punctures and tyre cut

[chipmonster]

Hi

On my racing bike I have the 700 * 23 C tyres (schwalbe blizard sport tyres).

I have them inflated to 110 psi all the time, but i notice each time I ride when it is really wet I get a puncture.

I had the first puncture after I had done about 100 miles (on the tyre) and I had a puncture yesterday on the back tyre (done 250 miles aprox on the tyre).

However, their is a cut about 2mm on the back tyre. I commuted on the bike this morning, seemed to be okay.

Do I need to replace the tyre?

Additionally, I am not confident enough to fix the puncture on the road. One half of me says keep the same tyres, at least I will get practice repairing punctures other half says get a decent tyre to avoid this. Whats your recommendations?

Thanks in advance

 

[HLaB]

Personally I'd avoid unecessary p'ture repair in the winter, the fingers aren't always up to it.
If your wanting to go the new tyre route, I'd reccomend conti; on my winter/ training bike I'm using 4 seasons and touch wood I've had no p'tures, I think they've done around 2,500mls.

 

[ColinJ]

Additionally, I am not confident enough to fix the puncture on the road. One half of me says keep the same tyres, at least I will get practice repairing punctures other half says get a decent tyre to avoid this. Whats your recommendations?

Some tyres are better than others for resisting punctures, but you can never avoid them alltogether. Actually you could, but only by having solid tyres which would be extremely uncomfortable and/or inefficient which is why pneumatic tyres were invented in the first place!

If you mean avoid repairing the tubes at the roadside - yes, I'd agree, especially at this time of year when it is cold and wet. I always carry two spare tubes so I just swap tubes on the rare occasions that I puncture, and do the tube repairs at home (unless of course I had 3 or more punctures in one ride, but I don't think that I've ever had that happen).

Unless you only do short rides, or always call someone out to help you (which is selfish), you need to be able to sort out a flat tyre. If you are not confident of your skills, it would be a good idea to practice at home in the warm and dry. Trying to learn at the roadside when it is cold, wet and getting dark is not sensible!

As to the fate of the tyre... If there is any chance of the tube coming through the cut - bin it! If the cut is only on the surface, with a pinprick through the inside of the tyre - that's a typical puncture, and you'll be okay. You can repair small cuts with superglue, but never do that for a big cut. I did it once and the repair failed, fortunately while I wasn't riding.

PS

About 90% of punctures are avoidable. I know because I used to get a lot of them, and now I don't because I've learned how to protect my wheels. My advice: Keep your tyres pumped up to a reasonable pressure. That doesn't have to be as high as some people would tell you, but you should not be able to see much squashing of your tyres when you are riding. Don't ride over kerbs or raised/sunken drain covers. Avoid potholes. Avoid large pieces of debris lying in the road (bricks, pieces of metal or wood etc.). Keep a special watch out for glass. It can be anywhere, but especially near pubs and clubs. You can sometimes spot the sunlight reflecting off glass before you get to it. If you can't avoid something because the presence of vehicles or other riders stops you steering round it, then 'bunnyhop' (jump your bike over) it. If you can't steer round a 'sleeping policeman' and it is too big to hop over, then at least 'unweight' your bike as you go over it (stand out of the saddle and have your arms and legs bent to act as shock absorbers).

 

[chipmonster]

Some tyres are better than others for resisting punctures, but you can never avoid them alltogether. Actually you could, but only by having solid tyres which would be extremely uncomfortable and/or inefficient which is why pneumatic tyres were invented in the first place!

If you mean avoid repairing the tubes at the roadside - yes, I'd agree, especially at this time of year when it is cold and wet. I always carry two spare tubes so I just swap tubes on the rare occasions that I puncture, and do the tube repairs at home (unless of course I had 3 or more punctures in one ride, but I don't think that I've ever had that happen).

Unless you only do short rides, or always call someone out to help you (which is selfish), you need to be able to sort out a flat tyre. If you are not confident of your skills, it would be a good idea to practice at home in the warm and dry. Trying to learn at the roadside when it is cold, wet and getting dark is not sensible!

As to the fate of the tyre... If there is any chance of the tube coming through the cut - bin it! If the cut is only on the surface, with a pinprick through the inside of the tyre - that's a typical puncture, and you'll be okay. You can repair small cuts with superglue, but never do that for a big cut. I did it once and the repair failed, fortunately while I wasn't riding.

PS

About 90% of punctures are avoidable. I know because I used to get a lot of them, and now I don't because I've learned how to protect my wheels. My advice: Keep your tyres pumped up to a reasonable pressure. That doesn't have to be as high as some people would tell you, but you should not be able to see much squashing of your tyres when you are riding. Don't ride over kerbs or raised/sunken drain covers. Avoid potholes. Avoid large pieces of debris lying in the road (bricks, pieces of metal or wood etc.). Keep a special watch out for glass. It can be anywhere, but especially near pubs and clubs. You can sometimes spot the sunlight reflecting off glass before you get to it. If you can't avoid something because the presence of vehicles or other riders stops you steering round it, then 'bunnyhop' (jump your bike over) it. If you can't steer round a 'sleeping policeman' and it is too big to hop over, then at least 'unweight' your bike as you go over it (stand out of the saddle and have your arms and legs bent to act as shock absorbers).

Thanks.

I am going to practice changing the tubes on the tyre.

Did it yesterday 2nd time and took me about 20 mins, which is really slow. Going to get this time reduced.

 

[briank]

Yes, you'll soon get quicker. Let's hope you don't get too much practice though.
I wouldn't chuck out the schwalbes right away, but when the time does come to replace them I'd also strongly recommend Continental Grand Prix Four Season tyres.

 

[zacklaws]

A little while ago I got a puncture in adverse conditions, cold, muddy and wet and rather than fit a new innertube I thought I would go through the drills of repairing it, that way I would know that I am carrying everything I need for such an instance.

After repairing it I set off to find I got another puncture 4 miles further on but it was only my patch that had blown off, so I repaired it again. This happened again, 4 miles further on, so I repaired it again. When it happened again I used my spare.

At home in front of the fire I dug out new rubber solution and patches and fixed it. It turned out that my original solution/patches had probably gone off or one of them was not compatible with my innertube. Anyway I dumped everything and replaced with new.

 

[Over The Hill]

Hi

I have 28c tyres which I find good for winter roads and they claim to be very p*** resistant (which has been the case for about 1300 miles).

Tyres dont seem too tight so I can pull them on and off without tyre leavers so inner tube change is really only a two minute job. Longer if the fit is tight.

I would throw away repair kits that have been opened for a month or two (glue dries) or is a few years old (all goes off) as the are very cheap to buy.

I go with one tube and a repair kit plus pump.

 

[Randochap]

The tyres you have (Blizzard Sport) are now called the Lugano. They are a good, cheap winter tyre, but aren't renowned as long-wearing. They have no kevlar belt, either.

Cuts can be sealed with Shoe Goo, if you can get it in UK. I'm sure you can find some kind of liquid rubber repair stuff for shoes. Just squeeze a gob into the cut and smooth with a rag or lolly stick. Now the cut won't pick up objects that can go through.

Also, check your tyres for embedded objects regularly. Dig them out before they work their way through the casing.

 

[Tynan]

Are they?

I got Luganos, I bought one once when I was strapped, and wanted something red

I've had one on the bike now for about eight months of London commuting while I tried a couple of different rated tyres on the back, I'm back to another Lugano now

They seem very resistant to cuts, wear and flats, they work for me

and they're red

 

[BentMikey]

Oh, and don't forget a pair of latex gloves in your toolroll. That way you won't get very dirty hands after changing tubes. Sadly I have to carry two tubes, as I have two different wheel sizes on my bike.

Another tip for reducing the number of repair stops you have to make is not to ride in cycle lanes/cycle paths. If you stick to using the roads, there is far less debris to cause problems because the car tyres sweep the road very effectively for us. Besides, the roads are generally safer from a collision point of view. Win-win for us.

p.s. it's considered good form to £$££$£ out the word p$%^&*$e so that the p$%ct$£"e fairy doesn't come and follow you home and haunt you.

 

[Tynan]

yes, I'm a recent convert to carrying latex gloves, not only do they keep your hands clean, you look like a real pro when you strip them off and toss them in a bin at the end

 

[Randochap]

yes, I'm a recent convert to carrying latex gloves, not only do they keep your hands clean, you look like a real pro when you strip them off and toss them in a bin at the end

Plus, if you get tyred of cycling, you can take up any number of occupations in the medical field.

 

[Kestevan]

I've used the Blizzard sport 23's for the past 12 months, probably done 3-4K miles on them, and I think I've had only 1 or 2 P**%^£"$" in that time (that's buggered it up for my ride home tonight).

They are a good cheap tyre - and as already pointed out - they're RED.

 

[Randochap]

I've used the Blizzard sport 23's for the past 12 months, probably done 3-4K miles on them, and I think I've had only 1 or 2 P**%^£"$" in that time (that's buggered it up for my ride home tonight).

They are a good cheap tyre - and as already pointed out - they're RED.

Ah! After checking the Schwalbe UK site, I see what is now the "Lugano" in the rest of the world, is still referred to as the "Blizzard Sport" in the UK. Maybe Schwalbe is clearing old inventory through the UK

Anyway, your tyre of choice is available in red, yellow and blue.

If you want to try a really, really good Schwalbe tyre, get yourself a set of Ultremos. Very fast and light (even lighter for 2009 @ 180g and available in colours) while remaining resitant to puncture. Used a set on PBP last year without a single flat.