Flat Resistant Tires & Riding Alone

[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.