Punctures on newish bike.

I bought a Ridgeback Cyclone about three months ago, and have been
commuting 16 miles 4-5 days a week. About 800-1000 miles in total.
I have had no punctures until cycling home on Thursday night the pucture
fairy visited the rear wheel. The offending piece of glass was removed,
and the inner tube replaced.
Saturday night I the puncture fairy visited the front wheel with a thorn
or stone or something similar.
Then last night the rear was nearly flat when I got home. (I have not
investigated the cause yet).

Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not look
worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than 800-1000 miles.

I believe the tyres are Continental Contact Sports.
On my Trek for the same commute I was using City Jets, which lasted at
least 4000 miles.

Martin.

Martin Dann writed in

Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not look
worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than 800-1000
miles.

This sounds like bad luck - bad luck happens!
The roads have been pretty grotty with all sorts of debris over the last
few days here - what with wind and lots of rain, ideal conditions for
rubbish to come out of hiding and getcha!
I tend to see sidewalls going before I have problems with punctures as a
sign of wear on commuting / touring bikes.

Martin Dann wrote:

Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not look
worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than 800-1000
miles.

If they don't look worn then it's probably just bad luck. I once had 3
in a month with perfectly serviceable tyres, followed by about a year on
the same ones with nothing.

When they do wear oit consider something with a kevlar belt to keep the
worst out. Some things will get through those, but it's noticeably rarer.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In article , Martin Dann
wrote:
Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not
look worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than
800-1000 miles.

Mostly bad luck - I had 9 punctures in almost 60,000 miles during
July and August. In May and September with a lot less miles I had 23.

May and September it rained - July and August were beautifully dry.

hth

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

Sandy Morton wrote:
In article , Martin Dann
wrote:
Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not
look worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than
800-1000 miles.

Mostly bad luck - I had 9 punctures in almost 60,000 miles during
July and August. In May and September with a lot less miles I had 23.

May and September it rained - July and August were beautifully dry.

hth

60,000 miles in 2 months, and only 9 punctures. That's a puncture every
6666 miles.

What diameter are your thighs?

Martin Dann wrote on 20/11/2006 13:50 +0100:

Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not look
worn.

Just bad luck and the time of year with all the wet. I had my first
puncture of the year on Friday. Didn't discover it until I left for the
train this morning. Quick puncture repair and then a 5 mile gasp and
pant hoof to the main station instead of the local to catch the next
fast train with 4 minutes to spare got me back on schedule. Memo to
self: Check tyres on a Sunday night.


--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

On Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:13:26 +0000, Rola
wrote:

Sandy Morton wrote:
In article , Martin Dann
wrote:
Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not
look worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than
800-1000 miles.

Mostly bad luck - I had 9 punctures in almost 60,000 miles during
July and August. In May and September with a lot less miles I had 23.

May and September it rained - July and August were beautifully dry.

hth

60,000 miles in 2 months, and only 9 punctures. That's a puncture every
6666 miles.

What diameter are your thighs?


Sandy's being a little unfair. He not only gets other people to do his
mileage, he charges them for the privilege.


Tim

Sandy Morton wrote on 20/11/2006 14:02 +0100:
In article , Martin Dann
wrote:
Is this just bad luck, or do my tyres need replacing, they do not
look worn. I would have thought that they should last longer than
800-1000 miles.

Mostly bad luck - I had 9 punctures in almost 60,000 miles during
July and August.

I presume that is the sum of all your customers on all your bikes, not
your own personal mileage ;-)

Otherwise you are Alan Holmes averaging 78mph, 24/7, for two months and
ICMFP.


--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Tony Raven wrote on 20/11/2006 14:31 +0100:


Otherwise you are Alan Holmes averaging 78mph, 24/7, for two months and
ICMFP.



Whoops, I meant 40mph

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Following on from Peter Clinch's message. . .
When they do wear oit consider something with a kevlar belt to keep the
worst out. Some things will get through those, but it's noticeably rarer.

The other thing (I expect you're already aware but neither of us is
clairvoyant) is keeping tyre pressures up. This reduces the road
contact area so reduces the probability of a spike doing its dastardly
business. Kevlar belt protection doesn't extend to the side walls and
gets thinner at the transition from tread bit to side wall.

In my limited experience a puncture will go flat within an hour but a
slow leak, as per your third annoyance, suggests a valve or not very
good patch.



--
PETER FOX Not the same since the borehole business dried up

2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk