Flat tire puzzler

[DebW]

The only way to track this down is to analyze every single flat and try to determine the cause of each. First obvious place to look is the rimstrips in his wheels, if the tubes are always punctured on the rim side. Even if they don't obviously look bad, replace them if they are old. Are the flats always the same distance away from the valve stem? Find that spot on the rim and look for metal burrs. The fact that your wheel flatted too could be a coincidence, but where was the puncture in your tube? What brand of tubes are you using? Some of the ultralight tubes are not very reliable. What size tires, what pressure, and how much does your husband weigh? If you are much lighter than he, you can get by with more than him in terms of pressure variations.

Or you could give up and get this guy solid rubber tires.

[Flatlander]

The only way to track this down is to analyze every single flat and try to determine the cause of each. First obvious place to look is the rimstrips in his wheels, if the tubes are always punctured on the rim side. Even if they don't obviously look bad, replace them if they are old. Are the flats always the same distance away from the valve stem? Find that spot on the rim and look for metal burrs. The fact that your wheel flatted too could be a coincidence, but where was the puncture in your tube? What brand of tubes are you using? Some of the ultralight tubes are not very reliable. What size tires, what pressure, and how much does your husband weigh? If you are much lighter than he, you can get by with more than him in terms of pressure variations.

Or you could give up and get this guy solid rubber tires.

Hi Deb--He weighs about 60 lbs more than I. We discussed this as a possible reason, that perhaps the extra weight is somehow driving the tube up into the spoke hole. I keep the tires at the low end of the pressure recommendation (~100-110 psi). Should they be at the higher end for him? (He weighs 190.)

[DebW]

He should be running more pressure than you. That probably doesn't explain constant flats, but could make them more likely. I'd change his rim strips and see if that helps.

[Flatlander]

Thanks!

He has old wheels, so I'll change out the strips and add more pressure to see what happens. Hopefully,the flat on my wheel was a coincidence, but I'll check them, too, just to be sure.

[tulip]

The best way to get flats is to run low pressure. Pump up those tires, and pump them up every day!

[emily_in_nc]

I had a string of five flats in just a few weeks (after none ever for a year or so before that) a couple of summers ago. Turns out that when my husband put rim tape in my new wheels, it wasn't quite wide enough, so I guess some spokage was coming through. Once he put on wider tape, problem solved. I don't know if that's the problem here but glad you're going to change it out, just in case.

And yes, the more he weighs, the more tire pressure he needs to run to prevent pinch flats. But since you say that most of the punctures are on the rim side of the tube, I suspect something with the rim. Inspect it closely!

Good luck,
Emily

[Flatlander]

Thanks, all! It sounds more and more like I need to change that rim tape and pump those tires to the max.

I'l hit the LBS this morning as soon as they open.