Zondas & punctures
 

Anyone running Campy Zonda C17s getting almost regular tube failures? I’ve got Vittoria Corsa G+ 25mm with Conti Race Light tubes and I seem to pop tubes more frequently than I should. Two or three times in less than a year on relatively smooth road.

I figure maybe I should change tubes, but curious what others may be experiencing.

Same place on each tube? Identify what’s making the hole?

Zonda C17 here - no issues. I really like this wheel!

About 1,000 miles on mine so far, Vittoria Corsa G+ 28c tires, butyl tubes, no punctures yet.

It's the tires, not the wheels. I had more flats on one set of Corsas than I have on every other tire I've ridden combined (not an exaggeration).

Sounds like a rim tape issue. The only tome my Corsa G+ have flatted was from pinching on the tape when it was poorly installed - two in the same spot in a short span of time. Never a puncture.

I tried running Conti Race Light tubes for over a year and was constantly having puncture, rim tape abrasion flats, pinch flats ....etc over numerous wheels and tires finally gave up and went back to the 20g heaver and more durable, less expensive Conti Race and almost all my tube, tire and rim tape issues went away.

Don't recall having a single puncture last year and so far flat free this year.

Still run Race Lights in my indoor track training clinchers but have only had one air loss issue, which seemed to again be a rim tape abrasion flat in more than 2.5 years.

Zondas don't use rim tape.

Been riding mine a year and a half through all weather.

Michelin A1 Aircomp light (butyl) tubes. 25mm GP4000S2's. No rim tape (obviously).

Not a single puncture...

Having said that, watch what happens tonight

Yeah, I think I'm gonna swap them out for the heavier tubes as well. If I remember correctly, it wasn't just the Zondas that were stricken with flats, but also my Dura-Ace C24s caught a couple as well.

Apologies for anyone who may have been jinxed by this post.

Move to tubulars :D

I'm running Continental GP 5000 700x28 with generic tubes on my C17 Zondas. Close to 500 miles with no problems.

if anything, I would expect fewer flats with Zonda's. No spoke ends to punch thru rim strip, etc. No rim strip needed. Mine are very smooth where tube rides. One of the advantages of Zonda's, IMHO.

We would need more information to make a reasonable guess as to what going on.

...if you are "popping" tubes (as opposed to punctures) then likely an install error...where tube is not seated fully in envelope and popping as a result of creeping past beed. After you install tube press sidewall in thru full circumference of wheel and make sure tube is not creeping out (on both sides) ....talcum powder helps seat tube inside envelope and ease install.