Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Tire Advice

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Tire Advice

Old 12-18-09, 03:06 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
MUZE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Hills, CA
Posts: 168

Bikes: Scott CR 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Tire Advice

I have Continental Grad Prix 4000S tires on my bike and today I suffered two punctures within 5 miles on the rear tire (about 200 miles on it).
What is the feeling on the quality of these tires? Was I just unlucky? Is there a recommendation for a road tire that gives more protection without adding significant weight or drag? A friend mentioned a tire sold under the Specialized name that supposedly offers good protection (about $60 each).
It's been quite windy for the last few days and so there is a lot of debris on the roads and one can't avoid, let alone see all of it (thorns, twigs, leafs, etc.). I found nothing in the tire when I changed out the tube either time.
MUZE is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 03:27 PM
  #2  
On the Move
 
teterider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,219

Bikes: Lots

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Its not the tires. Its never the tires.
Unlucky? Yes likely on the first puncture. Second puncture...well thats your fault.

You probably know, but I'll write it out as a general PSA:
Do a clean remount from scratch. Start with a new tube in that wheel, cover lightly in talcum powder, run a cotton ball inside the tire carcass many times to see if anything catches. Now run your finger around many times. Check the outside carefully for any cuts. If you have rim tape make sure its not rolled over anywhere and flat. Now run finger around rim bead to check for any burrs. Install tube and seat tire. Don't inflate up yet. With a very small amount of air in the tube just so it keeps shape inside the tire, go around each edge both sides and push in the bead to check if the tube is underneath the tire. Start and finish at valve stem. Again - do both sides. Now inflate slowly up to pressure.

I don't care if others disagree because I don't get flats. No I'm not angering the flat gods or need to knock on wood. I don't get flats and I'll be just fine. I can recall all my flats on one hand since 1986. Statistically per mile I'm more likely to get hit by stampeding cows than get a flat.
Yeah, ok, I'll knock on wood for the cow thing now.

If you get a flat again after this on the same tire, then I'm sorry because you must live in an awful area for road hazards of which I have no comprehension here in MA or back in central NY.

Last edited by teterider; 12-18-09 at 03:38 PM.
teterider is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 03:30 PM
  #3  
ah.... sure.
 
kayakdiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Whidbey Island WA
Posts: 4,107

Bikes: Specialized.... schwinn..... enough to fill my needs..

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
My guess is you didn't fix the problem the first time. I run these tires in all conditions and have pretty good luck. Maybe one or two flats over the course of it's lifetime. Only time it will happen soon after a flat is when I didn't find the offending item that caused the puncture in the first place.

Look harder would be my guess.
kayakdiver is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 03:35 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 86
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by teterider
Its not the tires. Its never the tires.
Unlucky? Yes likely on the first puncture. Second puncture...well thats your fault.

You probably know, but I'll write it out as a general PSA:
Do a clean remount from scratch. Start with a new tube in that wheel, cover lightly in talcum powder, run a cotton ball inside the tire carcass many times to see if anything catches. Now run your finger around many times. Check the outside carefully for any cuts. If you have rim tape make sure its not rolled over anywhere and flat. Now run finger around rim bead to check for any burrs. Install tube and seat tire. Don't inflate up yet. With a very small amount of air in the tube just so it keeps shape inside the tire, go around each edge both sides and push in the bead to check if the tube is underneath the tire. Start and finish at valve stem. Again - do both sides. Now inflate slowly up to pressure.

I don't care if others disagree because I don't get flats. No I'm not angering the flat gods or need to knock on wood. I don't get flats and I'll be just fine. I can recall all my flats one one hand since 1986. Statistically per mile I'm more likely to get hit by stampeding cows than get a flat.
Yeah, ok, I'll knock on wood for the cow thing now.

If you get a flat again after this on the same tire, then I'm sorry because you must live in an awful area for road hazards.
The flat gods are good to you. I've gotten two flats from nails and one from running over a bunch of glass on the way to work in the past two months alone.
dantsai is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 03:54 PM
  #5  
well hello there
 
Nachoman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,430

Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Liked 334 Times in 206 Posts
Originally Posted by dantsai
The flat gods are good to you. I've gotten two flats from nails and one from running over a bunch of glass on the way to work in the past two months alone.
But the cow gods now may not be so good to tete.
__________________
.
.

Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
Nachoman is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 05:35 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
MUZE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Hills, CA
Posts: 168

Bikes: Scott CR 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Well, it could very well be my fault. I did run my fingers in the tire to check for the cause of the flat but I did not check or take the care in replacing the tube to the degree that has been described.
Thanks for the input, I really didn't want to spring for tires. I sacrifice a tube to the "flat gods" tonight!
MUZE is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 05:57 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
NealH's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Triangle, NC
Posts: 1,480

Bikes: S-Works Tarmac

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 182 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I pretty much follow the same procedure outlined by "teterider" - virtually to the letter. It is very good advice. I will only add that I don't run my pressure very high. I am using the Conti 4000 in 25mm and, run them at 85R/80F. They ride and perform superbly - and don't flat.

It only takes the most infinitesimal foreign matter to puncture the inner tube. Be sure to carefully feel the inside of the tire carcass following a flat. And again, follow the guidance provided by teterider.
NealH is offline  
Old 12-18-09, 06:20 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
rangerdavid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Boone, North Carolina
Posts: 5,094

Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9-6 2014 Trek Domaine 5.9

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i think the continental 4000 is a good tire. i was thinking of buying a pair myself soon.
rangerdavid is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
CircleofOne
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
12
07-16-18 06:41 AM
mwandaw
Tandem Cycling
16
09-01-14 06:48 PM
melvinator
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
25
02-12-13 12:13 PM
sharp
Road Cycling
28
08-28-11 06:19 PM
varithms
General Cycling Discussion
10
04-26-10 11:38 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.