CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Puncture fairies....

(93 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Baldcyclist
  • Latest reply from DaveC

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12…4

  1. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Another puncture this morning on the NEPN, always on that stretch of path!

    Always ran on Gatorskins for commuting, when I used to do the Livi commute I would puncture probably 3 or 4 times a year. Now, coming over the water and using the NEPN, my puncture rate must be more than one a month, grrr!

    So Quandary, bin the NEPN, and go back on the road, or, Shcalami Snicker +'s, will they destroy the ride of my commuter? How often do other long distancer's puncture? Is a puncture or two a month not worth moaning about?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Coxy
    Member

    How old are your Gatorskins?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. Baldcyclist
    Member

    New on in March, so about 3000 miles on them, but they have been puncturing from day 1. Maybe just a bad batch?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. gibbo
    Member

    Another puncture this morning on the NEPN, always on that stretch of path!

    Any particular section?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I've always found with Gatorskins that they run well for first few thousand miles, then as the rounded profile wears down to a flat centre of the tyre, the thinning rubber means they start to puncture with ever-increasing frequency.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Coxy
    Member

    I'm assuming it's glass?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Mostly on the Silverknows/Drylaw bit funnily enough!

    And yes, mostly glass, although weirdly this morning I couldn't find the culprit.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Fit Panaracer Pasela Tourguards, and you can completely forget about The Faeries.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. panyagua
    Member

    Tempting fate, but I run Gatorskins too and have only had one puncture, which was after a few 000 miles when the profile had worn flat (as K said above), and was *ahem* in the rough part of Dalmeny Estate, where I probably shouldn't really have been taking them anyway. Replaced the worn rear tyre after that. Have picked out numerous shards of glass during the tyres' lifespan. Hope the quality hasn't been compromised on more recent batches...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. Nelly
    Member

    I have run my current gatorskins for between 3500-4000 miles now (computer fail somewher in middle and couldnt be bothered replacing for a bit) with no faeries at all *crosses fingers, toes, arms* - as K says, once they start wearing flat, replace or you will regret it.

    I have debates with friends about tyre pressures too - I run mine on 120psi rear and 110 front - not the smoothest ride, but I now put a lot of store by that - well, that and the bunnyhopping over glass !

    Am about to google arellcats panaracers though - never heard of them til today.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Just looked at Marathon plus online, that's almost 2kg of tyre!

    Also noticed Gatorhardshell (mines are standard Gotorskins) with a wee bit more protection, maybe the ones to go for?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. Nelly
    Member

    stupid gatorskin question - mine are wire bead - and depending on the rim, can be a right PITA to get on (when I swap out marathon winters, for example)

    Would the folding variant be 'easier' and what are the pros and cons of each.

    @baldcyclist, sorry for the thread hijack !

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. Instography
    Member

    I ride that stretch of path every time I go to work and apart from when I just started and hadn't replaced the tyres the bike came with, haven't been very troubled by punctures. One or two in three years. Used Gatorskins and M+ at various times. Must say, for commuting, I wouldn't go back after M+. Heavy and take a bit of effort to get up to speed but at 100psi they roll nicely and haven't had a flat.

    And as I keep reminding myself, if I'm going to worry about weight, I should probably start with my own before thinking about anything else on the bike.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. DaveC
    Member

    I have a variety of tyres. 35 and 28 Marathon Plus, don't punture, even after nearly 15 million metres! Seriously! I have Conti GP4000 and Grand Prix 4000s, both never puntured (all spring/summer use though so far). Finally I have a couple of Conti Sport, the ultra budget tyres which you get free with any new racing bike (as they're dead cheap). Never punctured after a couple of thousand kms. I run the tyres near their max recomended pressures!

    I guess either I'm lucky, or something else? I'm now on Marathon Plus for winter, and Balders, that extra weight, really doesn't make any difference! Weigh yourself, add the bike weight, with panier, and then see what percentage Marathon Plus make to the overall weight! Its very low! Plus this 2Kg?? This is the overall weight of the tyre, not the extra you get in changing from Gatorskin to Marathon Plus.

    Oh and I received a Wiggle email today, they have a deal on some tyres just now.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/red-hot-tyres/?utm_source=1063gb-34-fri&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sep&utm_content=gb-27-09-13

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. JohnS
    Member

    Two punctures a month sounds pretty bad. Not sure what the NEPN (North Edinburgh Path Network?)is, but I come in every day from Ferry Toll to the West End and haven't puntured in three years (luck?). I cycle on Marathon Plus's, as recommeded by DaveC. They are heavier than other makes but the protection is there. The deep tread pattern helps as well. Worst sections for glass are inevitably the Blackhall Path and the narrow path between J Smarts offices and the houses at Davidson Mains. I'll probably now have two puntures a month for saying this.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. DaveC
    Member

    Alright John, long time no see! Hope your well mate!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  17. panyagua
    Member

    @nelly I can confirm the *folding* Gatorskins are a piece of cake to get on (my rims, at least) - as well as being a bit lighter. And of course when you order them online to your work, they arrive in a *much* smaller box than the wire ones would, which might just be more convenient when you have to get them home...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  18. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Yeah, the weight is an imaginary factor, but still 1.3kg more than gatorskins at 330g each. Although I'm not the lightest, ride a 12Kg CX commuter + 6kg of pannier every day

    OK, i may give the Marathon + a try, Halfrauds seem to have a good deal on them just now. Easy enough to change back if I hate them.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  19. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I find the 23mm gatorskins on my road bike are a pain to get on and off. The 28mm ones on my commuter are a breeze. Both have the fixed rim.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  20. stiltskin
    Member

    Use NEPN a lot. I find the spesh all condition aramdillos are more puncture resistant than gatorskins, but it is all down to luck in the end..

    Posted 11 years ago #

  21. DaveC
    Member

    C'mon mate, your comparing oranges and apples here! You list the weight for a pair (2x740gms) for Marathon Plus against a single Gatorskin @ 330gm!

    http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/tour/marathon-plus/

    So Marathons weight just over double that of a Gatorskin? but I've had 2 pairs of Marathon Plus' (28 and 35) for 3 years now (and the 35s were second hand), and they still have plenty of life in the tread. I use the 28s half the time, Summer on the Cotic and Winter on the Dawes.

    If you don't want to buy and ride Marathon pluses, thats your choice, no one will force you to, but as you have pointed out, 4000 miles and the Gators need replacing. Your choice.

    Wiggle has a deal on other tyres just now! Try Some Grand Prix 4000s!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  22. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I said I'd give them a try ;-P (gatorskins 2x330g = ~ 700g. M+ 2 x 980g = ~2kg. 1.3kg the differance, apples for apples.... ;-) )

    Just procured these from Halfrauds, pick up from local store tomorrow. Seem to be a good deal just now if anyone else in the market for tyres..

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=569645&catalogId=10151

    Posted 11 years ago #

  23. threefromleith
    Member

    I binned my folding 23mm Gatorskins after getting a set of Fulcrum Racing 7s. Almost impossible to get them on or off without 25 minutes of cursing, struggling and swearing - and then the inners would be pinched and explode when inflated, despite NEVER having had this problem with any other tyre & rim combos over the last 7 years. They were fine on my previous set of hand-built wheels.

    Now running (folding) Schwalbe Durano Plus 23mm tyres. So far, no 'incidents' during commutes.

    (I run Marathon+ on my MTB, and only punctured twice on those (2" nail and a 1"-long shard of glass).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  24. Cyclops
    Member

    With bicycles rotational weight is a far bigger factor than overall weight of rider plus bike. This is why lighter tyres or rims can make a significant speed difference.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  25. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Now off to get some (hopefully now redundant) CO2 inflator refils.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  26. allebong
    Member

    I haven't had a puncture on road in over 2 years now. I figure that's down to using good tyres plus having a track pump and keeping them topped up to the right pressures. Though this is probably going to be the worst time of year for thorns, debris and other messengers of the fairy.

    2 bikes have 26" wheels. One has been running conti city rides for around 3000 miles, much of that with heavy panniers, and is still going strong. Other has 1.95" Schwalbe city jets, also no incidents in the year and a bit I've had them.

    Only one bike (so far...) with 700c tyres. Using 28c conti sport contacts. No punctures yet in ~400 miles but the bike has so far been reserved for sunny days and dry weather. Once the full guards are on it'll start getting thrashed through whatever the weather can throw.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  27. DaveC
    Member

    Halfrauds list a different weight to Schwable's website (in my link above!). 940gm vs 740gm, Funny that!

    He said 28s above!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  28. kaputnik
    Moderator

    depends which width of tyre you're talking abbout innit.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  29. Kenny
    Member

    I run 25mm Gatorskins twice daily, 5 days a week on the NEPN, they're a doddle to get on and off, I can almost do it without tyre levers and considering I've broken both my thumbs in my lifetime, that should show you that the 2mm extra makes all the difference. I've never looked back in terms of puncture resistance. Yes, once worn they do start to puncture, but up to that point (and we're talking many 1000 miles), you should be fine.

    So aye, I suspect you have a bad batch.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  30. wingpig
    Member

    I had my second puncture in two years of Gatorskin usage today, on the front, which is an almost-exactly-one-year-old (4000-mile-old) 23. Possibly a sidewall-rent blowout, possibly a lucky stab by something sharp through the weakened sidewall, but whatever it was I and my passenger were rather lucky that it didn't happen until after I'd straightened up from the right-hander downhill on the Mound and that it was gradual enough to allow me to stop safely.

    I didn't start getting problems with the build quality of Armadilloes until I went down to 23s, so I bought a 25 on the way home seeing as the front can cope with the width.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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