Keep getting flats on Continental UltraSports

Hi folks,

I ride my bike 6 days a week, about 20km a day through the inner city. Coming from a mountain bike, I’m used to getting puncture flats once every few years, so it’s quite a shock that I’ve started getting flats every few weeks.

The problem seems to be glass, which has lacerated the entire surface of my tyre. Every couple of rides I need to inspect the wheel and remove the shards of glass that haven’t yet reached the tube, but more often than not my tubes are well gone before I realise I’ve hit something.

To state the obvious, I always avoid glass where I see it but that doesn’t seem to help. So unless everyone here is a glass spotting ninja or you’re replacing your tubes as regularly as mine, I figure it must be my tyres.

I’ve heard only great stuff about Gatorskins, and I’ve also heard about things called tyre liners which supposedly protect the tube. Would it be worth my while making the switch? Is the difference between UltraSports/Gatorskins noticeable? If so, why the hell are they putting UltraSports on street bikes these days!

Cheers!

Paging Horatio…

Have a look in the mega ‘science of punctures’ thread, all the advice you’ll ever need is there.

http://fixed.org.au/forums/index.php/topic,5829.0.html

Summarised thusly: Pump your tyres up, ride like a butterfly, use puncture proof Gatorskins / Marathons / Duranos etc, don’t pinch the tube between bead & rim.

Blakey is correct:

-Use puncture resistant tyres (Gatorskins are the kevlar version of the Ultrasport)
-Use cheap tubes that are thick and heavy
-High pressure

I don’t believe you on the tubes. I think it’s because they lose air slower that you haven’t flatted one yet. :smiley:

appropriate pressure for your weight and tyre width. i.e. higher for narrow tyres / heavier loads, lower for the inverse. I run 32mm tyres at ~60psi and 23mm at ~110psi and weigh <65kg.

I tend to pump my tyres to 100 (they’re rated to 110). Is that acceptable, or should I be going the whole hog? (I’m 85kg)

Depends on the width, depends on the rim (all rims have pressure limits, finding out what it is is the hard part. Brake wear will decrease the limit.), depends on the weather.

If they’re 23-25mm, sure, go to 110, if they chatter over rougher surfaces and it’s uncomfortable, drop the pressure or get wider tyres.

I have a kevlar version of the Ultrasport…

Anyway, I have an Ultrasport on my back, mainly because I got it for $15, and a Gatorskin on my front. I’ve kept them pumped up and I haven’t had any punctures so far, and I ride through glass everyday, and have been riding through glass in the wet these last few days.

So to answer your question Atnan, I have not noticed a difference between the Ultrasport and Gatorskin because I’ve had zero punctures so far…but I’ve probably just been lucky.

Mr Tuffy tire liners work well. I was having the same problem but not with these in.