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2009-05-14 12:05 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
supa-powa - 2009-05-13 10:21 PM
This year alone, I've had 6 punctures, which is beginning to become bloody expensive and totally fricken annoying!!
Is this out of proportion? Or is this about normal?

I get them almost never. Less than 1 per 1000 miles. But I ride on a perfectly smooth and clean bike path. I can change a tire quickly in my sleep but that's not my concern when I get a flat. When I get one I make 100% sure I figure out exactly why I got it. Based on where the hole is on the tube and looking at the tire/rim, it's generally easy to determine why the flat occurred.

Once I had just changed out both tires/tubes and on my first ride I got a flat immediately. I looked at the tube and it appeared pinched by the rim so I didn't inspect it further. Big mistake. 100 yards after I changed the tube I went into a high speed corner, the tube blew, tire rolled off the rim and I crashed badly and broke my wrist(s). Turns out the brand new tire had two tiny pin holes in it that looked like a staple went through it during packaging. Under pressure my tube was able to sneak through those tiny holes and it appeared exactly like a rim pinch on the tube. Needless to say, if anything every goes through one of my tires, I trash the tire immediately.

Edited by breckview 2009-05-14 12:07 PM


2009-05-14 12:08 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
Three years ago I had a flat on my road bike - a small piece of metal wire went right through the tire into the tube.

Never had one before or after until last Saturday!  I was riding down a big hill doing just over 40mph, the shoulder was pretty rough when I came upon a bunch of debris and couldn't avoid it at that speed - popped both tires at the same time!  I carry one spare.  It was time to phone a friend!

Edited by aneal000 2009-05-14 12:09 PM
2009-05-14 12:12 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?

So how many of you have ever had a flat during a race?

2009-05-14 12:14 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Champion
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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
I ride about 4500 miles a year and I usually get 1-2 a year. I did ride over something with tires with less than 35 miles on them that made a cut in the tire about 3 inches.

The number one reason I get flats is staples as we store my bike in the basement near the office stuff.
2009-05-14 1:23 PM
in reply to: #2150830

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
kram2692 - 2009-05-14 12:12 PM

So how many of you have ever had a flat during a race?



Me. Three races. Twice on the same worn set of tires in two different races. First time changed the flat and finished fourth in my AG. Second time flat wasn't noticed until I moved my bike out of transition, so I imagine it was a slow leak that I picked up late in the race. I got rid of the tires after that. Was the last time I flatted, IIRC.

Other time was in a duathlon, didn't check the tire for the source of the puncture and immediately flatted again. resulted in a DNF and a ride back to transition by a nice farmer unaffiliated with the race.
2009-05-14 1:36 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
Everyone does realize the OP just jinxed all of us, right?  By next week this post is going to be huge!


2009-05-14 2:54 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
1 year of riding, 513 miles, and not a flat yet. Still have the original tubes and tires. I'm a little nervous for my race this weekend...hope it goes flat-free.
2009-05-14 5:18 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
One year when mrs gearboy and I did Bike Virginia, I flatted every day but one.  And the next day I flatted twice, so it all averaged out. The most annoying one was when I woke up to a flat tire in the morning, even though I hadn't added any air the night before to expand in the morning.  Grrrr...
2009-05-14 10:41 PM
in reply to: #2149924

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2009-05-14 11:40 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
Hmm...

Sounds like maybe I need to check both my rims and my rim tape to make sure there is nothing in there thats causing the flats. I pump them up to 100psi is this high enough???

Should I keep that little metal circle screw on the outside of the inflate bit on the inner tube?

Should I look into buying more expensive tires or more expensive inner tubes? Can you buy more expensive inner tubes??

Thanks.
2009-05-14 11:44 PM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
I haven't yet. Guess I have not ridden enough.


2009-05-15 12:39 AM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
Being new to the tri world, I was more worried about flatting than anything else to do with biking.  If anyone anywhere is going to get a flat it will be me.  I have flats on my cars, my motorcycle and of course my bike.  I watched every tire changing video I could find, I read about it, and even went to a class at REI.  It paid off.

Last week, working with my training partner for Iron Girl Las Vegas I had three flats in two days.  Same as someone else, a little wire thru the tire and into the tube  gave me a slow leak.  (MISTAKE.... I tried to make it the last two miles home on soft slow leak).  I didn't make it and ran out of air, so change one.  I found the wire by running my finger along the inside and pulled it out.  Unfortunately, (my mistake 2), I was using an old tire which I had ridden semi flat, trying to make the last 2 miles home and everything exploded when the tire fell apart.  Flat 2

Flat 3, boy I must be getting strong.  Getting ready to ride, following all advice, was pumping up tire.  Everything was great, nice weather, feeling good, pulled the pump off the valve and pfffffssssssssttttt, pulled the valve right out of the the tube.

Are we having fun yet.  Oh well, getting real good at tire changing, and the fear of flatting sure is gone now.  Bring it on (well maybe next year OK)
2009-05-15 7:49 AM
in reply to: #2151095

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
aneal000 - 2009-05-14 1:36 PM Everyone does realize the OP just jinxed all of us, right?  By next week this post is going to be huge!
I read this yesterday and was about to post on how great my flack jacket tires were and how I have no flats in 800 miles so far.....

Yup, flatted yesterday, took 12 minutes to change the tube. I hope it doesn't happen in a race, they will likely decide I ran off with the timing chip, I'm so slow anyway.
2009-05-15 8:18 AM
in reply to: #2149915

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
matt_d - 2009-05-14 1:23 PM Gator Skins for me too, never had a flat with them.  Great training tire.


In over 3 years of riding I have only had one puncute with Gator Skins.  Before I bought them I used to puncture quite regularly and last week I went out on my road bike but my Gator Skins were on my tri bike I got THREE punctures in one ride.  I now have gator skins on both bikes.
2009-05-15 9:58 AM
in reply to: #2149751

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
Read this thread yesterday, flatted this morning on a staple. Damn, jinx!Wink
2009-05-15 10:12 AM
in reply to: #2152881

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
pilam99 - 2009-05-15 9:58 AM Read this thread yesterday, flatted this morning on a staple. Damn, jinx!Wink


Bad bad bad!!!! I'm telling you!!!!  Just the thought of this thread caused me to have two flats last weekend! 


2009-05-15 12:33 PM
in reply to: #2152934

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
On my road bike with Specialized armadillo tires, 1 flat in the last 8 years. I'm on my second set of tires in that time.

On my single speed townie bike with cheap road tires, I flatted last year the second time I rode the those tires and never fixed it. The bike has since been torn apart to built a try bike that will get gator skins.

On my mountain bike I've lost track. Only 4 days on trails this year but no flats. I've been on rides where there were 6 flats on 4 bikes in the same 10 foot section of trail.

Edited by graceful_dave 2009-05-15 12:34 PM
2009-05-15 1:52 PM
in reply to: #2150258

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
tjfry - 2009-05-14 6:59 AM

Years ago I got 4 flats in one ride, and there was a period after that which I got flats all the time(weekly). Turned out after many inspections that there was a tiny little metal burr on the inside of the rim that the manufacturer never caught. Every time I inflated I got a tiny slow leak. Drove me crazy.


I had this same problem...flats about every other ride. As a last ditch effort I pulled the wheels and put on a borrowed set. I haven't had a flat in over 1,000 miles...I too had a tiny burr causing my flats.

Replace your wheels...that's too many flats.
2009-05-15 2:51 PM
in reply to: #2149751

Member
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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
After I posted my last, I went out and got a flat, changed it and got a flat again when i pulled in my driveway. bad JU JU.
2009-05-15 2:54 PM
in reply to: #2150830

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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
kram2692 - 2009-05-14 12:12 PM

So how many of you have ever had a flat during a race?



1 time. The race? Ironman Hawaii.

total bummer.
2009-05-15 2:59 PM
in reply to: #2149751

Expert
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Subject: RE: How Often Do You Get A Flat Tire?
I just got my first flat on the road yesterday!  With only 440 miles on the bike, I thought I was golden.  I did just talk to a friend the night before about flatting, and not knowing how to change one ( oh yeah) and poof...flatted the next night!  BUT..I did change it all by myself last night and it held out for my ride today!!  Success!  Lemonaide from a lemon I tell ya!



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