200 lb rider, clinchers at 120 psi, standard tubes, avoiding every rock/pebble I can. Still getting the two-hole snake bite every few hundred miles.
Thicker tires?
Higher PSI?
Other suggestions??
New pressure gauge?
Seriously, more pressure and more careful riding. I’m only 175lbs, but I haven’t had a single flat on the road this year (IIRC).
Not higher PSI, 120 is plenty.
Have you tried Gatorskins?
Are you sure the problem isn’t related to bad/misplaced rim tape? If the mached spoke holes are exposed, they can cut into the tube.
what tires are you using?
I ride the specialized armadillo and have (knock on wood) never gotten a flat with them, and I’m about 200 lbs. For an everyday training tire, I love them.
Dang it. I thought we were going to talk about this: 
200 lb rider, clinchers at 120 psi, standard tubes, avoiding every rock/pebble I can. Still getting the two-hole snake bite every few hundred miles.
Thicker tires?
Higher PSI?
Other suggestions??
Also avoid the pot holes?
Lose some weight? 
Just kidding…do you feel yourself bottoming out the tires on objects fairly often? It’s hard to get a snakebite “pinch” flat without doing that, and if that’s not the case, then your problem is going to be something else, most likely equipment related (such as rim tape and the like).
a couple of people have recommended flat resistant tires, they must not know what a snake bite flat is =)
something is wrong
your tire pressure is spot on for your weight
I would suspect something is wrong with the tire, wheels, rim tape, or pressure gauge on your pump.
does it happen to the front, or rear every time? or both?
200 lb rider, clinchers at 120 psi, standard tubes, avoiding every rock/pebble I can. Still getting the two-hole snake bite every few hundred miles.
Thicker tires?
Higher PSI?
Other suggestions??
Go tubeless: http://www.notubes.com/home.php
No tubes = no pinch flats
.
At 6’ 4", 194 lbs stripped, I only have a few pounds I can lose. Though spokes don’t cause snake bites, for the last few weeks I’ve been training on HED3s to rule out my original wheels and spoke problems from the equation. 23mm Continental tires of various types have been tried, though none particularly heavy duty. Two different pumps, thus two different gauges have been used. Last flat was on the front, but flats are equally spread between front and back. Saturday, I was out on a fairly clean mountain road. Eighty miles in, there was a downhill section with sporadic side roads, thus gravel from cars was sprinkled a quarter mile after each side road. At speed, there is not much pebble avoidance possible. I thought “it’s just a matter of time”. Sure enough, another bite.
so youve tried different wheels
different tires
different gauges
same tubes every time?
a 6’4", you could, in fact, lose 40lbs if you really wanted to (see rappstar, or me) but you certainly shouldn’t NEED to.
ive been 210 before without getting snakebites all the time!
hope you can find a solution!
At 6’ 4", 194 lbs stripped, I only have a few pounds I can lose. Though spokes don’t cause snake bites, for the last few weeks I’ve been training on HED3s to rule out my original wheels and spoke problems from the equation. 23mm Continental tires of various types have been tried, though none particularly heavy duty. Two different pumps, thus two different gauges have been used. Last flat was on the front, but flats are equally spread between front and back. Saturday, I was out on a fairly clean mountain road. Eighty miles in, there was a downhill section with sporadic side roads, thus gravel from cars was sprinkled a quarter mile after each side road. At speed, there is not much pebble avoidance possible. I thought “it’s just a matter of time”. Sure enough, another bite.
Thank you for your thoughts! Looking through my training logs, I’ve been through eight Michelin AirComps and eight Michelin A1 butyl tubes in under 5000 miles. Maybe it was just a string of bad luck, but I’m getting a complex. To take my own possible installation errors out or the equation, I’ve even had other people mount a few tires for me. I’ll try Michelin A3 Airstops and different tires.
8 snakebits in 5000 miles isn’t as much as I was imagining from your initial post.
could just be bad luck?
Thank you for your thoughts! Looking through my training logs, I’ve been through eight Michelin AirComps and eight Michelin A1 butyl tubes in under 5000 miles. Maybe it was just a string of bad luck, but I’m getting a complex. To take my own possible installation errors out or the equation, I’ve even had other people mount a few tires for me. I’ll try Michelin A3 Airstops and different tires.
At 6’ 4", 194 lbs stripped, I only have a few pounds I can lose. Though spokes don’t cause snake bites, for the last few weeks I’ve been training on HED3s to rule out my original wheels and spoke problems from the equation. 23mm Continental tires of various types have been tried, though none particularly heavy duty. Two different pumps, thus two different gauges have been used. Last flat was on the front, but flats are equally spread between front and back. Saturday, I was out on a fairly clean mountain road. Eighty miles in, there was a downhill section with sporadic side roads, thus gravel from cars was sprinkled a quarter mile after each side road. At speed, there is not much pebble avoidance possible. I thought “it’s just a matter of time”. Sure enough, another bite.
Something doesn’t add up…you don’t get snakebite flats from just riding over gravel. They happen from impacts with large objects (i.e. big rocks, not gravel or pebbles) or the edges of potholes and such…
That’s sixteen flats in under 5000 miles, probably about eight were snake bites. You’re right, it could just be an unlucky streak. I’ll keep working the problem. Thanks again for your time and thoughts!
I’m only aware of one pothole impact. It doesn’t worry me, because I understand the cause in that particular case. You’re right, it’s not adding up to me either. That’s why I’m asking if anyone can think of anything I’m missing.
Have you tried wider tires; 24/25mm?
I thought that this topic was about something completely different:
.
Thank you for your input. Triple checking everything, I’ve paid attention to tire inflation, and am wondering if the gauges on both my pumps are a little off or if I wasn’t precise enough. The past two weeks I’ve inflated to 123lbs, making sure not to let the tires deflate at all when removing the pump head. 600+ miles, and no snake bites so far, despite hitting random gravel rocks while flying down mountain passes at high speed on RAMROD last week. Again, thanks for your advice.