DreamRider85

So just after picking up my new ALR Emonda, I got a flat, sort of on a bumpy part of the road, it was in the very first mile or two. I had to bring it back to shop immediately. They fixed it, said that there may or may have not been a defected slightly teared tire in the back. I kept on wondering if the bike was not strong or I'm too big for the bike. I'm 235 pounds. They said it was just a matter of bad luck. At least for my mountain bike, I haven't had one flat in 3 years and that's riding a few times per weak. So this does concern me a bit and I was trying so hard to not mess up on my first ride. Do you think it was just bad luck? Or was it the bike or myself at fault? When I tested this thing 3 times, there was no flat. But as soon as I go ride it after owning it, flat... My first flat ever.

silversx80

Mostly luck. On my first road bike, I got a flat in the first 5 miles. I haven't had a flat in over 7 years now.

Jakedatc

bad luck. They tend to put crap tires as stock on stock bikes too. Get some Gatorskins in 25mm would likely be better. try to avoid the potholes and sharp looking things that your mtn bike wouldn't have thought twice about.

DreamRider85

Yea it looked like that part of the road had potholes. So do I just walk it everytime when I ride past it? Just crazy how I didn't have a flat in 3 years, then get one with the first 2 miles of purchase.

redlude97

probably a pinch flat or damage to the tube when installing if it wasn't just dumb luck. Did they find and show you the puncture spot?

Dan333SP

No, just don't intentionally ride into them. You can move out into the travel lane if you're comfortable to avoid potholes on the edge of the road. What type of flat did you get? Did the tube have 2 tiny snake bite holes? Those are often pinch flats caused by hitting a pothole or running tire pressure too low. If it was just a single hole, it may have been bad luck with a little piece of glass or metal.

If you end up carrying your bike over every bit of debris or rough road, you'll never have a good ride. Everyone learns the hard way what the tires can/cannot take. You can always get some Gatorskins. I've probably flatted once every 3,000 miles on average since I started, so it isn't super common but it definitely happens and you should be prepared with a flat kit/tube/pump or co2.

CafeVelo

***** happens. Avoid the potholes, but don't treat the bike so gingerly you carry it over surface imperfections. Do check your pressure though.

mawashi

Potluck much lol?

Go tubeless or go 25mm with some decent tires with good casing.

FLvector

OP - don't overreact to a flat. Did the shop replace the torn tire with a new one? Just make sure you have everything if you have another one and feel comfortable changing a flat on the road.

GlennR

No flats the first 3 years and 3 flats this year... it just happens.

You should carry a spare tube, CO2, tire levers and know how to use them.

MTB tires are a lot thicker and don't have as much of the tire contact the road.

Doctor Morbius

It's just the luck of the draw. I've had 2 flats from road debris this year in about 1000 miles of riding. I have one bike with 2700 miles that's never had a flat and another that had 3000 with no flats and original tires. Anything can happen.

Sy Reene

This relates to what I'd ask.. does your bike have 23mm tires on it? Likely too narrow for your weight.. eg. some bike calculators put your ideal rear wheel pressure at about 160psi for your weight in a 23mm tire -- which would exceed the rating of most brands of tires. Was it your rear wheel that blew?

DreamRider85

There was a tear in the back tire, defected possibly. But he changed it and afterwards said that it may have not been as bad as he thought.

KantoBoy

Last year, I flatted on the first 2m of my race. They gave me a free lap (it's a crit) but my motivation was already shot down.

/thread

DreamRider85

It was the back tire and happened near potholes. I'm not sure the tires width, but it's pretty narrow. Was it just my weight that caused it to go out? Does that mean it will go out and flatten every 2 miles?

DreamRider85

What should the pressure be? 80 to 120?

PaulRivers

It's most likely just bad luck.

There's 2 things to consider though:

1. The tires that came with your bike might not be the best. I don't know anything about the model, but it's often somewhere they skimp on cost. A lot of people use Continental GP4000's which are likely nicer tires.

2. You do need to make sure your tires are properly inflated or you can get flats. It seems unlikely being that you just got the bike that the shop wouldn't have inflated them, but fyi, some people don't realize you need to add air to the tires on a road bike somewhere between every day and every week - a lot more often than on a mountain bike.

bassjones

I rode on 23s for a long time and was over 350 lbs when I started. 25s are quite a bit more comfortable for me though - I was surprised how much difference 2mm in width makes in ride comfort. You should probably start saving for some big boy wheels. At 230+, you'll probably want 36 spokes on the rear and 32 front. Ride the stock wheels until you start having spoke/truing issues though.

bassjones

Check the sidewalls for max PSI and air them up to that before every ride. Mine lose 20 psi every night and my bike sits on a trainer in the living room when I'm not
riding it.

Stucky

I had about 7 flats in my first few hundred miles on my first road bike. Of course, it came with crappy Kenda "tires". Switched to Gatorskins...haven't had a flat in several years.

KantoBoy

20psi?! that's a huge loss OVERNIGHT.

I just re-inflated my tires today on my n+1 which I rode 2 weeks ago and it's down 15-20psi from that ride. I run 105F, 100R.

bassjones

I run them at 120 F/R. They're usually down to 100-105 the next day. No big deal. I just air them back up and go. Takes 2 minutes

Jakedatc

you know that just plugging in the pump probably accounts for a lot of that filling up the hose

DreamRider85

So even if my tires aren't perfect, I shouldn't expect flats like every day right? It was just odd how it happened as soon as I got it.

mawashi

Seriously, it's just a flat, get over it lol!