cedo

In 2005, no flats with daily commuting. Until the last two days -- one front, one rear. I could not find an obvious culprit like a piece of glass. Does the single digit temperature have something to do with it? I was thinking of three possibilities: (1) More junk in the streets that's hidden in the snow. (2) In the cold outside air, the tire pressure is lower and when I ride over brittle ice clumps, it's causing some sort of pinch flat. (3) Pure chance.

CBBaron

I'm guessing (3).
The great thing about winter is the snow plows are clearing the road on a regular basis. They not only clear off the snow but also the glass and other debris.
If your tire pressure is low enough for pinch flats your running much to low of pressure for commuting. I'm heavy so I try to keep my pressure near the max. A little smoother ride or a little better traction is not worth the chance or pinch flat or rim damage on a cold weather commute.
That reminds me I better check my pressure today. The single digit temps makes me less likely to perform basic maintence.
Craig

shokhead

I'm 200 using 95psi on 23's and have never had a pinch flat.

Portis

Flats are cyclical. I went over one year and 5000 miles on my mountain bikes with out a flat. FF to Thanksgiving of this year. Since then I have had five. That is NONE in 12 months and five in the last few weeks.

I am doing nothing different. My tires are still good and I am still running slime, just like always. These flats have happened on 3 different wheels. ( I run two bikes.) It's all chance.

Not to say that you can't have something wrong that is causing flats, but once you assure yourself that the tire and tubes are ok, than it is just bad luck!


( BTW, over the last three years of daily riding, i have had way more flats in warm weather than in cold)

cedo

Slime -- I think I read that it doesn't work well in colder tempertures. Is it possible that that's what happened to me? I had two pricks in tires which remained sealed throughout the summer but then when the weather got cold, the slime quit working and the tires flatted. Does that make sense?

CBBaron

I think that Slime may stop flowing in bad weather and would therefore be less effective at stopping leaks. But I would guess that once the leaks are stopped then the temperature should not affect the Slime. Still it is possible that the slime becomes brittle with cold and has broken up within the hole, but I think that unlikely.
Craig

Portis

WRONG!

SLiME can be used even in the most extreme conditions. SLiME's boiling
point is 220ºF (104.4ºC) and its freeze point is -35ºF (-37.2ºC). SLiME will
not freeze solid in extreme cold, but the viscosity may increase. As soon as
the tire is in rotation, friction will create heat and that heat will bring the
sealant back to its normal viscosity.

cooker

Oh, dear, I had thought this thread would contain tips on how to play in Bflat major.

Jerl

hey man.
Same thing here. Rarely do I ever get any flats on my commute. Then one -20 C morning and 2 flats!
My theory
The cold temperature:
a) lowers the pressure in your tires,
b) makes the tubes more brittle,
therefore more susceptable to flats. In my case both flats I had sheared valve stems, which to me indicates low tire pressure & brittle tube.

Walkafire

I think Flats come in waves....

I don't think the cold/warm has anything to do with it, other then the dayum goatheads are growing in warm weather?

I use True Goo... I think it is better then Slime. Has gotten me home more then once!