7 flats today

[A.L.Breguet]

In our group of 8 today, we had 7 flats. Clinchers and tubulars. Glass, wire,... I saw atleast 5 other people changing flats. What's the deelio?
And, I broke my pump even though I didn't flat.

[Pete Serotta]

WAS BB DAVE RIDING WITH YOU??????? Sounds like he was.. :confused:

[Smiley]

after 4 flats I would have turned around and ridden another day :)

Bad Karma for that many flats in a group ride

[Blue Jays]

A.L.B., hopefully your group has satisfied the "flat quota" to last a couple months!

[40x14]

I just got an email from someone mentioning a rash of crescent shaped metal filings that penetrate bike tires neatly... near the george washington bridge from nyc to nj. 6 riders, 6 flats.

Not even all-season / winter tires can protect against that.

[fiamme red]

Were the flats related to the metal shards near the GWB?

[Louis]

Flats in cold weather are no fun. The only thing worse is flats in cold rain.

[A.L.Breguet]

Were the flats related to the metal shards near the GWB?
Some, yes.

[pale scotsman]

Wet pavement?

[cadence231]

Very intriguing atmo.

[bironi]

Wet pavement?

My question also.

[Louis]

Wet pavement?

OK, I'm not too proud to ask:

What in the world might wet pavement have to do with inducing flats? I try to stay out of rain as much as the next guy, but have a few wet miles under my belt. I haven't noticed a greater propensity for flats when riding on wet pavement. What gives?

[40x14]

It's just my opinion but
1. water acts like glue, thus debris sticks to your tires and after multiple revolutions is more likely to cause a puncture.
2. might have something to do with debris washing off the center of concave roadways towards the shoulder - where cyclists are more likely to ride.

[Fixed]

when it rains it pours imho
cheers

[martinrjensen]

My problem with wet pavement is that I simply can't see debris as well as on dry pabvement.OK, I'm not too proud to ask:

What in the world might wet pavement have to do with inducing flats? I try to stay out of rain as much as the next guy, but have a few wet miles under my belt. I haven't noticed a greater propensity for flats when riding on wet pavement. What gives?

[soulspinner]

For the first time in my memory I had two front flats in a season(dry roads). More debris than ever in the road and bad roads. :crap:

[Climb01742]

more glass here too. the road shoulders are freaking glistening with broken bottles. with the economy, maybe more people are drinking?

[pale scotsman]

more glass here too. the road shoulders are freaking glistening with broken bottles. with the economy, maybe more people are drinking?

Around here you've got to be careful near road signs, especially if you are riding on the shoulder. I guess they are fine targets for beer bottles. Oh yeah, guns too.

[jbl]

Is this on the NYC or the NJ side?

I just got an email from someone mentioning a rash of crescent shaped metal filings that penetrate bike tires neatly... near the george washington bridge from nyc to nj. 6 riders, 6 flats.

Not even all-season / winter tires can protect against that.

[johnmdesigner]

I flatted both tires simultaneously at the NJ end of the GW bridge.

Tube sales were brisk in Piermont.

I think those guys found a way to increase their profit margins. :p

[markie]

If you do not see why you get more flats in the wet....

Get an old MTB tire or tube and try and cut it with a serrated knife. Pretty tough. Now try doing the same with a wet tire. Much easier.

Water acts as a lubricant for the sharp objects to penetrate your tires. Oh and no flats for me for several 1000 miles running paeslas from panaracer.

[jemoryl]

Flats always seem to come in bunches, but not usually that bad. Earlier this year I rode for the first time with two guys from my town. Our goal was to do a 50 miler in our area of NJ (from Essex Co. out to the Great Swamp and back). We wound up having 10 non-related (we think) flats in the course of that afternoon: none of us could believe it. At first we joked about the guy with two tubes, patches and a pump.....

[jbrainin]

If you do not see why you get more flats in the wet....

Get an old MTB tire or tube and try and cut it with a serrated knife. Pretty tough. Now try doing the same with a wet tire. Much easier.

Water acts as a lubricant for the sharp objects to penetrate your tires. Oh and no flats for me for several 1000 miles running paeslas from panaracer.

Not too mention that when you are riding on damp roads after the rain has stopped, all the debris in the road sticks more readily to your tire making it more likely that you will puncture. This happened to me last year on my cross -country trip when I flatted (four times!) before making it three miles out of Parker, AZ.

[A.L.Breguet]

Jersey side of the GWB.

[jbrainin]

Forget the GWB and 9W! You gotta ride in Keno's neck of the woods and flats will be (almost entirely) things of the past. Plus, it's a hell of a lot prettier there too.

[A.L.Breguet]

Forget the GWB and 9W! You gotta ride in Keno's neck of the woods and flats will be (almost entirely) things of the past. Plus, it's a hell of a lot prettier there too.
I hear you loud and clear!
By the way, no flats today.







.

[jbl]

Forget the GWB and 9W! You gotta ride in Keno's neck of the woods and flats will be (almost entirely) things of the past. Plus, it's a hell of a lot prettier there too.

Where is that, and can you get there from Manhattan?

[palincss]

What in the world might wet pavement have to do with inducing flats? I try to stay out of rain as much as the next guy, but have a few wet miles under my belt. I haven't noticed a greater propensity for flats when riding on wet pavement. What gives?

I can't provide a scientific explanation, although it's obvious that you can't spot bits of glass by the sunlight reflecting off them on wet roads. I also suspect jbranin is onto something. But regardless of the explanation, I can certainly attest to the truth of it. It's not just that you feel them more, although changing a flat is definitely more unpleasant in the rain; I'm convinced they happen more often in the wet.

[jbrainin]

Where is that, and can you get there from Manhattan?
Where: The Tewksbury Township area.

How:
A. Drive to Far Hills, NJ train station. Many good rides from this spot.

B. NJ transit train to Summit, NJ, then ride out to Oldwick and back. Nice loops of 50-60 miles are easily found.

[cogswell23]

Oh and no flats for me for several 1000 miles running paeslas from panaracer.
Jinxed.