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ozmaan
October 10th, 2008, 12:16 PM
...My riding partner recently added some new tires to his ride, a set of Panaracer Fire or Smoke or Spark or maybe just Hot Coals, I don't remember. Anyway, since he put them on, he has been plauged by flats. He has gone through at least six tubes in the past three months (all front), while I haven't lost any (and I wreck a lot more). Could there be something wrong with the tire that is causing the frequent flats or is it just bad luck?
silly_yak
October 10th, 2008, 12:18 PM
Has he checked the inside of the tire to ensure that there isn't a thorn or something in there? Also, where were the tubes punctured? Under the tread, sidewall, near the rim?
jabberwocky
October 10th, 2008, 12:20 PM
What is causing the flats? Pinches? Something penetrating the tire? The first thing I do when I remove a tube is find the hole and then translate that to the tire to see where the flat came from. Does he have a spoke thats poking through the rim tape?
ozmaan
October 10th, 2008, 12:24 PM
The punctures are always in the side wall area.
silly_yak
October 10th, 2008, 12:25 PM
The punctures are always in the side wall area.

Pinch flat maybe? Might need to run more pressure in front. What is he running now? I know there is a recommended amount on the tire, but depending on a number of factors, he may have to run a bit more than the minimum.
jabberwocky
October 10th, 2008, 12:28 PM
The punctures are always in the side wall area.Are they always in the same spot? You said they were all front, which is an odd place for things to punch through the sidewall. Most people steer the front around trail obstacles and let the rear bounce off them.

Does the tire have a hole in the sidewall or something? Are the punctures neat little holes, or are they abraded spots (like someone used sandpaper on the tube)?
walsh
October 10th, 2008, 12:32 PM
[QUOTE=ozmaan;132164Could there be something wrong with the tire that is causing the frequent flats or is it just bad luck?[/QUOTE]

Check the usual suspects, but sometimes you do get a string of bad luck. I averaged about one flat per two rides (and races) throughout June this year on four different bikes. Fecal matter occurs, I guess.