[narlus]

just got back from a ride, and i got another flat. that's 3 flats in 2 rides totalling about 40 miles. wtFFF? all three were pretty solid tags of small (~ chicken mcnugget size) rocks...two i didn't even see (one was fresh, black on black new tar; the other i was looking for a street sign), one was incidental around a railroad track crossing, where a lot of that stuff is scattered.

i am running silhouette ritchey rims and michelin open race tires. tubes are standard nashbar stuff. tires are pumped to about 90 psi, and i weight about 175.

thoughts? this is driving me nuts.

 

[splat]

what size tire are you running ?

I think 90 PSI is a Bit low I run around 140 PSI on a 700X23 and 160 on a 700X20

 

[narlus]

140 and 160??? holy crap, is that safe? i doubt my pump can get that high, and even if it could, i think the max PSI rating for the tires is about 115PSI or so. i'll check the size now.

edit - they are 700x23, and the pressure range is 87 (min) to 116 (max)

 

[Toshi]

this is why i run specialized armadillo tires. they're ugly, not too light, and probably not all that grippy... but i rarely get flats.

 

[Wumpus]

If they are punctures, time for new tires. Something like the armadillos, ruffy tuffy, roll-y pol-y...

If you are pinch flatting, then it is time to up the psi a little. I ran 90psi all the time when I weighed 175-180 with no problem. I run about 110-115 in my 25 armadillos @ 220lbs and even bomb some rough dirt raods with no problem.

 

[LordOpie]

i think the max PSI rating for the tires is about 115PSI or so.

also check the max PSI for your rims.

 

[-dustin]

we had a guy during TX4000 that was flatting at least 2 times a day. burned through 4 tires within 1500 miles. 180lbs running 80psi. oi.

i say 110psi. and some Specialized Mondo Pros.

 

[chicodude]

this is why i run specialized armadillo tires. they're ugly, not too light, and probably not all that grippy... but i rarely get flats.

YEP!!

 

[Zutroy]

also check the max PSI for your rims.

Might be hard to find...most rims aren't marked anymore. I know Mavic is 140psi on a 23 tire.

 

[V-Dub GTI]

you could pre-slime your tires, i do that on my mtn bike a lot becaust i am always the one to get flats on rides. its a cheap $6 fix that works!

 

[James]

you could pre-slime your tires, i do that on my mtn bike a lot becaust i am always the one to get flats on rides. its a cheap $6 fix that works!

Doesn't really work that well with higher pressures. You end up having all the Slime just shoot out, and are left with a messy flat tire...

 

[V-Dub GTI]

Doesn't really work that well with higher pressures. You end up having all the Slime just shoot out, and are left with a messy flat tire...

oh, i didnt know that because my mtb tires are only 70psi max. and i dont have a road bike.
what about some thing like this

 

[SuspectDevice]

Bad luck. You need to look where you are going dude!

You don't need to run any more pressure than you are from the sound of it. Just like on a MTB, when you hit an immovable square edged object you need to unweight, you can't just plow through things or you will flat any/or flatspot your wheels.
If you were getting more cut/slice type punctures I would reccomend switching to the Michelin Carbons. They are triple ply in the tread area and a harder compound.

 

[sanjuro]

this is why i run specialized armadillo tires. they're ugly, not too light, and probably not all that grippy... but i rarely get flats.

They make a Armadillo Elite tire now: folding bead and supposedly 260g (the Pro Races are about 200g).

I have been using them after flatting a bunch on a new GP 3000, and I ride around the worse parts of SF.

BTW, when I get a lot of flats, I usually replace the tire.

 

[narlus]

Bad luck. You need to look where you are going dude!

screw that...does zoke still make one inch steerer tubes? i'm putting the monster on the crown jewel.

seriously though, do i have to worry about dogding every single pecan-sized rock i see?

 

[Quo Fan]

I run 120 psi on my 700x23 tires, no flats, no worries. Bontrager Race Lites that came on my Trek.

 

[Wumpus]

seriously though, do i have to worry about dogding every single pecan-sized rock i see?

No. You didn't say whether they were pinch flats or punctures.

 

[jacksonpt]

I had similar problems when I first got my roadie. Max inflation on the stock tires was 100psi (IIRC), so that's what I ran. I had 4 flats in 3 rides, and was ready to give the bike back. After some monkies suggested running higher pressures, I haven't had a problem since. I run 120 in the back, 115 in the front, and I've had one flat in the last 1000 miles (and it was a puncture - I hit a rock the size of a computer mouse when I wasn't paying attention).

 

[Alfred]

I've not heard of running more than 145 on anything other than Vredsteins.

 

[Alfred]

I run 120 psi on my 700x23 tires, no flats, no worries. Bontrager Race Lites that came on my Trek.

I even run 110 most times here lately with no trouble.

If you are pinch flatting, powder your tubes.

 

[Alfred]

screw that...does zoke still make one inch steerer tubes? i'm putting the monster on the crown jewel.

seriously though, do i have to worry about dogding every single pecan-sized rock i see?

You shouldn't ever hit pecan sized rocks on your road bike. Ever.

 

[Fool]

I'm running Vredestein Fortezza Tricomps here on the godforsaken streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan. No flats to speak of.

Now excuse me while I grab my antler to ward off the jinx.

PS, I run 'round a buck ten in 'em.

 

[Pau11y]

As or "Slime"-ing road tubes, try Tufo's concoction. They designed it for their tubular clinchers which you can't easily repair like a true sew-up, and it's for their psi range...115 - 225, upto a 1/4 in. cut. Of course you'll have to find some high-end tubes that has removable valve cores.

BTW, you're running your pressure too low.

 

[The Toninator]

no. stop running race tires training. I havent had a flat on the rode (knockknockknock) in like 4,000 miles.
maxxis detonators.

 

[MMcG]

Run higher pressure Narlus - that pressure sounds kinda low to me.

 

[HOOWAH]

are your tires old? if they start to get flat topped at all they get sensitive to little things.
i'm 190 and i run 100-110.

if your tires are not flat topped, and you run 100-110 lbs with new tubes, there's nothing more you can do other than dodging like mad.

145 is not safe in a clincher. so much pressure, any increases in temperature like hot asphalt or lots of braking coming down a long descent, and the presure goes up even more. things expand when its hot and you're likeley to roll your bead off the rim.

 

[narlus]

No. You didn't say whether they were pinch flats or punctures.

i think they were pinch flats but not snake bites (ie, just one gash, not two). but i didn't really check 'em out all that much. no damage to the tire.

 

[narlus]

You shouldn't ever hit pecan sized rocks on your road bike. Ever.

not sure if you were being facetious or not; do they ever do road work in texas?

one may have been cashew-sized.

 

[Alfred]

not sure if you were being facetious or not; do they ever do road work in texas?

one may have been cashew-sized.

Seriously man. I have hit one pecan sized rock on the road. There are rocks, but I make it through them. Cashews I will just roll through, but big rocks are bad for skinny rims. I can deal with the flats.

Really serious part here - 100 lbs or more on 23s or 25s make the road so much nicer.

Addtionally - they won't stop working on the roads here. It's awful.

 

[narlus]

are your tires old? if they start to get flat topped at all they get sensitive to little things.
i'm 190 and i run 100-110.

if your tires are not flat topped, and you run 100-110 lbs with new tubes, there's nothing more you can do other than dodging like mad.

145 is not safe in a clincher. so much pressure, any increases in temperature like hot asphalt or lots of braking coming down a long descent, and the presure goes up even more. things expand when its hot and you're likeley to roll your bead off the rim.

hey Tom - the tires are brand new. i'll add a few more PSI to get to double digits and see how i go.

btw, for those who use those tiny little pumps, what sort of pressure you can max out at?

 

[Alfred]

You should be able to get 120 with a good road pump without too much trouble. I think the road morphs will do closer to 150 though.

 

[jdcamb]

Tufos with Stans. 4oz. Works awesome around here.

 

[jacksonpt]

btw, for those who use those tiny little pumps, what sort of pressure you can max out at?

I used to carry a topeak mini pump (not sure the model, I can look when I get home) that was ok. I never checked what the actual PSI on it was, but it was always enough to get me home... probably 100psi or so. I recently got a blackburn frame pump. FAR better... easier, faster, and can definitely hit higher PSIs.

 

[The Toninator]

not sure if you were being facetious or not; do they ever do road work in texas?

hahahahah that's all they do. Think 'Big Dig' but for the whole state.

 

[Ian F]

90 psi is way too low. I'm about the same weight and run 120 with no problems. I've been running that pressure for years. For one, the tires roll so much better at higher pressures. IMO, 120 is a good compromise between rolling resistance and comfort.

 

[splat]

145 is not safe in a clincher. so much pressure, any increases in temperature like hot asphalt or lots of braking coming down a long descent, and the presure goes up even more. things expand when its hot and you're likeley to roll your bead off the rim.

I have been running between 140 - 160 PSI for 20 years, never had a Problem.

 

[narlus]

maybe yr pump gauge is inaccurate and reads high.

 

[HOOWAH]

I have been running between 140 - 160 PSI for 20 years, never had a Problem.

That's the highest I've ever heard of on clinchers. I totally belive you, but I'd never do it.

In my mind I see super high pressures as increasing the chances of having an explosive flat rather than a slow flat, with the effect compounding with speed.

I've had a relatively quick deflation in the front tire at about 35 MPH where I lost all air in about 3 or 4 seconds.

Losing control because the tire is flat isn't my big fear because it's still possible to steer and stop under control as long as you're not on some crazy turn.

What really scares me is the tire blowing catastrophically and having the tube/tire get caught in the fork. Then you are out of ANY luck you may have left no matter what part of the road you are on. The higher the inflation pressure is, the more likely it is to fail catastrophically than kindly.

So I'll be stopping at 110 where any more pressure isn't really going to do a lot to help anyways!

 

[narlus]

So I'll be stopping at 110 where any more pressure isn't really going to do a lot to help anyways!

well, on one hand it'll get yr pump hot enough to fry an egg.

 

[OGRipper]

I agree with others, 90 psi is too soft. Ten or 15 more psi will make a world of difference in flat protection, not to mention speed.

I am nearly 200 lbs and run Michelin Pro Race Carbon 700X23's on Topolino clinchers at about 105 - 110 psi. I've had great luck with Michelins and rarely get flats with this set-up (until now that I said that, of course).