Road Flats
- Thread starter krink
- Start date
To the op. What width tire are you running? I managed to put 3700 miles on a set of r3 Hardcase lites (32c width) without a single flat. I think I was running 90-100psi.
Pressure needs to be adjusted based on tire, tire width and rider weight.
Pressure needs to be adjusted based on tire, tire width and rider weight.
iman29
Well-Known Member
Like others said it’s hard to speculate with out knowing what the flats looks like. Meaning if the tube has two small holes parallel to each other it’s a pinch flat or “snake bite”. Im thinking you’re probably not really at 90 psi like others have said and underinflated.
I’m a giraffe at 6’2” and 184ish and I run continental GP5000 25cm at 95 front and closer to 100 rear using a floor pump. I ride about 150 ish road miles a week and always check the tire pressure before every ride. Like for real. Can’t recall the last time I got a flat but now I just jinxed it.
When I do get a flat I always make sure I take the tube off carefully and keep it aligned with the tire so I can check where the leak is and compare it to the spot on the tire. Not easy to do on the side of the road but it worth a few extra minutes to avoid putting in a new tube and having it do flat again.
I also agree check the tube size you’re using maybe it has too much extra volume.
Take one of the old tubes and inflate it with some extra air and find the leak. The hole should give you a little clue as to what’s up.
I’m a giraffe at 6’2” and 184ish and I run continental GP5000 25cm at 95 front and closer to 100 rear using a floor pump. I ride about 150 ish road miles a week and always check the tire pressure before every ride. Like for real. Can’t recall the last time I got a flat but now I just jinxed it.
When I do get a flat I always make sure I take the tube off carefully and keep it aligned with the tire so I can check where the leak is and compare it to the spot on the tire. Not easy to do on the side of the road but it worth a few extra minutes to avoid putting in a new tube and having it do flat again.
I also agree check the tube size you’re using maybe it has too much extra volume.
Take one of the old tubes and inflate it with some extra air and find the leak. The hole should give you a little clue as to what’s up.
Dean S
Well-Known Member
There can be a lot of sharp junk on the sides of roads if maintenance is bad. Email the state,county or town for a sweep up if necessary. Ride a little further left out of the junk. Larger tires at lower pressure will help a little - sharp junk has a harder time being pushed into a soft tire compare to a harder tire. I don't really enjoy road riding around here without >28mm tires.
ummm.. new bike?
krink
Eddie Munster
Thanks so much guys. Im running 25mm, am going to check out the latest tube for a pinch flat, I probably havent been as faithful to assuring 90 PSI at the beginning of every ride, I was more of a "Squeeze, yup, feels the same" on some rides that I wanted to start rolling. Likely ill go to tubeless, but only after running through the remaining 3 25mm tubes I've just bought, maybe I wont need to since Im gonna be better at assuring pressure before each ride. Getting back into the road game after so long has been more of a learning curve than I expected.
Oh and its definitely elephants, just found a tusk in the sidewall. damn wildlife.
yea 90 is on the low end for 25c tires IME, i would try 100-110 if the flats are pinch flats.
02camaro
Well-Known Member
This flat issue was a problem I just went through. I stopped riding road 3yrs ago bc I couldn't deal with flats every 2 rides. I just picked it back up and got a flat on the second ride. The next day I was on Facebook looking at gravel bikes. And here we are with a 2020 diverge e5, just did 51mi, 50/50 road and gravel at 34psi and no flats and it feels like I'm riding a piece of living room furniture down the road. Couldn't be happier, wish I did it sooner.
Wtf are you guys doing on the road? I have regularly worn out road tires without flatting(I probably just jinxed myself but owell)
This is running from 23c all the way up to 32c (this one both tubed and tubeless)
This is running from 23c all the way up to 32c (this one both tubed and tubeless)
krink
Eddie Munster
Lol sorry brother. I’ve been making sure I get my hour a day in. I’ll change the tube this week. I’m checking the tires, replacing the tubes and filling to 100 psi and riding on decent road for a few days. And I’ll look for the pinch flat.
02camaro
Well-Known Member
Fear of cars, riding in the gutter, pretending my road bike is a mtb, that's how.
I get buzzed more frequently when I ride in the gutter..... but it would definitely explain the frequency of flats
terrabike01
Well-Known Member
BINGO!!! Fatbike is a tt bike, road bike, trail bike, commute bike and gravel bike.
krink
Eddie Munster
OK so the verdict is in. This was definitely a pinch flat. Clear tube snakebite. When I pulled off the tire and inspected it it was fine. There was one area of rim tape that was folded up on itself for about 3 cm, but I believe the problem is under inflation. Using my trusty finger pinch tire pressure gauge I thought that the intact back tire was “a little low” I then gauge measured it at 70 psi. Keeping the tubed tires for now, inflating to 100 psi before each and every ride with a gauge. Thanks for the help guys!
This does bring up an interesting point. I always heard that the very high tire pressures were for improved rolling resistance on road bikes. Now there are some studies that show there is no significant rolling resistance difference above 45 or 50 psi or so because of the rearward vector when hitting small road irregularities or debris at high pressure and not just deforming and rolling over them. looks like this was more just to prevent pinch flats for people with fat asses like me. What’s the wisdom here on this?
This does bring up an interesting point. I always heard that the very high tire pressures were for improved rolling resistance on road bikes. Now there are some studies that show there is no significant rolling resistance difference above 45 or 50 psi or so because of the rearward vector when hitting small road irregularities or debris at high pressure and not just deforming and rolling over them. looks like this was more just to prevent pinch flats for people with fat asses like me. What’s the wisdom here on this?
Karate Monkey
Well-Known Member
Proper inflation is largely determined by tire drop. IIRC, the answer is that your sidewall should compress 15% (10?) when loaded. On a skinny-ish road bike, that means the tire should just squish out when you sit on it--front/rear evenly (which means: less pressure in front).
When pinch flats are a possibility (shitty roads), then pressures must be increased slightly.
If you feel every tiny crack/grain of sand on the road, your tires are inflated too much.
Meh. 100 rear, 90 front. I am sitting barely north of 200# but this is kinda what I have always ridden. I don't check every time so the rear will slide down to maybe 80# before I feel it. The road is mostly for working out, so I just ride and don't worry much about how plush my ride is. While 50 PSI may be better for absorbing stuff, flat tires cause my rolling resistance not to matter, because I'm not moving.
This is where the tubeless crowd will chime in. I never felt ok about road tubeless.
I’m *just* south of 200. I’m riding a Diverge (love it btw) and it’s 90/90 for me on conti all season 28s. Handles all the crappy pothole covered surfaces of the paved Sourlands roads and dirt roads too.
I can’t go road tubeless myself. I feel like I have read too many complaints. It just doesn’t seem easy enough to maintain.
I can’t go road tubeless myself. I feel like I have read too many complaints. It just doesn’t seem easy enough to maintain.
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
I've been road tubeless now for 8 years? Seems the kinks have been worked out. Maintenance is just pump them up pre-ride, and add a shot of Stan's every year.