[Closed] Roadie Types - Hit me with your puncture prevention solutions!

Stay out of cycle lanes.

Stay out of the gutter.

At junctions, stay out of the gravelly area that car tyres don't cross.

Sounds like the tyres aren't up to the job, get something like Conti GP4seasons or Schwalbe Durano Plus, rubino control.

Decent tyres!
Had one puncture in 2 years and 12000km on my road bike.

Conti gp 5000's TL (I am running tubeless) but the TL ones are much tougher so better puncture protection even with tubes compared to non tl

Put a bit more pressure in your tyres.
Avoid the gutters and gravel around junctions and cycle lanes.
Learn to bunny hop to avoid holes and small patches of nasty stuff.
I'd agree with good tyres to some extent, but I get very few punctures and run lighter tyres year round. Never used Kevlar inserts or armoured tyres even commuting into a big city on crap roads.

I've run tubeless for years. Found some dried latex on my seat tube the other day so it's obviously doing its job.

That said, I've only ever suffered frequent punctures on the road when using worn out or cheap tyres.

Just buy decent tyres, don't need to be tubeless. I've run Continental GP4000's for over the past 8 years (and many thousand of miles) and only get punctures once they are worn and it is a sign they need replacing. Hopefully their replacement, the GP5000 is as good.

only ever had road punctures when my tyres were running a bit soft.

I wash/degrease my bike down after each winter ride (not really applicable atm but still) - only takes 2-3 mins. PArt of that process is doing a quick scrub over the tyres

Then occasionally (maybe once a week) I'll de-flint the tyres, carefully, with a sturdy safety pin. Again only a min or two per tyre. Saved so many punctures that way - you pull out some pretty chunky flints that 100% would've gone through at some point.

During summer it's probably riding too close to the curb - in the gutter. Or old (worn away / broken down) tyres. Tyre tech is so much better these days, but sadly it wears out quicker. But like, a set of gp5000's will do a whole spring/summer and not puncture. Wouldn't personally take the risk of running them again the next spring tho - I would expect them to puncture.

If you believe that youtube video of the knife vs tractor tyre. Wetness makes the rubber much more susceptible to puncture, so I guess a heavier duty tyre eg 4seasons, gatorskin etc will be much better. But less grip, ymmv

Gatorskins FTW.

Rule 1 about the p word. Don't talk about the p word.

Seriously - Decent tires. Once they fall off the cliff you will p***** repeatedly. Sounds like this has happened.

Fulcrum 800s you say?

Tape ‘em and run tubeless.

Really easy rim to run tubeless. I ignore the Schwable only recommendation and go 5000TL.

Conti gatorskins. I regularly pull chunks of glass out of them that do not go thru the kevlar belt

I used to have that happen and changed tyres for fatter ones and the punctures stopped (reckon I was too heavy for the skinnier tyres)

2. What is better for comfort and performance? - If your frame will allow, we recommend 25mm tyres for most road bikes; these are widely recognised to be the best compromise between comfort, weight and performance. However, if you ride on particularly rough roads, or you are a heavier rider, then 28mm tyres could be a better choice.

Taken from here
https://guides.wiggle.co.uk/road-tyres-buying-guide

Don't buy Gatorskins. They have the ride quality of coiled hosepipes and an alarming tendency to slide out in the wet.

Re Gatorskins.

Have they changed the compound at all? I remember them having a reputation of being a little bit lethal in winter/wet conditions and just plain horrible to ride at any other time.

Stay out of the gutter. Decide how much you want to compromise speed and light tyres with heavier puncture proof tyres.

Fwiw, the Duranos that came on my Scott have given nearly 3000 puncture free miles, including right through last winter.

just came here to say the same thing about Gatorskins, the tread compound is rock-hard which makes them sketchy in the wet. Life is too short for cheap tyres, GP4seasons or Durano plus or similar

I bought a michelin pro4endurance but I can't recommend only because I broke so many tyre levers getting the XXXXX thing on I don't think it's ever coming off, I also have fulcrums so it may be a tight fit combo - shame because I have them on my commuter bike and they are ace on that

Don’t buy Gatorskins. They have the ride quality of coiled hosepipes and an alarming tendency to slide out in the wet.

Agree with this, Gatorskins are terrible tyres, really bad grip, no feel, just no. I'm not even sure they're that puncture resistant. So many better options available.

Quality tyres and avoid glass if you can. Gatorskins are the devils tyres. I gave mine away. Schwalbe Duranos are much better

If it's pinch flats, pump your tyres up harder.

If it's bits of glass and stuff, change your tyres. I think road tyres don't show wear as obviously as mountain bike ones, when you start getting more frequent punctures, it's time to change them.

It's also worth inspecting your tyres now and then and making sure there's no debris lodged in them that'll slowly work its way through the carcass.

Tubeless helps with both kinds of puncture modes.

Interesting feedback on the Gatorskins. I've been using them for years and never noticed any of the above - maybe I'm not going fast enough and/or I'm just used to them. Perhaps I need to broaden my horizons next time.

Some great stuff here folks - thank you!

I'm going on to Wiggle right now to check out the tyre recommendations (including the Gatorskins, although a bit twitchy about them sliding out in the wet, i'm new to Look cleats too!) and see what i can find.

Also, may look at trying to covert the Fulcrums to tubeless too! Us cyclists like a project!! 🙂

Would definitely recommend staying away from Gatorskins, they are horrific in all conditions in my experience, awful ride quality and absolutely zero grip.

I have Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season on my winter bike and they have been great, excellent grip in terrible weather, they are lasting well, are tubeless ready and they have been some of the easiest tyres to set up tubeless that I have ever used.

Gatorskins are a type of construction

the gp4000 I have are black chilli compound. You can get gatorskins with other tread compounds.

the black chilli is really really grippy as are the gp 4000s. wear fairly quickly mind you but there is no problem with grip with them and fast rolling

edit - just had a look at the conti site - they have changed the way they label tyres and the ones labelled "gatorskin" look shite - hard wearing long last ie no gripo

GP 4000 used to be labbeled as gatorskins - the gp 5000 are not.

so I think when reffering to gatorskins we are actually talking about differnt tyres

Yeah it's all changed now. They're [gatorskins] remarkable in terms of being mega hard casing, hard wearing especially the wire bead ones - I rode them through some RIGHT crappy hertfordshire lanes on fast rides every weekend for a full winter and never had even a casing slice, but the lack of wet grip is borderline funny. Only other tyre I've experienced to be as lethal is the stock giant tyres

I had a recommendation from a mate, too, about aforementioned TL Hutchinson 5 all season's for winter. Keen to hear. Anyone here who's tried/tested many different tyres? Eg the durano, 4seasons, etc. And can make comparison comments? Or they all largely the same - mid way between being hard and grippy

I use GP4Seasons as a winter/touring tyre. They seem to have a good balance of grip and longevity.

I've had the most success with Conti GP4000 / GP5000 tyres. Once the tyres are too worn then you suddenly start getting lots of punctures, but until that point I've found them to be the most resilient without sacrificing handling or ride quality.

Don’t buy Gatorskins. They have the ride quality of coiled hosepipes and an alarming tendency to slide out in the wet.

Haven't tried any for 20+ years but this is my experience.

Durano Plus are good. Regular new tyres, especially on the back help too.

GP 4000 used to be labbeled as gatorskins

No, they didn't. You're confuddled.

Rule 1 about the p word. Don’t talk about the p word.

Arsebiscuits,rapid leaking of air from a tyre on the way home tonight .It would never have happened if I hadn't clicked on this thread at lunchtime.....