Recurring punctures on Brompton bike: how to solve the issue? (1 Viewer)

[Parrot Face]

My wife's back wheel on her brompton bike has had 5 punctures in 14 days. I've replaced the inner tube and even the tyre but it keeps happening. She has a bad knee so has dropped her seat into a position where there is no weight going onto the handlebars. Because of the inactivity caused by the knee problem she's piled on the weight and must be close to 15 stone. It looks to me like too much weight on back wheel is a problem, telling her this is another.

 

[Thornebt]

Could it be a spoke puncturing the inner tube?

 

[Wh05apk]

Are you definitely clearing any thorns or grit out of the tyre when repairing, as that sounds like there is still something causing the punctures.
You could try inflating slightly harder which would help.

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[Ridgeway]

Does you’re lovely wife read MHF

”You’ll have to sew them back on again first” comes to mind

So if you’re replaced 2 out of the 3 key parts it can only be wheel related and i‘d guess Thornebt could well be right although also worth just having a look inside the rim carefully with a torch and carefully run your finger around the inside of it, plus on the rime base. A moving spoke can be hard to spot.

We’re all 5 in the same spot

Beyone that are you inflating the tyre correctly (80-90psi) ? Pinch flats may be the issue.

 

[Parrot Face]

We've swopped bikes and when she's rode mine she gets a puncture. Have examined spokes and tyre closely.

 

[L' Hobo]

Search wife for pointed object?

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[Zoobec]

i haven’t used it so I don‘t know if it’s any good/affects the ride etc, but could you try using foam/gel in the tyre?

 

[jockaneezer]

Are you finding thorns in the tyres at all ? Is she a "nervous rider" in that she hugs the kerb/gutter where all the trash ends up ?
We used "Slime" puncture preventative in our son's tyres when he was younger, worked well against thorns, especially this time of year when they were cutting the hedges. We also fitted Schwalbe tyres to our ebikes that have a Kevlar strip just under the tread and they seemed to help too.

 

[dalspa]

Are they “snakebite” punctures, if so then pump the tyres up rock hard. I put slime in our tyres this year (for the first time) before our recent trip to France. Covered nearly 400miles each so pleased with no punctures - we usually get one or two.

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[RowleyBirkinQC]

Can you get those Kevlar tyres/tubes for a Brompton sized wheel?

 

[DerryW]

Maybe your dear wife doesn’t like riding her bike anymore but is afraid to tell you for fear of upsetting you.

 

[The Wino]

When our son used his bike for work along a cycle track with thorn bushes next to it we had a lot of problems with punctures but with the kavlar tyres had none.

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[Guigsy]

I used to get regular punctures on my Brompton while commuting. I'd normally only repair once or twice before replacing the tube. Often just because I was late for work. With the Marathon Plus tyres, they seemed to attract glass. I normally had to remove a shard every time I repaired a puncture. Most of my punctures were on the front, I think I tend to scrub the tyre when I track stand at lights... I also got a snakebite puncture once when I let the pressure get low. They need to be rock hard, at least 70psi.

When I wore out the Marathons, I put on Continental Urban Contacts. They are lighter are stickier, so I thought I was going to get loads of punctures... Not had one yet. And they feel less draggy and more grippy.

 

[PaulC70]

My wife's back wheel on her brompton bike has had 5 punctures in 14 days. I've replaced the inner tube and even the tyre but it keeps happening. She has a bad knee so has dropped her seat into a position where there is no weight going onto the handlebars. Because of the inactivity caused by the knee problem she's piled on the weight and must be close to 15 stone. It looks to me like too much weight on back wheel is a problem, telling her this is another.

Nothing to do with her weight, Im 17 stone and never had a puncture on my brompton.

 

[Threeracers]

I have two Bromptons, an Electric P line on Urban Contacts and a super lightweight T line on Schwalbe Ones, one or other is used daily and at the risk of jinxing things I haven’t had any punctures for a while. I have Tubolito inner tubes in both, not the cheapest but highly regarded for puncture resistance.

About a week ago I strayed onto a very bumpy path into Geneva which actually damaged a tyre, splitting the sidewall and causing it to bulge. The tyre was a right off but the inner tube is still on that wheel.

I would add that I am 17 stone and run at 100 psi.

Mark

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[Mikeco]

You can buy a puncture proof strip that you fit between the inner tube and the tyre, bought ours from Decathlon a few years ago.

 

[Howard B]

I used to get a lot of punctures on my hybrid bike. Was advised to drop the tyre pressures which i did, been fine since.

 

[Rollingwheels]

I am assuming that the wheels have rim tape on them otherwise the tube will force into tj spoke hole and puncture that way, especially if the pressure is high or there is extra weight on the bike

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[Conal]

I ride an electric Brompton 30 miles at a time and have had four punctures on the front wheel. All were due to the inner tubes being trapped between the rim of the tyre and the wheel. I am annoyed that the spare inner tubes supplied when we bought the bike are of a larger diameter than the wheel. I have now been taught a better way to fit inner tubes and hope this helps, but will try to buy smaller inner tubes. Interestingly, with all the different inner tubes, the front tyre looses air when stored but the back doesn’t.

 

[Ridgeway]

We've swopped bikes and when she's rode mine she gets a puncture. Have examined spokes and tyre closely.

What pressure are you using in your tyres ?

I’m guessing too low and one heavier ride (yes I’ll get my coat…) it’s the only thing i can think of that can explain these results.

 

[Guigsy]

I used to get a lot of punctures on my hybrid bike. Was advised to drop the tyre pressures which i did, been fine since.

Bromptons need high pressures because the wheels are tiny and pretty narrow. I run 90psi on my Brompton. I run 26psi on my gravel bike and 20psi on my mountain bike... but they're tubeless.

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[Threeracers]

17 stone and 100 psi on the Schwalbe Ones here.

M

 

[Mikeco]

I used to get a lot of punctures on my hybrid bike. Was advised to drop the tyre pressures which i did, been fine since.

I was told the opposite and to use high pressures.

 

[scotjimland]

tyres have a pressure range marked on the sidewall. I always pump to the maximum pressure on my road bike... ~ 90psi ,, but softer on my hybrid for rider comfort


tyre pressure will be higher for heavier riders, or for riders carrying loads on their bikes, and lower for lighter riders.

A very rough guide..

• Road bike: 90psi / 6.2 bar.
• Gravel/cyclocross bike: 40psi / 2.8 bar.
• Hybrid bike: 50 psi / 3.4 bar.
• MTB: 30psi / 2.1 bar.

Good advice here

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[enark]

Kevlar strips and heavy grade inner tubes - Tredz are a great online retailer

 

[enark]

I have two Bromptons, an Electric P line on Urban Contacts and a super lightweight T line on Schwalbe Ones, one or other is used daily and at the risk of jinxing things I haven’t had any punctures for a while. I have Tubolito inner tubes in both, not the cheapest but highly regarded for puncture resistance.

About a week ago I strayed onto a very bumpy path into Geneva which actually damaged a tyre, splitting the sidewall and causing it to bulge. The tyre was a right off but the inner tube is still on that wheel.

I would add that I am 17 stone and run at 100 psi.

Mark

View attachment 822752

What type of Moho is that in the background?

 

[GMLS]

I'd change to tubeless tyres if you can.All my MTB's are and no punctures for years

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[BouncyBoatFolk]

When my wife used to cycle quite a distance to work she had a spate of punctures. I found the cure was to fit two rear tyres, a bit of a bugger to do, but she never had another puncture. It was slightly harder to peddle. That was on some 16" rims.
Mike.

 

[daveandsan]

I run my road bikes at 110psi.

 

[ChrisL]

Check the inside of the tyres for splits or cracks, I had several punctures on a motorcycle, eventually tracked it down to a small split on the inside of the tyre, constant flexing caused the split to nip the tube.

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