Full year with no punctures.

"S Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Today I celebrated a full year on 700x23 tyres with no punctures despite
riding through the cold hard mean streets of east Hull every day. Not
wishing to tempt fate I fitted a brand new pair of the same tyres to start
the new year. So in the past 8 years only 3 tyres have never punctured.

700x23 Bontrager Race Hard Case (on commuting road bike)
700x23 Conti 4 Seasons (on summer road bike)
700x28 Schwalbe Marathon Plus (on hybrid)

My Schwalbes have never punctured either. 23s on the road bike IIRC.

There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
tyres are clearly better than others.
I mostly ride specialised fatboys and seldom get punctures in them. I
have a theory that tyres with aggressive treads puncture more easily
as the pattern picks up glass etc. The only tyre in which there was a
huge number of puctures for me was Michelin Idilis. I stopped using
them (years ago).

Garry from Cork said:

There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
tyres are clearly better than others.
I mostly ride specialised fatboys and seldom get punctures in them. I
have a theory that tyres with aggressive treads puncture more easily
as the pattern picks up glass etc. The only tyre in which there was a
huge number of puctures for me was Michelin Idilis. I stopped using
them (years ago).

Bits of glass stuck in tread cut-outs don't puncture very often, IME.

Anyway, I get more punctures with smooth tyres. I reckon that's simply
because they tend to be thinner than tyres with more aggressive tread
patterns. There are exceptions - with an exceptionally thick layer of
rubber, or foam under the tread like the Marathon Plus.

~PB

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Garry from Cork said:

There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
tyres are clearly better than others.
I mostly ride specialised fatboys and seldom get punctures in them. I
have a theory that tyres with aggressive treads puncture more easily
as the pattern picks up glass etc. The only tyre in which there was a
huge number of puctures for me was Michelin Idilis. I stopped using
them (years ago).

Bits of glass stuck in tread cut-outs don't puncture very often, IME.

Anyway, I get more punctures with smooth tyres. I reckon that's simply
because they tend to be thinner than tyres with more aggressive tread
patterns. There are exceptions - with an exceptionally thick layer of
rubber, or foam under the tread like the Marathon Plus.

~PB

The trouble is, with riding on Marathon Plus, that I haven't had a puncture on
my bike for 2 years -- and you lose the expertise of dealing with it easily!
Really!

I still carry a spare tube and repair kit daily but I suspect that if I looked
at the repair kit the adhesive will have dried up.

Mind you my trailer, a Carry freedom Y Frame ( with unprotected tyres) had 2
punctures during my 2007 tour in France -- but b4 my long summer tours I
always make sure all my "repair gear" of all kinds is in good order and
functional..

But it is forgetting that it is always raining when you have a puncture -- and
you're under full touring load -- that still makes life fun (?)

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

On 24/11/2007 19:33, S Mason said,

Quoted message said:

Today I celebrated a full year on 700x23 tyres with no punctures...

You really, really, didn't want to say that :-)

(Waits for S Mason to come back here cursing the p*nct*re fairy!!)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Sun, 25 Nov 2007 13:34:42 GMT, "Trevor A Panther"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[---]

Quoted message said:

Mind you my trailer, a Carry freedom Y Frame ( with unprotected tyres) had 2
punctures during my 2007 tour in France

Nothing to do with punctures, but I just read this on your web site:

Quoted message said:

8:00 pm. I have eaten a pork curry and had a bottle of awful Chablis with it!

which made me burst out laughing. Where on earth did you find pork
curry in a place like Chablis?

"Andrew Price" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sun, 25 Nov 2007 13:34:42 GMT, "Trevor A Panther"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[---]

Quoted message said:

Mind you my trailer, a Carry freedom Y Frame ( with unprotected tyres) had
2
punctures during my 2007 tour in France

Nothing to do with punctures, but I just read this on your web site:

Quoted message said:

8:00 pm. I have eaten a pork curry and had a bottle of awful Chablis with
it!

which made me burst out laughing. Where on earth did you find pork
curry in a place like Chablis?

Still OT
Ah -- I cooked my own curry -- traditional Panther type travelling food!

And amazingly the bottle of Chablis I bought was really awful -- which was a
real disappointment -- I had had a delicious glass of "petit Chablis" at lunch
time. It was, I think, the only wine that failed to please on the whole trip!
(31 days and more than 31 different wines!)

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Trevor A Panther said:

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Garry from Cork said:

There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
tyres are clearly better than others.
I mostly ride specialised fatboys and seldom get punctures in them. I
have a theory that tyres with aggressive treads puncture more easily
as the pattern picks up glass etc. The only tyre in which there was a
huge number of puctures for me was Michelin Idilis. I stopped using
them (years ago).

Bits of glass stuck in tread cut-outs don't puncture very often, IME.

Anyway, I get more punctures with smooth tyres. I reckon that's simply
because they tend to be thinner than tyres with more aggressive tread
patterns. There are exceptions - with an exceptionally thick layer of
rubber, or foam under the tread like the Marathon Plus.

~PB

The trouble is, with riding on Marathon Plus, that I haven't had a puncture on
my bike for 2 years -- and you lose the expertise of dealing with it easily!
Really!

the other problems with the marathon familly is they are sods to get on
and off the rim's

Quoted message said:

I still carry a spare tube and repair kit daily but I suspect that if I looked
at the repair kit the adhesive will have dried up.

i so rarely have problems i tend to just change tubes to be honest i
don't have a repair kit.

Quoted message said:

Mind you my trailer, a Carry freedom Y Frame ( with unprotected tyres) had 2
punctures during my 2007 tour in France -- but b4 my long summer tours I
always make sure all my "repair gear" of all kinds is in good order and
functional..

But it is forgetting that it is always raining when you have a puncture -- and
you're under full touring load -- that still makes life fun (?)

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Roger Merriman said:

Trevor A Panther said:

message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Garry from Cork wrote:
> There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
> tyres are clearly better than others.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The trouble is, with riding on Marathon Plus, that I haven't had a puncture on
my bike for 2 years -- and you lose the expertise of dealing with it easily!
Really!

the other problems with the marathon familly is they are sods to get on
and off the rim's

Off the rim's what? <sorry>

I had no problems getting my Marathons on and off my Birdy's rims. I
hadn't got a puncture on them as such. Some time back I had got a
puncture in the original tyres and had swapped the tube for my spare
which was previously punctured and seemed to have a very slow puncture
that I meant to fix when I got a new tyre but I didn't and then I
remembered after fitting the Marathons.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I still carry a spare tube and repair kit daily but I suspect that if I looked
at the repair kit the adhesive will have dried up.

i so rarely have problems i tend to just change tubes to be honest i
don't have a repair kit.

A single spare is OK for day rides but when going touring or out in
wild places it would be foolish to trust to luck and not take a
puncture repair kit as well. When out on the road bike the kit and
tube is as small as a baccy tin, about 10x7x2 cm. The Birdy tube is
rather bulkier and tends to live in the bottom of the Altura Dryline
pannier that goes almost everywhere with a pump hidden in the lining
too.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Phil Cook said:

Roger Merriman said:

Trevor A Panther said:

message news:[email hidden]...
> Garry from Cork wrote:
>> There's a bit of luck involved in not puncturing as well, though some
>> tyres are clearly better than others.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The trouble is, with riding on Marathon Plus, that I haven't had a
puncture on my bike for 2 years -- and you lose the expertise of
dealing with it easily! Really!

the other problems with the marathon familly is they are sods to get on
and off the rim's

Off the rim's what? <sorry>

I had no problems getting my Marathons on and off my Birdy's rims. I
hadn't got a puncture on them as such. Some time back I had got a
puncture in the original tyres and had swapped the tube for my spare
which was previously punctured and seemed to have a very slow puncture
that I meant to fix when I got a new tyre but I didn't and then I
remembered after fitting the Marathons.

probably depends on the rim/tire combo. certinaly the old mountain bike
with normals and my partners hybid with pluses are a get the levers out
job, while tires on my hyrid both the cheap ones it came with, and the
recently fitted land cruisers where easy tooless fitting.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I still carry a spare tube and repair kit daily but I suspect that if I
looked at the repair kit the adhesive will have dried up.

i so rarely have problems i tend to just change tubes to be honest i
don't have a repair kit.

A single spare is OK for day rides but when going touring or out in
wild places it would be foolish to trust to luck and not take a
puncture repair kit as well. When out on the road bike the kit and
tube is as small as a baccy tin, about 10x7x2 cm. The Birdy tube is
rather bulkier and tends to live in the bottom of the Altura Dryline
pannier that goes almost everywhere with a pump hidden in the lining
too.

depends i guess on storage space, and how far one is going. i don't tend
to get puntures off road. the hybrid i only go at most 10 miles away.
and within range of trains so while i do leave a pump and a tube in the
paniers the only times i've had a problem with the bike i've taken it
home and fixed it there.

with out wishing the attention of the faerie i don't get enought to
warrent going over the top with taking get me home stuff.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

In article said:

Trevor A Panther said:

The trouble is, with riding on Marathon Plus, that I haven't had a puncture on
my bike for 2 years -- and you lose the expertise of dealing with it easily!
Really!

the other problems with the marathon familly is they are sods to get on
and off the rim's

I don't remember getting them on being a particular problem. Not having
had a puncture since, I can't comment on getting them off. Having said
that, no doubt I'll now have one soon.
Actually I might have taken one off when I bought a hub dynamo built
into a wheel, but I did buy a third tyre so the now spare wheel could be
swapped in instantly, and can't remember now whether I just put the new
tyre on the new front wheel, or swapped it for the more worn rear tyre.
Which says something about how memorable the process was. Of course that
was in a dry shed with lights, not by the roadside in rain and dark, like
a typical puncture.

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:19:34 +0000, Alan Braggins wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

can't remember now whether I just put the new
tyre on the new front wheel, or swapped it for the more worn rear tyre.

You put a worn tyre on the front when you had a new one to go on instead?
Why?

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:19:34 +0000, Alan Braggins wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

can't remember now whether I just put the new
tyre on the new front wheel, or swapped it for the more worn rear tyre.

You might put a worn tyre on the front when you had a new one to go on
instead?
Why?

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

Alex Potter said:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:19:34 +0000, Alan Braggins wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

can't remember now whether I just put the new
tyre on the new front wheel, or swapped it for the more worn rear
tyre.

You put a worn tyre on the front when you had a new one to go on
instead? Why?

Alan didn't say it was worn out, just more worn.

Tyres last longer when on the front (though swapping doesn't save any money
in the long run).

~PB

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:50:34 +0000, Pete Biggs wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Alan didn't say it was worn out, just more worn.

Yes, but I'd always put my best type on the front - I'd rather control a
rear-wheel slide than one at the front.

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

Alex Potter said:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:50:34 +0000, Pete Biggs wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Alan didn't say it was worn out, just more worn.

Yes, but I'd always put my best type on the front - I'd rather
control a rear-wheel slide than one at the front.

While it still has some rubber left, a worn tyre isn't more likely to side
than a new one on road.

~PB

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:06:52 +0000, Pete Biggs wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

While it still has some rubber left, a worn tyre isn't more likely to
side than a new one on road.

True, but, IMHO, more likely to puncture.

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

In article said:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:19:34 +0000, Alan Braggins wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

can't remember now whether I just put the new
tyre on the new front wheel, or swapped it for the more worn rear tyre.

You might put a worn tyre on the front when you had a new one to go on
instead? Why?

Because the back tyre was more worn than the front, and was going to
continue to wear faster. (It would actually be a three way rotation,
not a straight swap - new tyre on the back wheel, old front tyre to
the new front wheel, old back tyre to the old front wheel.)

(And if I didn't do it that way, then because the back tyre wasn't actually
worn out and putting the new tyre on the new front wheel was the least work.)

Alex Potter said:

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:06:52 +0000, Pete Biggs wrote in
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

While it still has some rubber left, a worn tyre isn't more likely to
side than a new one on road.

[slide]

Quoted message said:

True, but, IMHO, more likely to puncture.

I can't argue with that very much so I won't :-)

Sheldon Brown agrees with you as well.

~PB