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Conti 4 Season Puncture Woes

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  • June 24, 2019 at 7:48 am #29789
    Shades

    I seem to be going through Conti 4 Season tyres at a rate of knots (and I’ve always been a big fan).  Both tyres had been on a while but weren’t worn out.  On the front tyre I noticed a ‘bulge’ and quickly changed it before a ride; forgot to forensicly check the old tyre before chucking it.  Month later; ‘bang’ and the (old) rear tyre blew out.  There was a 2-3mm nick in the tyre but it had bulged and blown.  New back tyre, 2nd ride and another puncture.  I’d just been down (not fast) some gravel bit of cycle path but that’s not uncommon for me and lanes can be pretty strewn with debris.  1-2mm tear and there was a fleck of ‘weave’ (below rubber) showing; thought it was a sharp stone or glass.  My inflator failed so could only get 70ish psi into the tyre with a pump.  Got home and pumped it up to 120psi; not visible but if you run a finger over the tyre there is a slight lump.  Kind of think that tyre will head the same way as the other 2.  Given there’s a seed of doubt in my mind I can see me binning a new tyre.  These weren’t out of the ordinary punctures but the fact that the tyres seem to distort is pretty rubbish for top rated tyres (not that cheap as well).  Kind of think I’ve got a duff/fake batch.  Hate to have to go on a quest for a new ‘go-to’ tyre.

    Also, anyone got a recommendation for a reliable inflator and a pump that you can get a decent pressure with without having arms like Arnie S.  Bike just feels sluggish when one of tyres isn’t at optimum pressure.

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Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • June 25, 2019 at 5:17 pm #944743
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    Boatsie

    I use a floor pump. Blow Joe
    I use a floor pump. Blow Joe. Works great. On road the mini pump isn’t the best but now that I use wide tyres that only need 60psi, it should be ample if I ever get a flat.

    My mate had a stack. I think he broke himself but he’ll repair. He rides on 28mm 100-110psi. I don’t know his pump but it’s awesome. Doesn’t harden until about 120psi. He found it in an end of stock specials bin at a shop, cost him about $30. Size.. Maybe a foot long, thin and light weight.
    My apologies per not knowing brand, etc. My road pump ok. Tiny. Double pumps, when hardening the big barrel locks in having pumped the bulk and the small barrel continues to pressurize the tyre assembly. About $80 retail yet no where near as efficient as his. (He’s 20years on me and loving it).
    I haven’t a puncture in about a year now.. Floor pump Blow Joe works perfectly, even inflates my car tyres. There’s plenty of them around, different paint, different name. They stand 2-3 foot high, nice wide double handle, single barrel, pressure gauge at base and connection tube that houses both bicycle and car valve connections. When not in use the tube clips along barrel, up over handle and clips again to barrel.
    Last puncture I remember was 2or3 4mm thorns plus a 5 mm thorn. From 3or 4 outer punctures, 1 breached tube. 28mm Refuse with an inner lining.

    That’s the pump I use.. Easily pumps a 32mm tyre. 28s I tend to get bored after a few minutes but it’s enough to get home (or spend 5minutes extra if a long way away from).
    I doubt I’ll see my mate within the next couple of months.. I don’t think he uses a floor pump, just his bargain bin win.. Yet he never rides on less than 100psi.
    Anyway, that pump pictured can push pressure if you have the patience. It’s usually too cold to suit me bro. Best wishes

    June 24, 2019 at 3:22 pm #944741
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    IanEdward

    I’ve been running mine for a

    I’ve been running mine for a year or two now, possibly 3000km on them although hard to tell.

    A couple of pinch flats from unseen lumps in road, but I’ve fitted a carbon seat post and started inflating the rear tyre to 85psi instead of my previous 75psi (for an 85kg rider) so hopefully that will sort it.

    Nothing else to report, just hope they haven’t changed them or that I haven’t jinxed myself now!

    June 24, 2019 at 1:39 pm #944739
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    Shades

    I guess if 120psi of air

    I guess if 120psi of air takes on a sharp-ish object, the tyre construction is pushed to it’s limit (especially if it ‘snags’ the tyre) so a lower pressure means there’s some ‘give’ and the rubber stands a chance.  I went down the ‘zero punctures at all cost’ route on a town bike and ended up on the Schwalbe Marathon Plus which are just a behemoth of a tyre that weigh a ton (had enough of those rotating bricks).

    June 24, 2019 at 1:23 pm #944737
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    Rapha Nadal

    They seem to have bad batches

    They seem to have bad batches.  I personally have run them for years on my winter bike without any issues and at various different pressures dependant on weather.

    That said though; a friend also ran them and experienced very similar issues to that described by the OP.

    It’s very strange and makes me wonder when it’ll be my turn to experience these issues!

    June 24, 2019 at 11:23 am #944735
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    JMcL_Ireland

    I had a similar experience

    I had a similar experience with a couple of 4 Seasons tyres last year. They’ve been my goto tyres for years now and while I’ve never gotten super high milage out of them (mainly down the the rubbish state of a lot of the roads I’m on), they’ve always been very reliable in terms of puncture/tear protection. I can’t remember offhand if I’d bought the 2 tyres on their own, or as a batch of 3 (my usual to have a spare or two around), but both got binned with only a few months usage and certainly not muc more than 1000km on them. One was a sidewall tear, the other was a slice on the main tread – both cases not really something I’d feel comfortable doing  a repair on. They’re 25mm and I tend to run them around 95psi (me = 92kg) I’ve never had a pinch flat at these pressures.

    2 fresh GP 4S on the bike since and around 2500-3000km on them with barely a hint of wear, so I suspect it may have been a bad batch.

    Pump wise, I have a Lezyne Road (I think – don’t have it with me today) Drive. It’s compact, you can get spare parts for it, and get 60-70psi relatively easily which is enough to get you home. You could also carry a presta to schrader adapter and top up (carefully!) at the next filling station

    June 24, 2019 at 8:58 am #944733
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    Shades
    PRSboy wrote:
    Unless you are very heavy, 120psi is high… this will mean more punctures from stones etc.

    A friend had a similar experience with Conti 4S… was told by the bike shop to run at 120psi, but after a number of punctures dropped it to around 100, and has not had one since.

    I’m only 86kg, which isn’t ‘super cruiser’ weight, so will give that a go.

    June 24, 2019 at 8:48 am #944731
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    PRSboy

    Unless you are very heavy,

    Unless you are very heavy, 120psi is high… this will mean more punctures from stones etc.

    A friend had a similar experience with Conti 4S… was told by the bike shop to run at 120psi, but after a number of punctures dropped it to around 100, and has not had one since.

    June 24, 2019 at 8:04 am #944729
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    Shades

    Forgot to add that 2 of these

    Forgot to add that 2 of these tears are on the thin recessed tread part of the tyre pattern; almost like something ‘snags’ it.

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