Flat Resistant Tires & Riding Alone

[featuretile]

So, I flatted again for the 4th time this month and of course, it was the rear tire again. I still don't get how the rear derailleur works and it was only a couple of miles to my car, so I walked. I was by myself and there wasn't any help.... On the way a pick up truck stopped with the owner of a bike shop (who is also a club member) and he asked it there was anything wrong. I said a flat and I'd rather fix it at home. Anyway, how long is a tire supposed to last? He said about 1500-2000 miles. My odometer read 2700+ so I think it is time for new tires.

I have only been riding for 1 1/2 years and had never worn out tires before and did not know that old tires are much more sensitive to anything in the road. I am really sick of getting flats, so I splurged on Continental Gator Hardshell tires. I put them on myself at home for the practice. Anyone have experience with them? The reviews seem good. They have more rubber between the glass and thorns and the road. My first ride seemed faster than with the original tires. I ride a 2007 Specialized Ruby Comp.

I also wonder how people deal with riding alone. I don't like it as much as riding with a group or at least someone else. I feel like there is someone there in case something happens. When I am by myself I tend to stay more in town so that there is cell phone coverage, but the trade off is that there is more traffic. When I am with people I head out to more rural areas, but the hills limit cell phone coverage.

The problem is that I want to ride more than my friends (who ride at a similar speed). The club rides are problematic for me. I am well beyond the beginner rides, but the regular club rides are too fast for me. I can keep up in the flats, but lose the group if I miss a stoplight or on the hills. Then I end up riding alone, and I am out in the country - and I have ended up with a flat tire and no support (hence the reason for the flatproof tires). Any suggestions on coping with this feeling of being left? The only way to get better is to ride more often and I need to get over the fear of riding alone.

[Chicken Little]

I feel your pain. I think I have mentioned on this forum that I get flats more regularly than I get my period.

I just gave up and stuck liners in. I run cheep tubes, and haven't had a flat in a month, which is pretty stinkin' good for goat head riddled New Mexico. For the extra ounces it adds, I just figure I'll get stronger or eat less lunch to compensate.

Flats suck.

[malkin]

We run Conti Gatorskins and like them a lot.
I hope the Hardshells are the start of a long streak of flatless good luck for you.

A spare tube is good and so is a patch kit and a pump or inflator!

[Veronica]

They are a little heavier but you could also put slime tubes in your tires.

Veronica

[JennK13]

I actually like riding alone - I can do intervals when I'm by myself, and go as fast or stop åş often as often as I want, as well as go where I want to. I ride with a group every Saturday, and with my DH once or twice a week, so I enjoy my alone time. Fortunately for me, it's very easy for me to get a 30-70 mile ride in and still never be more than 15 or 20 miles from help if I need it. I carry my basic tools, always check my bike before and after a ride to make sure it's in working order, and carry a phone with me (fully charged) I also wear a road I'd. I don't remember ever being worried about cycling on my own, though I did worry about motorcycling alone.

As for the group rides, try to find one that's no drop, or mix up which friends you ride with if possible, instead of one ride with all of them.

[tzvia]

Maybe the area has more crap on the ground that causes flats than other areas, because it sounds like a lot of flats for so short a time period. When you flat, take a look at the tube to see where the flat is; is it facing the road or the rim? Is it on the side? A small hole, a tear, a double hole (snakebite). Where and how the hole looks can tell a lot about what the cause is, then you can respond with whatever is needed to deal with it.

If it faces the rim, your rimstrip should be replaced, it's either worn or may have moved off of the spoke holes, exposing the metal edge to the tube. Facing the side; tube may be pinched between the tire and rim-like snakebite. Facing the road; check the tire for the cause, if it's still in the tire it will strike again!

Yes a worn tire will flat more, as there is less material on the tire to help prevent something from pushing through the casing. Hopefully your changing the tires will lessen those pesky flats, but flats will happen again. Just be familiar with the patch kit and keep it handy. Take a pump; I'm no fan of CO2, once you use it it's gone and if you then flat again you are SOL.

Part of my fear of riding alone is handling technicals, so I made sure I know how to adjust brakes/shifters, can change tubes/patch flats, carry a multitool that can handle all the 'nuts 'n bolts' on the bike, and take a map if in unfamiliar territory. I often ride alone (as I did today on an MTB ride in the Santa Monica mtns.) To improve general fitness, I've been commuting to work and that has improved my fitness, calmed my fear of riding on a busy street, and even got me acclimated to riding in the dark with lights (and to look ahead, not down at the street in front of my front tire, which I can't see in the dark anyway.)

[Aggie_Ama]

There is no rule of thumb on how many miles you will get out of a tire. Ask the LBS to show you how to spot signs of wear, as others have said worn tires will flat more. You are putting air in the tire every ride, right? If not you may run the risk of pinch flats. I had good luck with the Conti Gator Skins, not sure I ever flatted on them. The Specialized Armadillos are also a good tire. I figure weight won't slow me down nearly as much as a flat. I am not a weight weenie, the engine (me) of my bike is where I need to shave weight!

I do road ride alone, before DH would let me he taught me how to change flats. Sounds like you know how to do that and I can't blame you for being tired of doing it! Can you take a basic maintenance class? Several of our local shops and REI offer them. I find knowledge is power, knowing if something were to happen I can take care of it makes me less nervous. I worry about wrecking but then I remember how many rides I have done and how few incidents I have had. To be comfortable alone I do let someone know where I am going and how long I expect to be gone. If it gets too far past my time they usually check on me.

[TxDoc]

Riding alone is great as long as you are a little bit self-sufficient and can take care of small repairs. A repair kit with a few patches, cement, and a pump or CO2 cartridges is a really good idea. That way you can repair your flats anywhere, and do not have to waste too much time or walk. You can find those kits in any bike shop and they are very small so they won't take up too much space in your pockets.
As per tires, some of my riding buddies use gatorskins and love them. I don't like them much, heavy rubber and low psi, not my favorite...
I tend to ride Tufo tubulars or tubular clinchers more than anything else - so all I bring on my ride is sealant and a couple of CO2 cartridges. When I ride clinchers then I put one or two patches and some glue in my pocket with the CO2, just in case.
If you think you can end up quite far - too far to walk if you have a mechanical worse than a flat - I would highly recommend that you learn how to make a few basic repairs, and carry along a small multitool and a masterlink or a couple of chain pins. I've seen a few people with broken chains on the road, up for a long walk - and it doesn't seem to be a lot of fun.

[azfiddle]

Featuretile, I put Continental gatorskins onto my bike last fall after getting 4 or 5 flats mainly due to goat's heads. I'm sold on them. I've only had two flats with over 3000 miles since then.

As far as riding alone, I sometimes enjoy them- it gives me time to think or listen to music, but usually my solo rides are 10- 25 miles. Can you do some shorter but more challenging rides? I know the Santa Cruz mountains have a lot of hills.

I completely understand that frustration you have about being too slow for the club rides. I've only been riding a little over a year. I've improved a lot, but I still fall off the back a lot. I went to a couple of sessions of interval training, where everyone put their bikes on trainers and a cycling coach ran us through the intervals. I think that was really helpful and I plan to do more.

[lauraelmore1033]

I used to run with the gatorskins and was happy with the feeling of invincibility for at least 3000 miles, but then I got a new bike with something different and lighter which has been just as effective (but not any cheaper..). So I'm thinking anything designed to be "puncture resistant" is going to be good.

[jobob]

We have a lot of goathead thorns in Northern California right now; I had 2 flats this week alone, with relatively new tires.

It would be a good idea to learn how to change flats if you want to ride alone.

[Catrin]

I enjoy riding alone - I am not very fast so always wind up riding by myself on group rides anyway (as soon as we get to a stop light or steepish hill). There are a couple of people that I ride with on an occasional basis - they know I am slow so that helps.

Of course the chicken-egg element is the best way to get faster is to ride with someone faster than you and to do intervals. The first happens occasionally, the latter happens a lot.

I do long rides - >70 miles solo. I generally try to plan them so that I am rarely more than 25-30 miles from my car and generally have someone to call for a ride if needed.

I started out on rides < 10 miles and I remember being nervous about riding solo - but it passed as I gained experience. This was just in March, so things do change.

+1 on learning how to change a flat and so forth. I've been fortunate so far, no flats, and I love my Continental Travel Contacts - they are great tires and after putting more than 1000 miles on them they look almost new!

[Crankin]

I hate riding alone for this very reason. I have only had 3 flats in 10 years, mostly due to fanatic checking of tires and pumping them to the highest pressure I can. People can tell me to take a class all they want, which I have more than once, but once I have to do something, I forget it all (and I have a good memory, but not for mechanical things). My last flat was just a couple of weeks ago. I was with Pata, so she guided me... I probably could have done it alone, as it wasn't the rear. This was from an obvious source, as I had ridden over glass earlier in the ride.
I truly get anxiety attacks over this. Since I can barely button my shirts or tie shoes, using tools is something akin to nuclear physics to me. One of my former colleagues used to laugh at me because I had trouble separating sheets of paper when I passed stuff out to my students.
As far as finding a group to ride with... I am sort of like the OP. Too fast for the slow groups and definitely not for the fast. I am happy with my speed, though. I did find a group, but now the "main" group is a little slow for me, so sometimes I try and ride with the "spirited" group, which I can usually hang on with. I like the people and it's social, so that makes a world of difference. I have 3 people I ride with, besides DH. Two are much slower than me. Pata and I are very compatible riding together and I thank this list for helping me find a riding partner I can actually ride with!