Hello folks,
I just don't understand whats going on with my bike. Recently I put brand new set of SL90 Easton wheels, brand new Conti race tires and brand new tubes. First ride lasted for like 7 miles. OK, stuff happens, not a big deal. Fixed the flat...2nd ride lasted like 10 miles. OK, things happen. Took off the tires, put brand new tube, went for a 10 miles rid, came back home. Next day the tire was flat from another puncture. I checked the wheel but was not able to spot anything suspicions. Front tire holds up good. But rear tire gives me a nightmare. Well, theoretically I can accept 3 consecutive flats, but something tells me it is not just a coincidence. And the puncture is more on the side of the tube. I don't know if I can blame Easton or should I? Its a pretty good wheel. But what else? I ve been riding bomb proof cheap Maddux wheels with Gatorskins without with no problems, but once I made a switch I cant sleep really well now

If the puncture is not over a spoke hole or a rough edge, you might have some embedded debris like a sliver of glass or metal. When you get a flat, take the tube out and keep the tire in place. Inflate and find the hole and match it up using the stem to the spot in the tire. Then carefully inspect that spot. Often you can get a flat and something like a little piece of metal stays in the tire.

Have you located a hole/s in the tire? Any debris, glass, wire, etc.? Or just a mysterious puncture in the tube?

Rim strip or tape OK? All the holes in the inner wall completely covered?
Sometimes tubes are flawed from the factory.

Could just be bad luck and the Conti Race aren't the most puncture proof types. Take off the tires and run your fingers around the inside of the tires. over the tube and around the rim to check for debris. If you continue to get frequent flats keep track of where the puncture is on the tire and tube to isolate any problem spots. Also, sometimes junk from the factory or shipping gets stuck on new rims, tires and tubes causing endless headaches.

You need to locate the hole in the tube, then match it up with the position of the tire and rim. Then feel around that area until you find your perpetrator. That's why I mount the tire with the label at the valve stem, it looks nice and makes locating flats easier.

Light weight race tires will flat easier than Gatorskins or another puncture resistant tire but it should not be THAT bad unless you're riding over the same patch of glass every time.

Everything looks good to me. I didnt spot any debris or metal shavings that cheap rims tend to have. I checked the tire. Again, looks good. What surprises me is that the puncture is not under the spoke or at the bottom of the tube. It like right on the side. May be I try putting my old Gator skins that still have some miles left. I really dont wanna blame Eastons. I run EA50's on my Cycloross and havent had a single issue.

That sounds like something puncturing the tube from Inside. Happened to me couple times with a brand new, brand name wheelset. It was bunch of little /sharp/ aluminum pieces floating inside double walled rim. Also inside holes for the nipples had rough surfaces.
You may also check the tire itself. Good luck and let us know when you find the problem.

Always find the hole in your tube. That should tell you what happened and what you have to fix. There may be debris in your rim or in your tire. Or maybe poor installation technique is pinching the tube.

Be aware that this is peak season for flats in the Northeast. (yes, flats are seasonal).

After 2+ months of winter with snow and ice on the roads, and road cleaning crews having not doing any cleaning, the margins of the road are full of glass, stone shards, and all manner of debris.

Try to avoid as much of this crap as possible, but expect the "bike lane" to be unusually dirty until the snow mounds are gone, and cews get a chance to clean up.

BTW- my personal record for flats happened not that far from you, where 7 of us suffered 11 flats in a few miles, riding PA 32 north of Frenchtown.

You need not only check the position of the puncture but also the appearance. A detailed description and picture (well-lit but no glare, macro mode) would be helpful in assisting you.

If it is always the same type of flat in the same place, then you have a problem there.

So one other question since nobody else asked: Do you pump your tires to the proper pressure? Do you have a pump with a gauge? What pressure do you use? Do you pump before EVERY ride. Under inflated tires will flat a lot more easily.

I ride GP4000s in NYC and don't get flats. Pump before every ride, replace tires before they are worn out, clean debris before it works its way in, watch for potholes and other obstacles.

Of course saying that is the kiss of death.

Best way to avoid punctures with road tires is going tubeless.
It's a bit of a hassle getting the system set up but after that there's no real downside. If the tires absorb debris or pieces of wire (I've never noticed anything inside my tires) it doesn't matter as the sealant is still in there and there is no tube to punture.

I didn't read anyone suggesting a cotton swab to find debris or sharp edges on the rim. No chance you are causing a tiny tear with a tire iron is there? (I did that and it was so small took hours for the tire to go flat.)

Initially I presumed folks who diligently line up tire labels with rim labels (and even mark tube orientation) --were just OCD. I now do it myself because it's the best way to know exactly where the puncture happens relative to tire and rim.

My only case of repeated flats was due to a small exposure of the spoke hole next to slightly misaligned rim tape. Orientation showed me the same spot on consecutive flats.

Consistently in the sidewall area? ^this.




^or this.

I replaced my tires recently and got five flats in under 15 miles. The problem was that the tire and rim combination did not allow the bead to set correctly and therefore when going around corners the tire would roll off the rim slightly and blammo a blow out. Other things would cause the separation as well.

So.... check that your tire sets deep enough in your rim.

Carry a few cotton balls in your tool kit. Wipe the appropriate area inside the tire after you have found the hole in the tube. Any sharp edge will snag the cotton, creating a 'tell'. A weightless tool, no less. bk

Definitely should be "sweeping" all surfaces with cotton - actually, I like using a cotton ball rather than swabs, tho. Drag gently across the inside and outside of the tire, then the interior faces of the wheel.
Also, one of the bikes in the house (I did NOT say my wife's) seemed to flat-out way too often - like every other week. Changed to Gatorskins and have not had any more problems.

What are you using for rim strips? Carefully examine the rim strip all the way around. If you can find the tiniest little arc of exposed spoke hole, that's it. Incidentally, I think that happens way more often than it should. Adjust the rim strip or (even better) replace that stretchy plastic thing with something that covers the rim from flange-to-flange and you'll be good-to-go.

The go to rim strips are velox.

i prefer to think of them as
fond de jante brand
model X073A

Yup.

my sad story: I wasn't having lots of flats, but I was never able to find what was causing them. But I'd put in a new tube and ride on. I had several spare tubes, so I just put the flats on a peg to patch at a later time.

after a few weeks I had three tubes to patch. When I was patching them I realized they were all leaking at the same spot. Hmmmm.....

so I examined the wheel closely and found a spot where a small portion of one eyelet was peeking out from under the Velox in the area where the leaks were occurring. I adjusted the Velox and no more flats.

So you may be having a similar situation...

if the hole is truly on the side of the tube, i can't see how it could be the rim, something in the tire maybe. OTOH i've always had good luck blaming the rim tape...

Just so you know, Fonde de Jante is not the brand, Velox is the brand. Fonde de Jante in French literally means base or bottom of the rim. It describes the product by its placement and function.

'velox'? you're crazy
it is fond de jante model XO73A