[Closed] Conti Speed King puncture "resistance"

What is causing the punctures? Thorns, glass, pinch, spokes?

Why not run it with Stans? I got some on my Hummer and they work fine like that.

Thorns, glass, as well as dust, pollen etc

sorry what are Stans?

I think the protection ones will make a big difference - certainly the commuter / touring tyres with puncture protection work.

I used speedkings front and rear for a few months and seemed to get about a puncture per ride on the rear, even at high pressures. After a while I decided enough was enough and got a Conti vertical protection for the rear - I also wanted a light 2.3 tyre. No punctures in 6 weeks and well improved grip due to the lower pressures I can run now.

At 580g the protection version are 25% heavier which would in itself make me want to use something different, the normal/supersonic Speed King's main plus points are their weight imo.

Rodney did you notice a difference in weight, are you running the protection version fo the verticals?

Went for the protections. I noticed the difference when they were off the bike although I didn't think it was major. The speedkings seemed worryingly flimsy when removed anyway and after so many punctures I found the relative sturdiness of the verticals reassuring. I can't say I notice the difference when riding although my bike isn't super lightweight. I'd reccomend them if you can put up with a few extra grams.

Speed King Supersonic - hey they should put a warning on the publicity that these are race only tyres and not sufficiently durable for every day use. Oh - wait.

Where do they mention that glenp?

Doesn't it kind of defeat the object of a "race tyre" if you have to stop to mend a flatty, race circuits aren't vacuumed before every race are they?

Stans - Tubeless conversion

Given my pair to my partner, she's less than 8 stone, not one puncture in nearly a year. When I used 'em they punctured every ride...go figure.

Only ever punctured mine with pinch flats...

I risk hijacking my own thread but how does going tubeless reduce the likelyhood of punctures?

Actually, just looked on Wiggle and the wording has changed - they used to have a lengthy sentence urging you not to expect the Supersonic version to be much cop for every day use.

Having said that, I use Mountain King Supersonics at 30psi and I haven't punctured yet - but I do ride pretty gentle most of the time.

enfht - Member

I risk hijacking my own thread but how does going tubeless reduce the likelyhood of punctures?

Because if you run sealant (Stans) it seals any small cuts,glass and thorns.

most people who run tubeless use sealant too, which (as you might expect) seals up thorn type punctures.

this is the only significant real-world benefit to tubeless IMO, and as such makes tubeless totally worth any hassle it might cause.

I got four pinch punctures in a single ride around Grizedale with 2.3 Speed Kings. Took them off the bike after that and they've not come out the garage since. The week before I'd ridden both loops at Penmachno and not a single puncture.

I ran my speed kings tubless, and TBH it made eff all difference to their puncture proof-ness

Did you use any sealant nickc?

Aye.

I was probably unlucky. One was a huge gash (s****) caused by a flint, would've killed a tube as equally easily. 2nd was officially the World's Biggest Thorn, which just deflated the tyre too quickly, 3rd (it takes time for me to learn these lessons sometimes) the valve come off the rim strip...Moved on from tubless and conti speed king after that...

If you are getting pinch flats you don't have enough air in the tyres - simple as - have you checked out the recommended pressure? 50 psi. Thin walled light tyres need more air to stop them pinchflatting than big heavy strong tyres. On the tandem I can run a gazza at 30 psi on the back but need 50 in a gravity