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Bl***Dy Punctures

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New POD 01 Mar 2013
In my quest to get from 105 kgs to 80 (which got down to 90, and crept to 95 in the last few months due to 'winter') I have been combining indoor climbing and cycling to work.
Now I was cycling 2 miles, 3 days a week and coming home the long way, which was on a decent off road trail.
I have changed contracts and compaines, moved digs, moved to a new town, and I am 8 miles from work.
I thought I'd have a bit of a practise run, last night, in the half light down the Macclesfied Canal (Heading from Congleston to Kidsgrove)
Got 4 miles, hit the hedge trimmings. Hawthorn.
Because of lack of spares, I had to walk back in the dark.

Must be more prepared !!

Note: Tyres are cheap, bike was cheap, don't want to be late for work, but It would n't matter that much as I'm a freelance contractor not a permy, but not that 'professional' if it happens too often.
Robert Dickson 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:

>
> Note: Tyres are cheap
To be honest that's probably an area where it's worth spending a bit more cash, also I think I start getting more punctures when the tyres and tubes have had a fair bit of use.

Having said all that, hawthorn clippings are a nightmare!
 the sheep 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:
Puncture resistant tyres work well. I too commute along a canal tow path for at least part of my route and it was a nightmare until i swapped over. I have used specialized armadillo which worked fine pretty much got rid of all punctures apart from occasional vicious bits of glass. After they wore out I got schwalbe marathon plus which i have had for the last year or so and are fantastic and yet to get a puncture.

Hope this helps.
 Prof. Outdoors 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:
Punctures are a pain.
Quicker to carry a spare tube and repair the punctured one when you get home. Don't forget to check the tyre to make sure object is not still in the tyre.

Use a tyre sealant that should seal punctures. (Slime is sold by Halfords.)

As a regular Mountain Biker my bikes have been coverted to tubeless system. Excellent results but more expensive, around £50 for Stans Notubes Sealant kit. There is a cheaper way to do this but it can be a faff.
http://mtbtechniques.co.uk/MaintananceGhetto.html

You can buy tougher tyres. Cycelstore in Congleton will stock Specialized Armadillo.
I find that really worn tyres are more prone to
punctures. Good luck
 martinph78 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD: Don't know what size tyres you have but you can get puncture protection and slime filled tubes. They are heavy but might be worth it in your case!

 martinph78 01 Mar 2013
In reply to Martin1978: Also correct tyre pressures make a difference (maybe not with hawthorn though!). Harder is less likely to puncture.
 tlm 01 Mar 2013
In reply to Prof. Outdoors:

> Quicker to carry a spare tube and repair the punctured one when you get home.

If you add in the time mending it at home as well and if I'm on the way home or it doesn't matter me being a few minutes late, I often prefer to mend them on the road - then I get to test that it is mended properly and can just relax when I get home.

Several punctures is my signal to buy new tyres, but I agree, hawthorn hedges are just about the worst thing ever and I would avoid going that way for a month or so...
 TobyA 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD: Schwalbe Marathon Plus, done maybe 8 or 10k (kms) on one pair - no punctures!
In reply to TobyA:

+1 to the Marathon Plus. Only downside is the weight.

ALC
Robert Dickson 01 Mar 2013
In reply to TobyA: Just went out and rubbed the shite off the tyres on my commuter and I too am using Schwalbe Marathon Plus. No punctures in 18 months (well one snake-bite puncture due to under-inflated rear tyre and horrendous sharp edged pothole).
New POD 01 Mar 2013
Cheers. Might have to actually spend some money on this bike that cost me just £75 in 1990.
In reply to Prof. Outdoors:
> (In reply to New POD)

> As a regular Mountain Biker my bikes have been coverted to tubeless system. Excellent results but more expensive, around £50 for Stans Notubes Sealant kit. There is a cheaper way to do this but it can be a faff.
> http://mtbtechniques.co.uk/MaintananceGhetto.html

+1, I've never punctured a tyre in a tubeless setup.
 AlisonSmiles 01 Mar 2013
In reply to TobyA:

Commute bike, I second the Schwalbe Marathon decision. Brilliant. Touching wood, never punctured yet. If it's MTB as someone else said, I've not punctured (touching wood) since going tubeless. I carry inner tubes, usually two with me on every trip, and quick patches too, and come to think of it an old toothpaste tube in case the tyre itself has gone horribly wrong ...
 Mike-W-99 01 Mar 2013
In reply to AlisonSmiles:
Schwalbe Marathon again. Had one puncture and it was with something that'd floored an elephant.
 EeeByGum 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD: I feel your pain. Punctures always seem to come in threes for me. Had a bit of a flat tire on Tuesday so swapped out for a new inner tube and pulled about 5 shards of glass out of the tire. The next day my tire went flat whilst dropping my son off so swapped out my bike for the spare and fixed the tire last night. Got a flat again 4 miles from work so had a long walk in. I have now replaced inner tube (again) and got a new tire. Fingers crossed for going home this evening.
KevinD 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:

as per the other comments.
Decent tyres cost a bit more to begin with but save money longer term in terms of inner tubes etc and not having to change a tyre in the freezing rain.

I use specialised armadillos but the marathons get good reviews as well.

Picked glass out of them on several occasions where it got stuck in the tread but failed to cut any further.
Unlike some lighter race tyres which got shredded in a week.
 Liam M 01 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD: As a slight hijack, some people have referred to tubeless. How easy is it to convert a wheel to a tubeless setup? I'm considering it for my cyclocross bike next winter so I can run next to no pressure and have a chance of not being a complete passenger on the sloppy mud that seems to dominate the Yorks cx courses.
 Voltemands 02 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:

Sorry to also hijack the thread.

Phil79, thanks for the link some good prices.

I hate having to ask this question, but I'm looking at the following -

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYSCMRCRF/schwalbe_marathon_racer_raceguard_fol...

The options are 30, 35 and 38 mm width. I have a trek 1.5 with tyres that fit 700c by 23 tubes. Am I right in thinking the 30mm ones are going to be too big for my wheels? (I'm thinking they may be cyclocross size)
 Liam M 02 Mar 2013
In reply to Voltemands: If the wheels are 700c then the bead diameter of any 700c tyres should be correct. You can apparently have issues if you put a very wide tyre on a very narrow rim, but I doubt this would be an issue with this combination.

Of more significance may be frame clearance - 30mm wide tyres may rub the frame if it is quite narrow at the forks or top of the seat stays. There may be issues with brake geometry too. Have a look to see if you can find a frame spec that may help.
 Voltemands 03 Mar 2013
In reply to Liam M:

I thought this may be the case. Think I'll just stick to either 23 or 25's, shame as those tyres get such a good write up all over the place. Thanks.

New POD 11 Mar 2013
In reply to New POD:

I've bought 2 new tyres and inner tubes, and fitted them. I put one of the old tubes under water and 7 punctures !!!

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