Punctures - Help!!!

[Big Jim]

I binned the detonators that came with my hybrid after a few hundred miles..... Shredded centre section and loads of flats. I eventually changed to Bonty Hardcase Racelites, but they were for fast commuting not touring.

I'm not sure if I'm being harsh in saying this, but I bought the Subway Carrea a few years back. It was cheap, I can leave it anywhere, don't mind if it gets scratches, and has never once had a flat tyre and I have done a lot of miles on it (I looked and the tyres still look great). I can go off road, on road, cycle path, it will take pretty much anything and I can get a decent enough speed on it (22mph on road the other day which I thought was good for a hybrid). It is what I would class as a perfect commuting type bike where you have to leave it somewhere and it's not securely stored, etc.AND most importantly it's reliable!

However, I thought the Giant Seek 1 was also a Commuter style bike? But the tyres it came with just aren't up to the riggers of commuting. I mean the amount of flats I've had is just totally over the top (and this ties up with the reviews I've read).
I just don't understand why Giant put such puncture prone tyres on a commuter bike. Doesn't make sense to me.
You'd think that the puncture prone, cheap rubbishy tyres would be on the subway not the Giant.

 

[zeb]

I also had a very bad experience with detonators 3 years ago, with a period where I was having a flat every day! I replaced them with Continental sport and problem disappeared. They must have had a problem with quality check.

 

[Big Jim]

I have 700 x 32c tyres. I took the bike into the local Giant shop and asked for new inner tubes. Have just seen that they have sold me a few 700 x 35-45C inner tubes. Surely these are too big? The two punctures I had on Wednesday were using these inner tubes.

Another silly question, but would these bigger inner tubes be ok in a 32c tyre? I'd have thought not, but don't know.

 

[kedab]

For my Charity ride in aid of my sons Acute Myeloid Leukaemia http://www.justgiving.com/williamlyne
I thought as I'd be doing a fair amount of cycling on cycle paths for the charity ride, I'd buy a new higher spec hybrid. So bought a Giant Seek 1.

So, why on a higher spec bike, am I getting these punctures which I've never had on my cheap Carrera?

The tyres on the Giant are Maxxis Detonators and are pretty slick. I have only really used the bike on roads and cycle paths.

just unlucky i'd say - i've got a giant cityspeed that had maxxis detonators on it - i replaced them because i wore them out! not one puncture in i have no idea how many miles.

 

[Big Jim]

just unlucky i'd say - i've got a giant cityspeed that had maxxis detonators on it - i replaced them because i wore them out! not one puncture in i have no idea how many miles.

Have to be honest that I've seen so many bad reviews on them with regards to punctures. So it could be not getting a puncture is good luck as opposed to getting one being bad luck if you see what I mean.

Here's a review I've just read:

"Weaknesses: Attracts punctures like a pile of sh1t attracts flies
Bottom Line:
I use my bike as a daily commute and these tires had a lot going for them; confident cornering, light and fast in a straight line and they even look good.

But they have a vicious downside....they puncture quicker than wet toilet paper. In the last 6 months that I have used them I have averaged about 1 puncture every 2 weeks. Often they punctured more than once on the same ride. The final straw came today when they punctured 3 times despite carefully checking the insides for any offending debris. Having used up both of my spare inners I had to walk to the ferry. Now that winter has started I just need something more reliable so I went straight to my LBS and picked up some tougher Hutchinson City Slick with some Kevlar lining. They certainly feel thicker but only time will tell.

If you want a fast tire for quick weekend blasts around the streets then they're good. If you want something dependable for your daily commute steer well clear.
"

 

[kedab]

Have to be honest that I've seen so many bad reviews on them with regards to punctures. So it could be not getting a puncture is good luck as opposed to getting one being bad luck if you see what I mean.

"

according to that review and the experience you've had with them I guess you 'd have to conclude i was just lucky with them!

not sure if it's been said before, i've not checked through the posts but you could go for Schwalbe - durano plus. they're a bit heavier than maxxis but definitely more p****ure resistant as they're designed that way.

all the best with the charity ride - different illness entirely i know but i had non-hodgkins lymphoma as a kid - the kids need as much support as we can afford to give them

 

[Big Jim]

according to that review and the experience you've had with them I guess you 'd have to conclude i was just lucky with them!

not sure if it's been said before, i've not checked through the posts but you could go for Schwalbe - durano plus. they're a bit heavier than maxxis but definitely more p****ure resistant as they're designed that way.

all the best with the charity ride - different illness entirely i know but i had non-hodgkins lymphoma as a kid - the kids need as much support as we can afford to give them

After the grief the other day I had a look and ordered some Schwalbe Marathon Plus, so will see how things go with that.

But also noticed that the inner tube I'd bought from the local Giant shop was a 700 x 35-45C but my tyre was a 32C, so wondered whether that may have been part of the problem if I was putting it up to 80PSI and there were a few shards of shingle poking through.

Sorry to hear about your Non-Hodgkins. My Gran had the same. I was living with her and very close to her and it took her life. My grandad had cronic Myeloid Leukaemia and now my son Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. So 3 close members of my family have had blood cancers.
Just want to do something useful, so this is about all I can do. But really don't want the grief of having a puncture or two every day, so want to get things right - especially as time is running out. Think the Schwalbe are the answer.

 

[kedab]

schwalbe can only help. all the very best with the ride fella - all my best to your son

 

[Big Jim]

schwalbe can only help. all the very best with the ride fella - all my best to your son

thank you