Tyre slashed by flint

[Borbus]

I had an almost catastrophic tyre failure on the road yesterday. I was cycling along happily at a fair pace (~18mph) when suddenly my front tyre burst and I was riding on the rim in about a second. I was quite alarmed as I've never had such a bad puncture before, but I didn't think too much about it before using a spare tube to mend it.

I pumped it up to probably about 90-100psi with my mini pump then went to get back on, but checked the back tyre first out of habit. It was soft. At first I couldn't believe I could have two punctures but then found several pieces of flint embedded in the tyres. I popped one out and felt with my lips and air was escaping slowly, so I began to wheel the bike back in order to put another spare tube in the back one.

But that's when I noticed that the tube on the front was bulging through a gash in the tyre. At first I decided I was screwed and would have to push the bike home (still 8 miles to go until home). Then I decided to let some pressure out and try riding it home but take it very easy, as what was the worst that could happen? Fortunately it got me home. But obviously the tyre is now ruined.

The annoying thing is they were really expensive tyres (Schwalbe Ultremo ZX). Now I have ordered some cheaper ones for use during the winter as apparently this is when the flint problem is the worst.

Anyone else had problems with flint? Is this sort of tyre failure normal for a high end tyre?

 

[smokeysmoo]

The first ride out I had on my CAAD10 resulted in a slashed tyre which I could only put down to lakeland flint as we'd cycled around Lake Windermere at the time. I was lucky in that I got back to the car, but I replaced the tyre when I got home anyway. The tyres were Schwalbe Durano S, cracking tyres, but a very soft compound IME.

I replaced the slashed one, and thew one picked up cuts very quickly y too, so I changed them from Conti GP400s as I knew they were a much tougher tyre having used them before

 

[ianrauk]

It's not a tyre failure at all. Flints are very sharp. If you have had bad weather/rain in your region recently. It's a bugger for washing flint shards into roads, especially on country lanes. It's just one of those unlucky things.

You could have put a boot in the tyre behind the slash to stop the innertube from pushing through. Some puncture repair kits come with a boot. You can use anything really to block the hole. Bit of folded crisp packet, folded cardboard etc That would get you home easy enough.

 

[HLaB]

Not an expensive tyre but I had relatively many miles out of my old front tyre, its now on the rear of my bike (9500miles, 1 p'ture in total) a wired conti grand prix, given its reliability/ longevity I replaced it with another grand prix, it only lasted about 235miles before something cut open its sidewall on a fast descent, bin

 

[e-rider]

Flints are hardcore, that's why cavemen used them as arrow heads!

If you cycle in a chalky flinty area then expect more of the same, especially after it has rained, because all the road debris is washed across the road, rather than sitting in the gutter or central area.

 

[jdtate101]

Had the exact same thing happen to me yesterday, but it was a large pothole, not a flint. Split my tyre wide open for about 2cm, so I had to buy a new one at the LBS (which happened to be only 1/2 mile away at the time). I carry everything I should need on a ride, but a spare tyre is just getting too big to carry (even folded up). Sometime shoot just happens...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Flints happen, the lighter the tyre, the more likely it'll cut-through. As stated the wet weather makes it worst. It's one of the many reasons why people ride bigger heavier/tougher tyres in the winter months.
Before you bin the tyre though, cut a 2" length off and remove the bead, keep in your saddlepack for a tyre boot in the future ... better than walking home.

 

[Borbus]

It's not a tyre failure at all. Flints are very sharp.

Yeah, you're right, it wasn't a failure. In fact it did well to stay in one piece and not blow out completely.

Good idea with cutting a section of the tyre to use as a boot. I think I'll be carrying a couple of those now along with my spare tubes. A folding tyre is too big to have in the jersey pockets or even a saddle bag.

I wouldn't have minded too much walking the 8 miles back, but the thing that made me try to ride back is trying to walk with road cleats. I actually took the shoes off and walked in my socks for a while but ended up having to step on to damp grass to let cars past on the narrow lanes. Anyone ever had to walk a long distance with only road cycling shoes?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Yeah, you're right, it wasn't a failure. In fact it did well to stay in one piece and not blow out completely.

Good idea with cutting a section of the tyre to use as a boot. I think I'll be carrying a couple of those now along with my spare tubes. A folding tyre is too big to have in the jersey pockets or even a saddle bag.

I wouldn't have minded too much walking the 8 miles back, but the thing that made me try to ride back is trying to walk with road cleats. I actually took the shoes off and walked in my socks for a while but ended up having to step on to damp grass to let cars past on the narrow lanes. Anyone ever had to walk a long distance with only road cycling shoes?

I make sure I have the appropriate Allen key so that I can talke the cleats off. Haven't needed to use it as yet, and walking that far in road shoes wouldn't do the soles much good anyway ......

 

[Oldlegs]

I've walked 6 miles on SPD_SL cleats (forgot to re-pack tyre levers - doh).

It's not exactly fun but you do get there eventually. It wrote the cleats off.

 

[Borbus]

I make sure I have the appropriate Allen key so that I can talke the cleats off. Haven't needed to use it as yet, and walking that far in road shoes wouldn't do the soles much good anyway ......

I do have the correct allen key on my multitool for removing the cleat. But then it would ruin the shoes. So I suppose the choice is lose the cleats and have a really awkward walk home or scuff up the bottom of the shoes. Some kind of lightweight sole protector might be good.

 

[2PedalsTez]

I have suffered multiple punctures after cornering on (relatively) newly laid grip strip or that coloured stuff sometimes used in cycle lanes etc (whatever it is called?)
The shards are sharp as blades and stay dug in these tyres, so running your finger round the inside to check wasn't fun either.

 

[2PedalsTez]

I've walked 6 miles on SPD_SL cleats (forgot to re-pack tyre levers - doh).

It's not exactly fun but you do get there eventually. It wrote the cleats off.

Yep! Mine was from a snapped spoke, leaving the wheel un-rideable.
The long walk home in cleats is not fun (and expensive). Plus the calf muscles ache a bit from the long penguin walk!

 

[youngoldbloke]

Yep! Mine was from a snapped spoke, leaving the wheel un-rideable.
The long walk home in cleats is not fun (and expensive). Plus the calf muscles ache a bit from the long penguin walk!

You are going to ruin the soles anyway, so you might as well take the cleats off.

 

[Winnershsaint]

Did a sportive in July. took the Gatorskin Hardshells off and replaced with Shwalbe Ultremo DD's. Lovely tyres, rolled beautifully around West Berks for over 80k before finally succombing to the flints washed onto the road. (Chalk/flint geology and pissing rain). basically 1 ride tyres costing £70-£80 ripped to shreds.