License2Ill

I don't think it's the pavement or wire from tires in it. They've been making roads that way for 30 years in California and this is the first I've ever seen that suggested.

The question is, did you check the tire to make sure that what was actually causing the flat was removed before putting the new tube in? I've done it before, not realized it was a thorn or didn't find the culprit still in the tire on the first fix in the field, put the new tube in and two miles later had another one. It doesnt always happen that fast though.

Rootman

While generally good advice I think in my case I am picking up the wires that are giving me flats from the road. Our city has started to use asphalt with increased amounts of shredded tires as filler and the last few times the wires that pierced the tread look suspiciously like short strands of car tire steel from the belts.

Rootman

Yep, check it with a fine tooth comb, pulled a wire out with needle nose sticking right through the tread, and I always check the tire pressure before I set out on a ride. The wires just look like what I've seen sticking out of bald tires or shredded tire bits along side the road. The city made it known so they could brag about being green that they recently started using asphalt with increased shredded rubber content, and the day of the last flat I rode across a mile or so of just lain asphalt, they had just pulled the barricades away in fact after laying it so my suspicion is roused. I would image that if any wires are sticking out of the stuff that they would weather and wear down and cease to be a danger. They are repaving a LOT of roads around here lately.

Regardless I was asking advice / experience of those buying flat protect. Which is working for people, tires with better flat protection, puncture resistant tubes or tube with sealant - I'm looking at Tuffy Flat Bottom brand, the Green Slimes have not worked for me in other circumstances, or tire liners like Mr Tuffy. One, two or all three? Weight will become an issue.

Rootman

Sorry, just belly aching.
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Well, make the SEVEN flats in 2 months.

While getting the flat changed on my other bike I spotted a Giant Roam 2 and eventually bought it. After one week I got a flat on it too, went to the shop and bought the last tube on the shelf that would fit a 700X40 tire. The ****er behind the counter said that's all they had in stock. Took it home, got it in and it wouldn't even hold air, leaked out as fast as I my compressor would pump it in. It blew out where the stem is vulcanized into the body. Went back, at least to get my money back and another ****er said they had more in the back. Came out with two tubes. I took them both.

Well the second one held air for about 400 miles and blew out in exactly the same spot, around the valve stem, looks like it just blew apart at the seam, no holes, no foreign objects. This is on the RIM side, not the tire side. had to walk back home half a mile pushing the bike, I had left the spare tube at home. I put in the LAST tube and it lasted 17 miles and stranded me about 3 miles form home. I hoofed it to a spot I knew my wife could find me and put it on the van's car rack and took it home.

The blowout was exactly where the other two had been. I inspected the rim and there was nothing around the stem that could do this. So I took both tubes back the shop. And after explaining how I went through three tubes with exactly the same failure and asking him to check the rim to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong he said that he hadn't heard anything about tubes being bad. So we went back to the shelf and this time got a regular tube, not the puncture resistant ones I had just bought - they had NONE of the regular weight ones in stock when I came in the last two times. That was the reason I left the spare tube at home, these puncture resistant tubes are huge, look they have 5lbs of air in them when the are empty. THEN he said, "Yeah, we've had a lot of these puncture resistant tubes blow out around the stem" - Wasn't that just what the hell I told him? ARGGGHHH! They gave me two tubes at no charge - despite the fact that the regular tubes are cheaper than the puncture resistant ones. I mounted one last night. I'm not sure if I will go out tonight or not. My legs are killing me from walking so far in my bike shoes and my right calf is bruised where I kept hitting it on the pedal while pushing the bike.

So nothing new, I still haven't invested in any flat protection, the last 2 1/2 flats were defective tubes.

Sometimes I just wonder.