Less flats please....
 

So the summer time around here the roads get pretty rough. Not sure if my flats are from dirty roads, construction, or the 100+degree heat, but the result is the same....flats and lots of them.

Currently looking at a set of Conti gatorskins, any other recommendations.

Armadillo tires.

Make sure you're running the right pressure.

What's puncturing the tube and causing the flat?

If flats are REALLY getting to you look at how worn your tire is.

Look at the tubes you buy, switch manufacturers. Not brands, manufacturers. Pull the tube out and see who made it. Other than that you can get thick tubes, heavy tires or lots of patch kits. Also remember to really, really inspect the tire afterwards so that the offending object is not still present in the tire. I've done this a couple times.

+1 for gatorskins. I switched to them back in January and have had no flats since

Tubeless tires with sealant in them would probably help alot, providing you're not running over nails or glass all the time.

armadillo's are probably the toughest tire out there, but i heard the ride on them sucks

maybe you have some debris that punctured through the tire and keeps killing your tubes. Run your hands around the all of the inside of the tire to see if you notice anything.

To go off of this, inflate one of your punctured tubes. If the hole air is escaping from is on the inside of the tube (side where nipple is on), check your rim. If it's on the outside, check your tire for debris.

Look at the sidewalls of your tire and see if any part of the general shape of it is flattened. Replace the tire if you think it needs to be.

I hear armadillo's are good but are way heavy. I personally ride in Tucson, AZ with gatorskins and regularly run over thorns, putholes (Tucson roads are...the worst I have ever witnessed) and have had no problems with them. Gatorskins are essentially the unofficial tire of southern Arizona.

Gatorskins. Pump them up near max. Use new tubes. Enjoy.

'Dillos are pretty good at preventing flats, but I HATED the ride. I used mine on one training ride and one century (where I had two flats), then gave them away.
BTW, you want FEWER flats, not LESS flats.

glad i dont live anywhere near thorn country

This, honestly, is the reason I don't ride more than I do. I got a flat on my first tri and nearly threw the bike into the ditch and ran the rest of the way. As it was, I finished, but with a horrendous time. It's why I do more aquathlons and only hop on the bike in good weather when I have a ton of time. I'd ride a lot more if my bike had flat tires as rarely as my car.

And I do run Gatorskins.

I run Continental Gator skins with the thorn resistant tubes when training. I had no flats for over 6 months. I had to replace a tube once when the presta valve corroded and broke from all the salt in the air (I live close to the beach).

Prior to that.....I was getting flats quite often. Now....not so much!

Would you mind sharing which tubes those are? I'd like to try them.

These....they are heavy (3/4 lb to 1 lb each). I typically ride by myself and train with a power meter. When I go to century rides these tubes come off the bike.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...1518500_400233

Try Slime Lite 117g tubes. The valve unscrews out of the stem for periodic de-gunking. The compound works very well and the 30 gram weight penalty is worth it if you're constantly flatting.

What kind of holes are you seeing in your tubes? They can tell you a lot about what's causing your flats.

I've been running Michelon Krylions for a while, and they seem to be pretty flat resistant. I ride on some sketchy roads, too.

Skip the Slime or thorn resistant tubes. If you want -fewer- flats, try flat resistant tires, like: gatorskins, armadillos, racelite hardcase, schwalbe marathon, panaracer tourguard...

I use the hardcases; they ride a little harsh, but rarely flat--only on brevets, in the rain...

Do you use them? How well do they work? I was going to put in an order to Amazon soon anyway...

I got 6 flats in one week after a total of about 30 within 500 miles on my old tires which led to me to trying a new pair. I did a ton of research and ended up choosing the Michelin Krylions. In 1500 miles, I've only had one flat and it was rim tape related. I ride on some of the worst freaking roads too. I definitely will be continuing to use these tires as long as they continue to do this well.

I've had two flats in the last year while riding in and around NYC. Unless something changes, Vredestein has my business until the day I can no longer get my leg over the top tube.

I ride about 500 miles per month.

I've examined (held in my hand) a Gatorskin and an Armadillo; I've used the Schwalbe Marathon Plus and the Panaracer Pasela Tourguard. Be aware that the weight can vary greatly among these different tires. The Gatorskin and Panaracer Tourguard are not that heavy (my Panaracer Tourguard 27 x 1 1/8 is around 300 grams according to the label that was attached to it). You probably get into the 400+ grams for the lightest/skinniest Armadillo, and the Marathon Plus is listed at 580 grams for the 700 X 25 size). I've had good (but limited) experience with the Panaracer Tourguard (I figure around 500 miles with no flats yet). I have mixed feelings about the Marathon Plus, it's the toughest-looking bike tire I've ever seen (it has an marked thickness from bead to bead, not just where the tire touches the road, and in the area where the tire does touch the road it has extra-thick layer of spongy material, I've read of some on this board that love the ride and some who hate the ride of the tire. I was initially turned off by the weight when I first rode it (using the Marathon just on my back wheel) and avoided riding the bike it was on. In time circumstances forced me to use it again on another bike and I just forgot about it being on my back rim and now I don't have a big complaint about it (keep in mind that I mostly ride for light exercise/pleasure and do some commuting, so bike/tire-weight is not my biggest concern).

I've found that I can ride just about any "thin-skinned" training/cheap tire on my front wheel without a lot of problems, but I need a beefier tire on my back wheel or I get a flat or two every 150-200 miles on my back wheel ( I weigh around 210 pounds). That is the compromise I make (a heavy tire on back and a light tire on front) so that I get most of the flat protection I need without adding any more weight to the bike than is necessary.

The rolling resistance of these tires is even more of a drag than their weight!

That said, the Marathon is my favorite tire and almost certainly the toughest road tire available. Gatorskins offer similar puncture resistance but are more prone to sidewall problems.