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I got my first puncture on a road bike ever about 3 months ago and since then got some brand new gp4000s. Problem solved I thought... 5 punctures later... I'm not convinced.
It's always my rear
I've had the wheel off and checked for sharp edges on the rim and even gorilla taped the rim.
I've put talc in the tyre
I've used new tubes each time
The tyres set to 80psi which is the psi limit of the rim (arc32 superstar)
I seem to be puncturing on glass that goes straight through the top of the tyre.
I don't want a super heavy tyre but I want a durable one as I'm tired of spending £8 every other ride.
Gatorskins offer a reasonable compromise.
A box of patches is cheaper
Also - think about where you are riding. Too close to gutters, crossing junctions on the gravelly bits etc. Try to remain in the space swept by car tyres.
I assume you aren't using the path network. If so then Marathons are your only hope.
the £8 includes a c02 canister and the tube. I do patch them and intend to reuse them but not normally on a ride out as I don't usually carry patched tubes as they are bulkier to put in my pocket
edit - gatorskin bought - thanks
edit - This time was actually on the path out towards crammond island - its pretty clean bar a couple of gravelly sections so I was surprised.. which is why that time I didn't have spares on me and had a 2 mile walk whilst the misses got the car... The others - I'm not so sure I usually ride in the clean part as the drains up here look like wheel eaters so try to stay in the road as much as possible.
Maybe just unlucky and maybe 80psi is stupid for a road tyre as I'm 13 stone.. not so sure!
I’m tired of spending £8 every other ride.
Thats some expensive patches!
Do you seriously throw out a tube everytime it punctures?!
Edit: i see you just answered that.
What you need is a pump.
Buy a pump.
And how much extra space does a patch take up?
I worked in an Edinburgh bike shop. You can imagine I've seen a few punctures 🙂
it's not the patch taking up space its an unfolded inner tube never seems to fold back up as neatly as an unused one.
I only use one bottle so I'll get another bottle holder and fill a spare bottle with the tube and pump.
Any good roadie pump recommendations?
+1 for pump and tube!
My Edinburgh commuter rear tyre is a wtb vigilante tough, tubeless....
topeak race rocket - well made and has the useful little hose so you can screw onto the valve and not bend the valve pin as you would with a plastic snap on design
gatorskins work best at the bottom of the stated pressure range (6.5bar) but don't go too far below this as you run the risk of pinch punctures. a heavy duty tube helps too.
roll the inner tube squeezing the air out of it as you go, best way to pack it small like a snail shell
I used gator skins in Edinburgh for ages- occasional punctures but that's riding into the city center 5 days a week with regular glass 🙂
Slime tubes.
I built up a student bike for my son to use in Edinburger.
In the 4 years he has only had 2 punctures where the slime failed to seal.
If it's that bad just go from som schwalbe marathons. I bit the bullet as although they're heavier and don't ride as icely as other tyres I like to know that when I set off to work it will take me an hour as opossed to a potential 55 minutes plus 10 minutes for fixing the puncture.
it’s not the patch taking up space its an unfolded inner tube never seems to fold back up as neatly as an unused one.
drape it over a forefinger, with the valve at the bottom then wind the doubled-over tube round the forefinger and middle finger, pulling it tight as you do it. this will squeeze the air out, and you can let the air out of the unwound bit of tube every few winds.
Tight, neat roll of tube, you'll have to fold over the last bit with the valve in, but that's how they come new anyway. Use the same laccy band (slice of tube) the spare was tied with and Bob's yer dad.
I like Marathon Supremes on my commuter. Gone tubeless on my road bike though which is even better!
Cheers guys - good tips and knowledge - I'll hold off on the slime tubes unless it gets worse and I dont think I can do tubeless on these rims - I'd be scared blowing tyres off them even if I made them tubeless... not sure why it bothers me on a road bike and not a mtb with none tubeless rims but it does!?
Commute out to South Queensferry every day on Schwalbe Marathon Supremes (the lighter ones) and I find them great.
If it isn't glass around Crammond it's the little bits of shell all over the seafront path, went straight through one of my GP4000s.
I've got Conti 4Seasons on now and have taken a few trips up and down the worst bits of the cycle path (Pilton...) with no punctures yet, touch wood.
Spent the winter on that path running Vittoria Hyper Voyagers, although don't think they come in narrow widths.
I hope 13 stone isn't too heavy for 80psi, I'm 13.5! 😳
I had panaracer ribmo's on for 2/3 years with only one puncture from memory. Have gatorskins now since 1 month - so far so good and some paths are like a cullet factory floor.