so a small flint managed to put a fairly decent tear in the rear tyre of my new road bike on this mornings commute
I managed to get in to work by constructing a tyre boot out of paper and a plastic freezer bag, and I've bought a fairly naff looking replacement tyre from the LBS near my office for the ride home
so two questions
1. whats a good "all round" road tyre - lightweight but puncture resistant? (I understand that this will be a compromise) the tyre that tore was a Schwalbe Lugano.
2. might seem a numpty question - but is it worth reapiring punctures in road bike tubes - do patches stand up to the higher pressures OK, or can they not be trusted?
Thanks
Tim
1. Spesh Nimbus Armadillo - maybe a bit too wide though
2. Yes they can be patched
You can patch them, but it's best to use proper patches, the preglued instant patched can peel off under high pressure I've found. A spare tube and repair the puncture at your leisure is the way to go.
Patches will hold up fine, but it is a bit hard to get small enough patches. I had some 'tip top' ones which work, but other ones I've tried have needed to be torn in half. Personally I so rarely get punctures on the road bike that I've got a bit out of the habit of fixing them, although I always carry a kit in case I puncture more than one tube.
I use Continental GP4000 S, it is a bit of a racey tyre (and quite expensive). They are jolly nice to ride though. I just had the same thing happen to me, big tear (rode over a big sharp stone about 2 inches long), and the tyre was a goner, which is annoying, but the hole in the tube was a neat circular hole about 5mm wide, so I guess it isn't surprising that the tyre took some damage too. It was still together enough to get me home, but had a bulge in it. Before that I hadn't had a puncture in >2000 miles though.
Joe
1. Continental GP 4 Season is a good alround tyre. I've ridden about 6000 miles on a set so far.
2. Yes you can repair inner tubes.
You may find it worthwhile checking your tyres at least once a month for cuts by deflating them, picking out all the bits then glueing up the cuts with superglue, leaving for a couple of hours and re-inflating to the correct pressure.
I'd recommend vittoria open pave, not cheap (but no tyre seems to be these days) but great tyre.
Another vote for the Conti GP 4000s here.
I use them all the time on the rough rural roads here in Central France.
They're very good.
Yes you can patch tubes no problem.
Another vote for the tip-top repair kits.
SB
Try Vittoria open pave evo's, Great riding tyres and pretty tough. Not strictly a puncture proof tyre but what they call a Roubaix tyre. Fast and light and they're dropping in price now.
You may find it worthwhile checking your tyres at least once a month for cuts by deflating them, picking out all the bits then glueing up the cuts with superglue, leaving for a couple of hours and re-inflating to the correct pressure.
That sounds like it might be a good idea if I could be bothered. I found a bit of glass in my torn GP4000 S, that was sharp and pointy, and had obviously been in for ages, about 2mm long, I was quite surprised that it hadn't had a puncture earlier with that having been stuck in it.
Joe
Aye, its def worth digg stones and glass out of your tyres periodically before they work their way through the carcass.
I don't get the same problem with debris cutting up my tyres since I've gone back to file tread tyres like the Pave and Forteza's. My old Pro2s and Contis tore to shreads.
conti ultragatorskins seem to work well for me, though i don't do massive mileage, most of the miles i do are urban/suburban. not too pricey either. 18 quidish?