all my food and water for 12 hours work, a gym bag, change of clothes, and myself (I am not small).

The tires are Vittoria Voyager Hyper 32mm (700c).

When I first started riding them I thought they seemed wonderfully buttery and racey for a bulletproof commuter/touring tire - now I am thinking maybe they just aren't as bullet proof as I thought.
The puncture culprit was a small stone, roughly pyramid shaped. Went right through the tire and into the tube.

The tires are quite new. Just got the bike this season and I'm just under 300 miles.

My commute is 14 miles each way, mostly on a beautiful greenway, but I do have about 1-2 miles at the end on rough city roads with broken glass, potholes... all the fun city road hazards. And like I said, I am putting some weight on the tires especially the rear.

I know everyone here loves the Schwalbe marathons. Would this give me significant puncture resistance better than what I have already? How do they wear? How would the ride compare? Also how do they run in size (love the size of these Vittorias).

If you have another favorite you like better, please let me know about that too.

ratell

The problem is you never know...
I end up using schwalbe marathons because with everything else whenever I get a flat I keep thinking, "Darn it if I'd had Marathons I wouldn't have to do this". Now, it's very possible that the same thing would have flatted the Marathons, but when it happens with the Marathons I'm just annoyed that I had a flat not wondering if I should have bought a different tire.

SouthFLpix

There are various flavors of Marathon tires. The Marathon Plus has the greatest puncture protection, but the penalty is a sluggish ride because of the heavy weight of the tire.

If your tire has only 300 miles on it, I would continue using it to see how it goes. The puncture could have been nothing more than a fluke. Another thing you can try is using a sealant, like Orange Seal on your tubes. This is made for tubeless tires, but it also works on tubes. It won't prevent punctures, but it allows you to pull out whatever punctured your tire, re-inflate, and theoretically continue riding without having to change the tube. It doesn't work with every type of puncture, but it helps. If you continue getting punctures, at that point it makes sense to consider the Marathon Plus.

velocity

It's something that you didn't pack....extra time just in case. It takes about 15 minutes to do the do. I just had that happen to me a couple of weeks ago. Flat tires are a common thing. Go NASCAR on a tire change- that is all!

caloso

I carry both a spare tube and a patch kit, and a CO2 and a frame pump. The first flat gets a new tube and CO2. I can be back on the road in under 5 minutes. The second and subsequent flats get a patch and the pump. At that point I am probably late anyway.

jaxgtr

I always carry 2 tubes versus worry about patching on my commutes. Then I can patch later when I get home depending on where the tube was pierced. I ride on Michelin Pro4 Endurance 700-25's as my tire of choice.

PaulRivers

The page for the tire says it has flat protection, but prioritizes speed, comfort, and weight over puncture protection:
Voyager Hyper - Vittoria.com

But not by a crazy amount.

It's really hard to tell from just one flat. I ride Conti gp4000's on my bike and haven't had a flat, but they aren't even close to the most flat resistant tires you can buy.

gregf83 

If you carry two tubes you're guaranteed to never need them. If you only carry one there's a good chance you'll need the 2nd. Commuting, I always carry two tubes, a CO2 and a pump. I usually use the pump when I'm commuting. If I'm on a group ride I'll use the CO2 for speed.

edit: I wouldn't change tire types based on a single flat. Flat's are far to random to make decisions on individual events.

12strings

I went 15 months commuting on cheap $15 tires (700x28km) before my first flat...I carry one tube and a patch kit ....I've never needed the patch kit...I ride on mostly ok roads, but about a mile of chip seal, and another mile with some road debris.

Northwestrider

My Marathon Mondial tires are very close to 10,000 miles with just one flat. I like them.

CliffordK

Usually one can do pretty well with a new set of tires. You can get tire liners if you want.

In the first 50 miles I got a flat with my 25mm Marathons. Picked up a piece of glass big enough that while I didn't boot it immediately, I decided to eventually acquire a boot and put it in for the rest of the life of the tire. Since then... 500 to 1000 miles of smooth sailing (still going, but it is on the "other bike" for the moment).

Anyway, if I was you, I'd make sure I was prepared for future flats (spare tube, or tubes, + patch kit), and continue riding your current tires until they seem too worn, or you're getting too many flats.

Start considering a flat resistant tire. Marathons, Gatorskins, Gator Hardshells, Armadillos, etc. I did pretty well last summer using Elimin8ers, but not 100% flat free once the fall rains set in.

Darth Lefty 

Just call in and tell them you're late due to a flat tire. Most employers are pretty understanding so long as you warn them, unless you're a known flake.

Finding it difficult not to make puns off your bike's name.

MichaelW

I carry one tube and leave a 2nd in my office drawer.
Managers of remember cycle-related tardiness out of proportion to it's actual frequency.
Arm yourself for some facts for annual review.
1. How many days/year you are late.
2. How many days/year car-transported workers are late (due to weather/traffic holdups etc).
3 How many of 2. do not affect cyclists.

Invariably, car transportation results in more tardiness, but since they affect your manager, he tends to write off these cases as "acts of god".

tsl

Flats happen.

I carry a spare tube, tire levers and a RoadMorph pump. And I build 15 minutes into my schedule in case I have to use them. Thus, in nine years of daily bike commuting, I've never been late due to a flat.

I've been late because I left my regular glasses at home and had to go back and get them, and I've been late because my glasses broke once when I was cleaning road grime off them. Had to ride to the hardware store for superglue.

Therefore, in my experience, poor vision causes tardiness.

gerv 

I always carry a spare pair of glasses... although last week after 10 years of carrying a pump in my bag, I flatted a mile from work. Realized my my pump wasn't in my bag.

It was a wonderful walk and I was sure glad I had extra glasses.