Maintaining tire pressure in PBP

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Cheng-Hong Li

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Aug 23, 2022, 11:38:53 PM8/23/22
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If everything works out 2023 PBP will be my first PBP. I wonder how people maintain their tire pressure over the four days. Are there pumps at controls that people can use? Or do we need to find our own solution like carrying a mini pump or a frame pump? 

George Swain

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Aug 23, 2022, 11:47:45 PM8/23/22
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Start with new tires and new tubes. Bring an extra tire, several extra tubes, a mini pump, and a patch kit.  If you don't have any punctures, tire pressure will be the last thing on your mind. 

There are also mechanics at each of the controls who will gladly lend you their floor pump if you need it.

George

On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 11:38 PM Cheng-Hong Li <chengh...@gmail.com> wrote:
If everything works out 2023 PBP will be my first PBP. I wonder how people maintain their tire pressure over the four days. Are there pumps at controls that people can use? Or do we need to find our own solution like carrying a mini pump or a frame pump? 

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Rob Hawks

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Aug 23, 2022, 11:49:54 PM8/23/22
to George Swain, Cheng-Hong Li, Randonneurs USA
People will still get flats, but expect the rate at which you might get flats to be way, way down from usual. If you pay heed to George's suggestions, especially regarding newish tires, you'll be in great shape.

rob

Jack Nicholson

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Aug 24, 2022, 12:44:38 AM8/24/22
to Rob Hawks, George Swain, Cheng-Hong Li, Randonneurs USA
Don’t think I’ve ever “topped up” tires during any ride up to 1400k. Just don’t start needing air. 

Jack

On Aug 23, 2022, at 11:49 PM, Rob Hawks <rob....@gmail.com> wrote:



Dustin Harding

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Aug 24, 2022, 5:24:00 AM8/24/22
to Jack Nicholson, Rob Hawks, George Swain, Cheng-Hong Li, Randonneurs USA
I am with Jack. I have never added air during a 1200km. Also, have you considered going tubeless? It's pretty awesome!
Best
Dustin

Barankay, Iwan

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Aug 24, 2022, 9:33:12 AM8/24/22
to Dustin Harding, Jack Nicholson, Rob Hawks, George Swain, Cheng-Hong Li, Randonneurs USA

Totally agree. Get new inner-tubes and tyres for the event! Along with a fresh chain and bartape that is the best money spent.

 

Also, get yourself a nice brew (hot or cold) and (re-)watch a Park Tool video how to perfectly install tyres.

 

https://youtu.be/eqR6nlZNeU8?t=471

I particularly want to emphasize the trick of pushing in the valve a bit to ensure tube is not snagged.

https://youtu.be/eqR6nlZNeU8?t=471

 

Do all the other checks as well. Losing pressure is due to old tyre/innertube/valve or vavle not tightened correctly.

 

Iwan

Cheng-Hong Li

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Aug 24, 2022, 11:09:32 PM8/24/22
to Barankay, Iwan, Dustin Harding, Jack Nicholson, Rob Hawks, George Swain, Randonneurs USA
I will either run latex tubes or use tubeless tires. Latex tubes require daily refill. In my most recent 1200K I ran tubeless tires and I did refill air almost daily based on how the tires held up the air.

I switched to tubeless since June and ran them on 600k, 400k, and 1200k. I consider I'm lucky that in such a short time span I've experienced both the best and the worst of the tubeless tires, and the nightmarish scenario didn't happen on the brevets.

Cheng-Hong Li

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Aug 24, 2022, 11:16:23 PM8/24/22
to Barankay, Iwan, Dustin Harding, Jack Nicholson, Rob Hawks, George Swain, Randonneurs USA
And thanks everyone for sharing the tips and the information that PBP controls do have pumps. For sure I'll run new tires to minimize the chances of punctures to begin with. Yet I am not ready to go back to butyl tubes. But the long lines are indeed something I need to factor into my bike setup.

Mark Thomas

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Aug 25, 2022, 2:09:55 AM8/25/22
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I’ve used latex tubes on many a 1200 and just enjoyed the increasing plushness as the ride went on. 

Mark

On Aug 25, 2022, at 6:16 AM, Cheng-Hong Li <chengh...@gmail.com> wrote:



Dave Thompson

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Aug 25, 2022, 2:16:03 AM8/25/22
to Mark Thomas, Cheng-Hong Li, Randonneurs USA
I have never topped up tire pressure, whether on a 100k or 2000k. 

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ed bernasky

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Aug 26, 2022, 8:31:35 AM8/26/22
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If you are not carrying a pump, make sure your support team has extra CO2 cartridges and a pump for you.  I suspect the fast riders might not carry a pump but do not know.   Unless you want to be with Les Premieres, bring a pump.  My Lezyne mini pump with gage weighs 185 grams, or about 35 grams more than two CO2 cartridges and adapter.   I ran latex in 2015 and did not top up but did top up once in 2019 because I was going slow and sleeping a lot, it took maybe 90 seconds to bring the pressure up to my optimum level.   

B Witty

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Aug 26, 2022, 3:54:11 PM8/26/22
to Cheng-Hong Li, Barankay, Iwan, Dustin Harding, George Swain, Jack Nicholson, Randonneurs USA, Rob Hawks
Does anyone use tuffy tape?  Curious if that’s also a puncture strategy?

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                                                                                 Micah 6.8
 

Greg Merritt

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Aug 27, 2022, 1:30:01 AM8/27/22
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On Friday, August 26, 2022 at 12:54:11 PM UTC-7 ben.wit...@gmail.com wrote:
Does anyone use tuffy tape?  Curious if that’s also a puncture strategy?

I’ve done two PBPs. I remembering seeing significant road glass…once in >2400km.

-Greg

Timothy Kelly

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Aug 27, 2022, 12:32:39 PM8/27/22
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In 2019 I had lots of tire issues due to a very teeny piece of glass that was embedded in the tire that I could not see or feel and that  I did not find until the day after the event ended. It only became a problem after fully inflating the tire at a control, after which the glass would barely puncture the tube and I would have a slow leak (see https://twowheelsgood.home.blog/2019/10/24/its-supposed-to-be-fun/ for more details of the tire woes).

I carried a mini pump with me, and I never had to wait in line for a floor pump at any of the controls. There were usually a couple near wherever the mechanics were.

Tim

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Bill Gobie

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Aug 27, 2022, 12:40:38 PM8/27/22
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This thread reminds me of the scene in Star Trek: Generations. 

Kirk: "You left space dock without a tractor beam?"

Flats are pretty much the most predictable mechanical. A pump is pretty much the most likely needed tool.

Bill

ed bernasky

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Aug 27, 2022, 5:49:02 PM8/27/22
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I guess lots of randos leave the door open.  Pumpless is not uncommon.  I don't bring one on domestic brevets.

I've had two flat in three PBP outings.   One CO2 would have been fine.  Carrying one spare cartridge would have been extra fine.  A pump is not necessary IMO, but there is not much lost by using a pump other than the additional 35 grams and a couple minutes of effort pumping.  For a supported rider with tubeless tires, I can see not carrying a pump.   For the rest of us....just carry a pump.  Buying CO2 cartridges in France is a PITA.  Meaning you cannot take yours on the plane.

ed bernasky

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Aug 27, 2022, 6:02:31 PM8/27/22
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If I may go off topic briefly.   I have observed very many cold riders on PBP.   Part of it is the body gets lousy at providing heat when tires.  A bigger part.....my Garmin observed 3C one year and 4C another year overnight in the Tintineac area.  That is almost warm in February for a NE native but it feels very cold in Summer.   Focus on comfort.  Freezing sucks.   All of your gear should be bulletproof and not being whiny and needy if that could be an expression.  This is part of preparation, don't miss it.   I started at 90 psi on latex and finished at probably 72 psi, the butt thanked the owner.   If PBP takes you 4 days, I suspect topping them up at 2 days with a small pump would be just fine.  The roads do not have huge divots like in the USA and a little lower pressure isn't much of an issue for me.

On Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 11:38:53 PM UTC-4 chengh...@gmail.com wrote:

Noel Howes

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Aug 27, 2022, 9:39:40 PM8/27/22
to ed bernasky, Randonneurs USA
Never had a flat on PBP in 3 3/4 tries. 

Did use my spare tire early in Colorado High Country 1200. Had booted front tire and it made a thwaping noise for 400 km. Best not to investigate, I thought. Unfortunately found a dime sized hole aft of the boot 3 miles from finish with accompanying hole in tube. Patched tube and it lasted until I turned in control card and collected the shiny. I think I had done more than 2 series on those tires before the ride. Carrying pump, two tubes and boots and a patch kit with new glue.

Noel Howes
(206)518-2132

   

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Dan Driscoll

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Aug 28, 2022, 8:30:46 AM8/28/22
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I’ll chime in with with a far left perspective. I do all of my riding with 4 tubes, 2 Co2’s and inflater, a pump, a patch kit, and a spare tire. Most will agree that’s too much, if I’m only looking to take care of myself ;=) I’ve only “Needed” the spare time a few times in over 30 years, but can’t tell ya how many rides it’s saved for others. Because I ride with that extra weight on every ride it does not seam like extra weight to me ;=)

I’m not recommending my plan to everyone, at most the riders behind me, as I’ll stop and help those in front of me if they have a problem that they are unprepared for ;=)

DanD 



Dan Driscoll

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Aug 28, 2022, 11:41:39 AM8/28/22
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This is where carrying a spare tire comes in handy, after one or more attempts to find the culprit, you have the option of just putting on a new tire ;=)

DanD 

Timothy Kelly

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Aug 28, 2022, 1:20:45 PM8/28/22
to Dan Driscoll, Randonneurs USA
Very true, Dan! Ironically, I had bought this tire (or rather my friend did) at the bike check the day before the start. In hindsight I should have bought a tire at one of the controls. There were plenty for sale. But, rando brain is a real thing, and my judgement was affected!
Tim

Mike

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Aug 28, 2022, 6:23:32 PM8/28/22
to Dan Driscoll, Randonneurs USA
I’m the same as Dan except I carry a couple more CO2 cartridges than he does. You can buy CO2 cartridges at bike shops in France, or order online and have them sent to your hotel 

Sent from the dark side of the moon

On Aug 28, 2022, at 5:30 AM, 'Dan Driscoll' via Randonneurs USA <randonn...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I’ll chime in with with a far left perspective. I do all of my riding with 4 tubes, 2 Co2’s and inflater, a pump, a patch kit, and a spare tire. Most will agree that’s too much, if I’m only looking to take care of myself ;=) I’ve only “Needed” the spare time a few times in over 30 years, but can’t tell ya how many rides it’s saved for others. Because I ride with that extra weight on every ride it does not seam like extra weight to me ;=)

Jeffrey Arita

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Aug 29, 2022, 10:04:39 PM8/29/22
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I will chime in here: as Tim mentioned earlier, our tandem team suffered the same problem on a (relatively) short 300k event on a mostly drizzly and damp day.  We kept getting flats on the front tire.  I believe we had 6 punctures over the course of the day - even borrowing a tube from a fellow rando.  It got so bad we had to resort to a patch kit to repair the last remaining tube.  After each and every puncture, I carefully checked where the culprit was that would cause the da%$*d flat.  I even used a rag to see if it would snag the sharp object.  No joy.  Fortunately we finished within the time limit, but goodness, it was an ordeal.  Following that event I placed the dreaded front wheel in the truing stand.  Deflated the tire and gently pinched the tire all the way around.  There were glass bits that were embedded in several places.  The easiest way to find them (and remove them) was with a powerful light with tweezers.  That tire was immediately removed from service.  And no, we did not carry a brand new spare tire at that time.

After that experience, we have ever since 1) inspected each tire for embedded objects and 2) carried a brand new spare tire, along with a minimum of four (4) spare tubes and a new patch kit.  The tube inflator is the tried-and-true Zefal HPX hand pump.  We agree, if it is going to be a 600k or greater, then brand new tires and tubes (if tubed) would be a wise choice.  We did find the French roads along the 2019 PBP route to be excellent.  The need for high-volume tires, while comfortable, were not mission-critical, in our opinion.  We were fine with 28mm tires (we rode singles for PBP).

Finally, I will attest to what Ed Bernasky stated regarding very cold temperatures at PBP: in 2019 I could not believe how cold I was.  Following rest/sleep breaks, I was very cold.  Fortunately we carried with us lots of layers incuding a puffy jacket with hood.  Yes, I wore each and every layer I carried until the sun came up and the temperature warmed up (I probably looked like the Michelin Tire Man).  I checked our Wahoo, and yes, the low temperature (for us) was +5C (41 degrees F.).  With even a slow 10 MPH speed, the wind chill could be quite cold.  So yeah, carefully check the weather reports would be our advice.

Good luck!

Jeff & Lori Arita
Claremont, CA

Eric Nichols

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Aug 30, 2022, 8:58:09 AM8/30/22
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Regarding the use of heavier tires and/or tire liners as a means of reducing the potential for punctures.  I think this very much depends on how disruptive a flat is to the rider. For some riders, a flat is a big deal and ruins their day, maybe their entire week. For other riders, it's a 5-minute roadside delay, no tools required, no drama, and is forgotten about soon afterwards. Within this spectrum, if you fall more towards the former camp, it may be worth the energy penalty to use thicker stiffer tires, thicker tubes, and/or tire liners. 

About that energy penalty: When accomplished UK Randonneur Stephan Abraham was preparing his attempt on the highest annual mileage record (HAMR), he experimented with various equipment choices. After testing a flat-resistant tire (Schwalbe Marathon Tourgard, if memory serves), he concluded that they slowed him down so much that he could get several flats a day on more supple tires and still cover a longer daily distance.     

As a former shop rat, I've honed my technique so a flat repair is usually a quick stop with no tools needed. I've stepped in many times to help riders fix their flats to save them time and frustration. Technique matters and it's worth developing. Strong hands help, but technique can compensate to some degree.         

Tubeless is another way of reducing puncture frequency.  However it's not 100 percent, and when things go wrong it can become a bigger time-suck than a conventional tube.  Personally I've burned more time on brevets dealing with tubeless punctures than with tubes, on my bike or a companion's.  I've reverted to thin butyl or latex tubes for most brevets. They are easier and faster to deal with, and less messy.  I use extra light tires which have very thin casings that are a little less tubeless-friendly. More robust tires might favor tubeless.      

Eric Nichols
Who has flatted the day before, and the day after, but not during two PBPs. 

Emily O'Brien

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Aug 30, 2022, 11:01:06 AM8/30/22
to Eric Nichols, Randonneurs USA
I have to say - I don't really understand why you'd ever not carry a pump. It's a simple thing to leave attached to your bike, and then you always have it. My personal favorite is the Topeak RoadMorph. It's not the smallest or lightest you can get, but it's basically the next best thing to a floor pump, has a pressure gauge, and will easily get your tires up to 110psi (whether you actually want 110 psi is another topic, but this pump will get you there).

I'm another former shop rat and I can change a tire pretty quickly, and on my own bikes I don't need tire levers (although I carry them because they're light and sometimes they come in handy for other people). I've changed tires for a lot of other riders who were struggling with them. But I wouldn't use tubeless for brevets on my own bike; they're too much of a pain if something goes wrong.
If you do want to go that route though, I would suggest that you practice getting them on and off by yourself a few times before you decide. If it's a pain in the butt when you're at home and comfortable and well rested, it's probably not a great choice for PBP.

Emily

On Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 9:56 AM Emily O'Brien <em...@emilysdomain.org> wrote:
I have to say - I don't really understand why you'd ever not carry a pump. It's a simple thing to leave attached to your bike, and then you always have it. My personal favorite is the Topeak RoadMorph. It's not the smallest or lightest you can get, but it's basically the next best thing to a floor pump, has a pressure gauge, and will easily get your tires up to 110psi (whether you actually want 110 psi is another topic, but this pump will get you there).

I'm another former shop rat and I can change a tire pretty quickly, and on my own bikes I don't need tire levers (although I carry them because they're light and sometimes they come in handy for other people). I've changed tires for a lot of other riders who were struggling with them. But I wouldn't use tubeless for brevets on my own bike; they're too much of a pain if something goes wrong.
If you do want to go that route though, I would suggest that you practice getting them on and off by yourself a few times before you decide. If it's a pain in the butt when you're at home and comfortable and well rested, it's probably not a great choice for PBP.

Emily





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Rob Hawks

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Aug 30, 2022, 1:20:27 PM8/30/22
to Emily O'Brien, Eric Nichols, Randonneurs USA
Several New Englanders chiming in on this subject. I wanted to mention advice from another New Englander, I think it was Pamela Blaylock. She suggested that people train for fixing flats just like training to ride and do to this in stages:

in the comfort of your living room or another comfy place, take your rear wheel off, take the tire and tube off, and then reassemble.
Next, do the same thing outside in the driveway
Next, do the same thing in the driveway in the dark
Next, do the same thing in the dark away from home
Next, do the same thing in the dark in the rain.
Mix in doing it in the cold at any point you wish.

rob

Cheng-Hong Li

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Aug 31, 2022, 1:50:46 PM8/31/22
to Rob Hawks, Emily O'Brien, Eric Nichols, Randonneurs USA
I second practicing changing a tube in the rain and in the dark. I had a miserable experience changing an inner tube in downpouring rain in a recent 300k brevet. The rain made the tube and hands very slippery. An easy job suddenly became not so easy anymore. 

I'm still skeptical about tubeless technology. My most recent puncture on a tubeless tire was wide enough that 3 dynaplugs plus fresh sealant are still not enough to completely plug the hole. I ended up taking the tire off, cleaning up the sealant, patching the tire, and re-installing. I did this at home. It would be a nightmare of the next level if this happens in PBP (yes, instead of patching the tire, I would have to put a tube in. But the sealant will make a big mess.)

Bill Gobie

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Aug 31, 2022, 3:07:50 PM8/31/22
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After a fair bit of beginner's frustration I am starting to embrace tubeless. I have friends who have ridden tubeless tires down to the casing without flatting. Now is the time to start learning about tubeless if you are inclined.

I have had some success with sealant inside tubes. In one case sealant slowed the leak from a thick wire, almost the gauge of a small nail, enough that I was able to keep riding albeit needing to pump the tire every half hour. I left the wire in the tire until I got home. The hole was too big for the sealant to seal when I pulled the wire out. Recently I found a long Michelin wire sticking out of a tire. I pulled it out, one drop of sealant wept out, and the tube has held pressure for a week including about 30 miles of riding.

Bill

Jeff Loomis

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Aug 31, 2022, 4:53:40 PM8/31/22
to gobie...@gmail.com, Randonneurs USA
On Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 12:07 PM Bill Gobie <gobie...@gmail.com> wrote:
After a fair bit of beginner's frustration I am starting to embrace tubeless. I have friends who have ridden tubeless tires down to the casing without flatting. Now is the time to start learning about tubeless if you are inclined.

I love tubeless although I think the experience may be different for those who run narrow tires at high pressure.  For my bikes, all with 32mm or greater tires, I have had zero flats over 5 years of tubeless use.  I have had one slow leak that required adding sealant and topping off.  I still carry 2 tubes, a patch kit, a tubeless patch kit, and a single serve sealant bottle.  You know, belt + suspenders.  On a recent tandem tour I was following a bike path on the way to the Denver airport and it just ended in in a weedy dirt lot.  I knew it was likely goathead central but continued with confidence.  No issues.  Later, when packing the bike, I picked numerous goathead remnants from the tire casing and rotated the tire, watching the sealant quickly close each pinhole.

It's not all sunshine and roses with tubeless.  Getting the right tire/rim combo, sealing finicky tires, and keeping your sealant topped off means more time fiddling in the shop.  It's worth it to me for a dramatic reduction in cold rainy flat fix incidents.

DO NOT, and I cannot stress this enough, decide to switch to tubeless right before PBP.  It just doesn't go right for some people with some tire/rim/sealant combos and when it goes bad, it can go really bad.  I saw it first hand and it was BAD.  Also, as many others have mentioned, French roads are clean.  I have only done 3 PBP unlike many more experienced responders but 2 of the 3 times I was using regular tubes and didn't get any flats.  I was riding supple tires that are generally quite flat prone.  Flats are way down on my list of worries when planning for PBP.

-Jeff


JinUk SHin

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Aug 31, 2022, 11:05:49 PM8/31/22
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2019 PBP I went tubeless and had a small leak that was sealed up after removing the offending staple.  Everything else was clean and I had no concerns.  As Jeff mentions though, be sure your wheel, tire combo are compatible.  I've switched over to smaller tires on 700c and the interface is such that the tire really locks into the wheel.  This is far different from my experience on 650bx42mm where the wheel would fall out basically if my tire were to go flat.

JinUk

Ken Lanteigne

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Sep 1, 2022, 8:11:44 PM9/1/22
to Rob Hawks, Emily O'Brien, Eric Nichols, Randonneurs USA
This flat-repair sequence led me to search for an ancient article about touring for bicycle training, and lo and behold somebody has recreated it on the web...


It is glorious, and 90% rando applicable.

Miki Vuckovich

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Sep 2, 2022, 2:43:52 AM9/2/22
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I've been running tubeless on the road for 6 or 7 years. It's been great. I've used a wide range of tire/rim combos, and all have been fine. I'm currently running IRC Formula Pro X-Guard 28mm tires on HED Belgium Plus rims. What I love most about tubeless is that probably 4 out of 5 punctures just seal up, and you keep riding. It's rare that I've had to stop and either plug the hole and re-inflate, or dump the sealant and put a tube in. But neither procedure is much of a hassle. Putting in a tube gets less messy with practice. And I'll always remember the couple times I've been descending at 40+ MPH  when I saw a stream of sealant shooting out of a fresh puncture, only to then see it seal and stop spraying. Were I on tubes then, the tire would just have gone flat and I'd be on the pavement at 40 MPH. But I think the real selling point for tubeless is not having to stop and change tubes every time you puncture. Just let it do its job and keep pedaling!

Lparker_0254

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Sep 2, 2022, 10:41:29 AM9/2/22
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I am not a PBP vet, but I appreciate the tire / flat tire discussion.   I am pretty good at changing tubes so I try to run supple tires.  Rene Herse are nice!  I have seen people get scuttled by tubeless and have not bothered with that yet. HOWEVER, if sealant sloshing around is okay for tubeless, why not for tubes?   SLIME tubes add a bit of weight but when I replace tires I often see several little green spots where punctures were sealed. I find them to be a good compromise. Decent ride with fewer stops for flats.

Larry 



Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® 6, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone#


-------- Original message --------
From: Ken Lanteigne <k.lan...@gmail.com>
Date: 9/1/22 20:11 (GMT-05:00)
To: Rob Hawks <rob....@gmail.com>
Cc: Emily O'Brien <emilyo...@gmail.com>, Eric Nichols <ericni...@gmail.com>, Randonneurs USA <randonn...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [RUSA] Maintaining tire pressure in PBP

Rob Hawks

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Sep 2, 2022, 10:48:18 AM9/2/22
to Lparker_0254, Randonneurs USA
The sealant can seal the valve stem on tubes. I don't know how that is solved on the stems installed for tubeless, but I have had customers come to the shop (a bike parking facility) that have put sealant in their tube and then the stem was inoperable.

rob

Eric Keller

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Sep 2, 2022, 2:20:12 PM9/2/22
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On Fri, Sep 2, 2022 at 10:41 AM Lparker_0254 <Lparke...@fuse.net> wrote:
>
> I am not a PBP vet, but I appreciate the tire / flat tire discussion. I am pretty good at changing tubes so I try to run supple tires. Rene Herse are nice! I have seen people get scuttled by tubeless and have not bothered with that yet. HOWEVER, if sealant sloshing around is okay for tubeless, why not for tubes? SLIME tubes add a bit of weight but when I replace tires I often see several little green spots where punctures were sealed. I find them to be a good compromise. Decent ride with fewer stops for flats.


From what I have heard, it's probably best to carry sealant and put
it in after you get a small leak while running tubes. The valves are
similar between tubeless and tubes, and you can get a clogged valve.
The smaller RH tires have a lot of complaints running tubeless.
Generally, I don't think you can seal as big a leak with sealant in
tubes as with tubeless. OTOH, a lot of the reason I plan on switching
to tubeless on my road bike is slow leaks. With tubeless you
generally don't even know you have one.
Eric Keller
Boalsburg, Pennsylvania

Tim Foon Feldman

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Sep 2, 2022, 6:46:13 PM9/2/22
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Clogged valves are an issue for both tubeless and tubes with sealant. The best preventative measure is to have the valve pointing up (with respect to gravity) while the bike is stored so that the sealant drains out instead of pooling and solidifying. The best maintenance operation is to remove the valve core and ream out the valve stem and clean the core. Remove the valve from the wheel to fully inspect that it is cleared of obstructions if reseating the tire bead is not too difficult.

Tubes with sealant are often not effective, or not as effective as sealant in tires, because the flex of the tire can repeatedly move the tube with respect to the tire. This can continually re-open the hole which then introduces more sealant in the tire. Subsequently, attempting to boot a tire or patch a tube after sealant has spread between the tube and tire is problematic; alcohol wipes can help.


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Kevin Smith

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Sep 2, 2022, 6:46:13 PM9/2/22
to Randonneurs USA
After switching to road tubeless this year, I now call my fenders 'sealant catchers'.  They offer good visual clues as to when your sealant is working and you don't realize it.

Original post relevant reply:  In multi day brevets I don't worry about air pressure because: 
1) my rear-end favors reduced pressure over time
2) 'Studies' are showing rolling resistance does not significantly increase with decreasing pressure (caveat - when using supple tire casings)
3) There is stopped time involved in this, whereas you should be eating or sleeping.

I'd say leave the inflation for when you have a flat.

After playing with tubeless for both offroad and road riding, I've chosen to switch to road tubeless for these reasons:
1) I like a challenge and don't mind learning from mistakes
2) I have a garage, air compressor, and can make a mess
3) I like the warm and dry environment of my garage (versus dark/wet/cold roads) when it comes to doing flat repair or maintenance on tubeless tires
4) Road tire manufacturers and rim makers seem to have improved their products for compatibility.  Current Conti 5000 S TR (700 x 32) tubeless are working great for me so far and I'm running them tubeless on my daily commuter through downtown Seattle's glass and needle filled streets - with no flats or problems - with signs of sealant sealing holes.
5) Sealant makers have improved their offerings - I'm currently having great performance from Silca's new sealant versus previous Stans
6) I value to ~60 psi comfort and flexibility to lower to pressure to ~40 psi if one of our brevets throws 20 km of gravel at us.

BTW tubeless is not 'flat free' or 'no maintenance'.  There is also a learning curve.

I still ride with two tubes, a tire boot, patch kit, small sealant bottle, and a spare tire - so you can definitely say my repair kit has increased in size and weight because of road tubeless, but for me the reduced frequency of small flats plus the comfort & flexibility is worth the trade.  BUT I DON'T ADVOCATE TUBELESS FOR ALL!  The use case for tubes remains extremely strong, so its good to have the option.

Kevin Smith 

ken jessett

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Sep 23, 2022, 3:21:31 PM9/23/22
to Randonneurs USA
I have gone tubeless on one of my bikes and although I too can fix a regular flat in 5 minutes or so, with a tube of Stans I can take no more time than that to take care of a leak on the tubeless. Just take the valve core out, squeeze in the Stans goop, screw back the core, inflate and I'm done.
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