So I flatted in my first race of the season. Disappointing but not a huge deal as it was a C race for me, but I’d like to learn from it. Lesson 1, I need to learn how to change a flat faster. I had a huge problem getting my Michelin Pro Race tire off my Hed Clincher Disc, I posted on this earlier and received some pointers and tool recommendations (Quick Stick and others).
This incident also got me thinking more about about what caused the flat and how to prevent flats in the future. I got the flat after going over a pretty rough, gravelly patch at 23-24 mph but post-race inspection did not reveal any glass, sharp rocks or debris on the inside of the tire or any cut marks on the outside. I’m embarrassed to say I left the tube on the side of the road as I had no easy way to carry it with me, so I couldn’t inspect it after the race. I’m thinking it may have been a pinch flat, but I guess I’m not experienced enough to diagnose the causes.
Questions: How are pinch flats identified? How are pinch flats prevented? Given clincher rimmed race wheels, what are the best tires to prevent flats? Would Tufo Tubular Clinchers be a good choice to minimize flats (if not weight or rolling resistance)?
Thanks!
Keith
Pinch flats will tend to show “snake bite” marks on the tube – two spots about 1/4" apart along the circumference of the tube where the rim pinched it to whatever hard object. How to prevent these? First, avoid holes, grates, steel plates (at construction areas), and largish rocks. Second, make sure your tires are fully inflated (lower pressure increases the tendency to pinch). Third – learn how to bunny hop and land lightly.
How to prevent these? First, avoid holes, grates, steel plates (at construction areas), and largish rocks.
Other than pinch flats, in most cases rolling over debris does not cause a flat, it is when the debris sticks/adheres to the tire and gradually works it way into the thread and through the cord to the inner tube. As a roadie, I wear gloves on training rides and during road races so whenever I am unable to avoid rolling over stuff in the road, I reach down and wipe the tires (front and rear) off with a gloved hand. Maybe not so much of an option during a tri as most are not likley to be wearing gloves during the bike leg but the bottom of a water bottle works in a pinch!
As for changing flats faster, unfortunately unless you spend an afternoon practicing at the house, experience is the only way to get any faster. To my credit, I had a flat during last nights roadie training ride just before the point where the group ramps it up for a hotspot followed by a regroup. I had picked up a small pebble on our less than immaculate city streets and it had worked its way into the tire but with the aid of CO2, I had the tire changed in under 2-minutes and had managed to get rejoin the group just as they regrouped!
Thanks for the information. I ordered some Tufo tubular clinchers last night. Weight and rolling resistance be damned, flat tires cost more time than is saved otherwise.
Another good thing to keep in mind is that pump gauges are pretty inaccurate. I bought a digital pressure gauge and it will indicate 100psi when my pump gauge reads 140-ish. (I assume my pump gauge is about 20% low because of this). So “proper inflation” may still be low.