lisasimpson

i swear every bike i own i got at least two flats on and soon after getting them. usually on the back tire. after two flats i usually switch to the specialized armadillo tire and that usually keeps those flats away. although i somehow, amazing as it sounds, did once get a flat on an armadillo. my bf rides prob 3 times more than me and like never gets flats. i am drawn to them somehow

Ziemas

Mr Tuffy tire liners. I've been using them for years. In the last ten years I've had two flats.

khuon

This is The Ring of BikeForums threads. Anyone who replies to this thread and claims they don't often get flats will get one in seven days. BTW, I answered, "once in a blue moon" so I'm starting my countdown now.

Ziemas

I thought the same thing when I posted! I don't often even READ these types of posts. It must be the sunshine going to my brain.

PWRDbyTRD

I got new tires, new pump, new patch kit, co2 kit etc, I'm prepared for a flat, and I get one, I get my **** replaced my specialized for FREE

[bEn]

First flat with bike 2 weeks ago. I think a speed bump might have triggered it!

[bEn]

Don't Jinx me!

Applehead57

I built new MA3's and switched to Conti Gator-Skins.
I'm thru with flats.

Ok, I've only got about 200 miles on them so far...but no flats!

mmerner

yes gator-skins are nice, but I think the trick is to keep them pumped up to at least 100psi or you run the risk of getting pinch flats.

tulip

I'm sure I've already jinxed myself because I have written in another post that I have not had a flat in the 3 years I've been commuting. What the heck, it's bound to happen now!

I did manage to break the valve stem about a month ago. The tire held air fine, but I couldn't top it off like I am wont to do. So I changed the tube, but I pinched the new tube on the rim and it popped when I was pumping it up. I guess that counts as a flat, but it was in my dining room and not out somewhere on some lonely road.

But I'm way past due for a real flat, so bring it on! I'm ready!

2manybikes

You need to constantly be scanning the surface of the ground in front of you and the road ahead back and forth all the time. Scan ahead for a certain distance then look at the vehicles for that much time. Don't look down, you sort of need to do both at the same time. If you concentrate as hard as you can it's much easier. Then it eventually becomes sort of a habit you can't stop. You need to study what things look like at a distance too. Anticipate further down the road for what's coming. If you see something that will give you a flat don't look right at it as you go by. You tend to go where your eyes look. Once you know where the object is look beside it as you go by. Look where you want to go.

7,500 plus miles a year 1 to 0 flats per year. And 1000 plus off road. No flats in about 4 years off road.

Everything is relative to what you are used to. Ride a motorcycle off road for 30 years and go 40 to 50 down foot paths in the woods. You become velocitized and then the slower speeds of a bicycle are easy. It's like driving in the car at high speed on back roads for a long time and then going on the highway for a while. By comparison it seems easier. I know this might not help but it's the only way I can explain how it feels when It happened to me.

I know, I know, now I'm doomed....

slvoid

Stop riding so far over to the sides of the road where all the junk lands.

If you have a friend click on this thread and cast their poll, then you won't get a flat, but you must do so within 7 days...

Smaug

My phone just rang... there was some dude with a creepy voice on the other end telling me I was going to have a simultaneous double blowout on my next ride.

And all my CO2 cartridges will be dead.

And my hand pump with be broken.

And my spare tube will have a leak.

I hung up when he started saying something about my cell phone battery being dead as well.

WHY DID I READ THIS THREAD?!?!?!?!?!?

webist

I can think of one ride in the past 3 years where I forgot to take my cell phone. Result: 3 flats in 17 miles.

All other flats over the 3 years (maybe 2 of 'em) have been the variety where you discover them before the next ride.

Conclusion: Cell phone prevents flats.

(I still carry extra tube and a patch kit though.)

lisasimpson

[QUOTE=slvoid]Stop riding so far over to the sides of the road where all the junk lands.
QUOTE]


easy for u to say you draft cars at 35 mph lol. if i move over any more i will be in traffic and i cant keep up the speed. granted at night when the roads are bare i can, which i did last night. but during the day i cant really do that.

slvoid

Just take the lane, they can a) wait behind you patiently, b) wait behind you impatiently, c) swerve around you, d) run you over. I can't see any of this being that much of a problem.

Boogs

The bike shop that refurb'd my Voyageur put unbelted IRC tires on it, and they flatted within two days. I got Tuffys, and was doing well with them, but thought I'd get Gators for added insurance.... really happy with them. No flats (though I do have the Tuffys under them) after 600 miles or so, and they ride much better than the IRC tires. Since they are only 28mm wide (though they are marked as 1.25"), I was surprised that they were so much better feeling than the old 32mm tires, but they are. I keep them at 110psi rear and 105psi front since I'm a bigger guy.

recursive

Yes. and keep your tires inflated. When I was a wee cyclist and the 700x38s on my hybrid were at 40-60psi, I rode through all kinds of debris. I got plenty of practice patching tubes. Then, I got some more bikes, started putting more in tires all around, and stopped riding in sand and gravel. No flats in thousands of miles.

recursive

I like your style.

blue_neon

Hehe...we'll see. Havn't had one in like 2 years! My last one was just caused I think because the tube was old and a little 'drop off', made it pop. Since then I still have the orignial tube in my rear tyre, and a new $14 tube in my front. I take the tyre off and inspect/clean regulary, but i'm on a roooollllll here!

Boogs

OMG - I answered "once in a blue moon" and flatted on the 55 mile ride I did after work.

At least no demonic little girls with Cousin It hairdos attacked me.

2manybikes

R1ceboy

Damn i just read this topic the other day and guess what. My front tire went flat last night.