I have just finished fixing a flat, the sixth one I've had in this inner tube since I installed it on July 16 of this year. The weird thing is, this hole went right through a previous patch, only two inches from another previous patch that also went right though another previous patch. I know, you would assume I'm not taking the glass/nail/staple out of the tire; but that's not the case. Each puncture is from a new cause.

My commute adds up to 80 miles / week. Here are the relevant maintenance records:

July 6: New tire: Schwalbe Marathon with kevlar puncture protection.
July 16: New tube (Schwalbe); old instant patch (I hate those things) had failed, and that tube had lots of patches already.
July 20, flat tire: puncture on inner side of tube (rim strip problem? Never found any reason for it). I patched it.
July 23, flat tire: tube inexplicably blew through the side wall on the way to work. I patched the tube.
September 8, flat tire, puncture near valve; I patched the tube. The tire was tearing around the July 23 puncture, so I replaced the tire, adding a Slime Liner. The new tire is another Schwalbe Marathon with kevlar puncture protection.
Sept 21, puncture, a 1/2" steel staple on the way home from work. I patched the hole, which was 2" from the Sept. 8 puncture.
October13, flat, tire went flat over night, never found the cause of the puncture. I patched the hole, which was right through the patch over the Sept. 8 puncture.
December 15, tire went flat after I got to work. Cannot find the cause. I patched the hole, which was right through the Sept. 21 puncture.

If you have a big gash in the tire, it probably needs to be replaced. I have Marathon tires and they have been great. However, one had to be thrown out after a gash from a broken beer bottle. The tear in the tire wasn't big, but the flap of tire in the gash rubbing on the tube caused repeated flats.

Or...you could just have bad luck.

And I thought I had bad liuck with flats! Don't feel too bad, it happens. I have had to retire high quality tires due to battle damage. I have been taught by the nature of my commute to use kevlar belted tires, Mr Tuffy tirel liners. spare inner tubes a small pump and CO2.

The small pump gets the new tube started and bead seated. CO2 brings it up to ride-able pressure. I can now even carry a spare tire. I have 4 Pasela TGs that have various degrees of damage. All could be used in a pinch. One has a flat spot because it ate an old pannier and locked up the wheel at speed.

Keep some new tubes handy. Save the older foldable tires. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Yeah, I think it's a combination of bad luck, lots of junk on Manhattan streets, and small wheels. It's not a big deal; you get a flat, you fix it, you go on. I order new tires long before I need them.

I am totally amazed when I hear about the people who go for years without a single flat. In fact, I have to stop myself from saying something crass like "did you ever ride your bike, in this time?" Flat tires happen. It's part of cycling.

Closest I can get is four flats in 5 laps on two different bikes over 3 visits to a particular MTB trail in Ft Worth - that all happened within 50 yards of the same spot in the trail. Weird. No apparent reason for that to happen.

Sounds like it's time for a new inner tube.

A lot depends on where you ride. I've had one this year and there's been a year or two that I've gone without any. From April through Nov. I ride on skinny 23's

There was one spot on my commute that kept giving me trouble, even with liners protecting my tubes, so I upgraded to specialized armadillos and haven't had a flat in a little over 2,000 miles. before upgrading tires, I averaged about one flat every two weeks. That was just down right awful, there isn't much worse than being part way through a commute and having to pull over and change a tire in the freezing rain. It is really difficult to use a tire lever when you can't feel your fingers, and your sitting in a pile of snow. While I still carry my tool kit with patches and a spare tube, I refuse to accept 2 flats per month as normal wear and tear.

I appreciate the tip, but no go. Specialized says "We've got treads for every season, every terrain and every mood," but they don't make any high pressure tires for small wheels. Any color you want, as long as it's black.

And speaking of black, they don't seem to have much selection with reflective sidewall either.

After averaging one flat every 3 years for most of my life, the last two years I had a rash of flats. One attributable to a nail, but the rest with mystery causes. After replacing one tire and both tubes, they stopped. (Also, while replacing the tire I also picked up a new bike...but that's just for fair weather use, so the old one still gets ridden.)

If I'm replacing a tire, I'll almost certainly replace the tube at the same time. Tubes cost next to nothing, so why ride a patched tube in an expensive new tire?

Might check the rim .. could have a small indent or defect that's making that area sensitive. As far as getting flats, I think the road has more to do than folks would suspect. I had one commute where I got flats ALL the time. I started carrying 2-3 tubes with me at all times. About 2.5 years ago, my commute route changed (same tires, distance, bike, etc.) - just to different destination ... haven't had a flat since.