Road Bike and flat tires - For those of you with road bikes

I've had a road bike for about 2 years now.  I use it mainly for comuting to and from work (4 miles each way).   Problem is I keep getting bloody flat tires(almost on a weekly basis)! I pump my tires almost everytime I use my bike (about 90-110 psi) which is what tube/rim labeled on the rim.  The hole is usually pretty small and is around the valve/nosel area of the tube.  Is there a common mistake people do with road tires? I think I might be over tightening the value to the rim, but I would think it should be some what tight.

I have to fix my tire after work...grrrrrr....

OHHH!!  I know this one!!  My ex-fiance (long annoying story) used to force me to go on like 80 mile rides with him...  anyway you have to be sure that you are not pinching the tire tube when you are putting it in.  Around the valve is the most common place it can get pinched...  Hope that was helpful?!

that's a good point, sometimes I've notice the valve is sticking out in a angle, I figure it would just work it's self out.  Thanks for the info.

80 miles eh...ouch.  I think my butt would fall off.

I have a race bicycle too .. and had a very large flat tires problem last year .. approx. 1 flat tire every 100km. My Friend that work at the bike shop talk to me about Mr Tuffy .. it solved a lot of problems for me .. i've include the link to Mountain equipement Coop.. i think you have some in BC. ..

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_listing.js p?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302693707& bmUID=1146230254571

This really helped me.  almost no more flat tires..  And yes be carefull when replacing your tubes.... valve must be really strait !

You might also want to check your rim .. it my have something inside that is percing the tire.. (a little sand paper around the valve hole (from the inside) might be good.

My 2 cents...

Claude

I ride all the time...close to 200 miles a week.  When you change the tire, make sure you look at the inside rim for loose things such as glass, sticks or anything that may flatten your new tire.  Use a clothes to wipe it out before putting in the new tube.  Also, there are instances with certain tubes that are manufactured poorly.  If you're using it to commute, you may want to buy a good grade of tube.

I hope it helps.

Claude, Neeners

Actually I already bought some Mr. tuffy liners.  A week later got another flat,  I think it might be sometime inside the rim.  I will have to look into it. 

I accidently bought 6 x Mr. Tuffy liners.  I thought they were tubes hehe...I had no idea they made inside liners.

Thanks for the tip Neeners! I bet it's something in the rim.

If the hole is always in the same area .  Check your rim in the area where the hole on your tube is. You should be able to figure it with the distance from the valve (make sure to mark rotation direction when removing your tube :) )

If your tube was installed properly you should also be able to tell if the hole is on the rim side or the tire side.

hope you solve it !

Claude

Hm, this is concerning to me.  I just started biking to work, 5 miles each way.  Should I expect to get a flat?  My bike-to-work-mechanics class isn't 'til next week.  Should that be ok?

Hey squirrel,

I wouldn't worry too much about it.  But make sure you have a plan b (a cell phone, bus route, etc)  When I had a mountain bike, I never had a flat...I think these skinny litte tires that my bike has need alot of air pressure which makes the prone to flats.  If you have just a standard bike, I wouldn't worry too much about a flat. 

I got 3 flats in one day early this year! It was a new road bike, and had gone well for the first 2 weeks, but for some reason that day was cursed!

I have ended up paying for reinforced 'armadillo' tyres. It seems to have worked as I have had no problems since.

On my hybrid bike with bigger tyres I use "goo". This is a liquid rubber that lines the interior of the tyre and plugs small holes as they happen. It is good stuff and stopped punctures from thorns and prickles. The only flats I got over two years on this bike were before I used the "goo".

In fact my hubby and I frequently chant..."go the goo, go the goo" as we race each other down a hill notorious for punctures!

boy I would LOVE it if I could find "goo" for road bike tires.  I paid extra attention this time putting in my tube making sure that everthing was in properly.  Plus I am using those Mr.tuffy inner liners.  So I haven't had any flats, mine you I've only road it 5 times.  I am praying to the tire gods that this fixes the problem.  If I change another flat tire, I think I might just throw the whole bike over a bridge!

You can put it in road bikes too - talk to your local bike shop. I have a US product here called GEAX (www.geax.com) that is used to fix punctures on the run, but I dont know about its staying power. I am sure the "goo" came from the US, but now I am using an Australian brand called tyreshield. (the things I find in my bottom drawer! GEax, tyreshield, nail polish for scratches on the bike, spare tubes, a cable tie kit - where did that come from? and a diaphragm kit for my stehtoscope - no room left for the lingerie)

Thanks, Chobe.

I do have a mountain bike with medium-knobby tires.  What's the benefits of a road bike vs. mountian if it gets more flats? 

I own both .. and i'm having a 19 km  (about 12 miles) from home to work .. saved 10 minutes with my race bike  (50 minutes with mountain bike vs  40 minutes with race bike). Reason is that race bike is way lighter and is gears desing for speed and smaller tires (less friction) . With a mountain bike,  you also lose a lot of power in the suspension (most montain bike have front suspention it's even worst when you have both (front and back suspentions).

that's about it.. it makes 20 mintes less for me. .. not necesserly good for the workout !

Claude