Sidewall flats on Gatorskins

Well, I had my first flat with my Conti Gatorskins, after 900 miles.
Was riding through Ft. Devens yesterday, and hit a rock off-center that
really knocked me off balance for a second. Was pondering that for a
split second, when I hit another rock and then sssss. (Must have been a
military rock!)

No holes through the tire, just 2 noticeable abrasions on the sidewalls.
Sure enough, though, the puncture on the tube was on the side. How do
sidewall flats like this work? Do they create a temporary
discontinuity on the inside of the tire surface, which punctures the tube?

Should I patch the inside of the tire with a tube patch behind the
abrasion areas, just to be sure?

Last question: has anybody else had sidewall flat problems with the
Gators?

Dave

"Dave Stallard" wrote in message
...
Well, I had my first flat with my Conti Gatorskins, after 900 miles.
Was riding through Ft. Devens yesterday, and hit a rock off-center that
really knocked me off balance for a second. Was pondering that for a
split second, when I hit another rock and then sssss. (Must have been a
military rock!)

No holes through the tire, just 2 noticeable abrasions on the sidewalls.
Sure enough, though, the puncture on the tube was on the side. How do
sidewall flats like this work? Do they create a temporary
discontinuity on the inside of the tire surface, which punctures the
tube?

It might have been a simple pinch flat, where the tire bottoms on the rim,
which cuts the tube.

Should I patch the inside of the tire with a tube patch behind the
abrasion areas, just to be sure?

Sidewall strength comes from the fabric, if it isn't cut, I wouldn't
bother. If it is cut, the sidewall will be weak. I have a lot of old MTB
tires with sidewall abrasions, but the sidewalls never failed. All the
failures I can recall came from fabric wearing through at the bead, causing
eventual blowouts.

"Dave Stallard" wrote in message
...
Well, I had my first flat with my Conti Gatorskins, after 900 miles.
Was riding through Ft. Devens yesterday, and hit a rock off-center that
really knocked me off balance for a second. Was pondering that for a
split second, when I hit another rock and then sssss. (Must have been a
military rock!)

No holes through the tire, just 2 noticeable abrasions on the sidewalls.
Sure enough, though, the puncture on the tube was on the side. How do
sidewall flats like this work? Do they create a temporary
discontinuity on the inside of the tire surface, which punctures the
tube?

It might have been a simple pinch flat, where the tire bottoms on the rim,
which cuts the tube.

Should I patch the inside of the tire with a tube patch behind the
abrasion areas, just to be sure?

Sidewall strength comes from the fabric, if it isn't cut, I wouldn't
bother. If it is cut, the sidewall will be weak. I have a lot of old MTB
tires with sidewall abrasions, but the sidewalls never failed. All the
failures I can recall came from fabric wearing through at the bead, causing
eventual blowouts.

Peter Cole wrote:

It might have been a simple pinch flat, where the tire bottoms on the rim,
which cuts the tube.

Single puncture, not two. I suppose if the strike is off-center, so
that only one side of the tire is affected, you might get a snakebite on
only that side. But, it was 25c tire, with adequate inflation, FWIW.

My theory was that a sharp-edged object hits the sidewall, and almost
penetrates, but instead causes a temporary point-like discontinuity on
the inside surface. I've seen glass splinters do that - not penetrate
all the way, but just cause a sharp discontinuity on the inside, which
is sufficient to puncture the tube (again and again!).

Dave

Peter Cole wrote:

It might have been a simple pinch flat, where the tire bottoms on the rim,
which cuts the tube.

Single puncture, not two. I suppose if the strike is off-center, so
that only one side of the tire is affected, you might get a snakebite on
only that side. But, it was 25c tire, with adequate inflation, FWIW.

My theory was that a sharp-edged object hits the sidewall, and almost
penetrates, but instead causes a temporary point-like discontinuity on
the inside surface. I've seen glass splinters do that - not penetrate
all the way, but just cause a sharp discontinuity on the inside, which
is sufficient to puncture the tube (again and again!).

Dave

In article , Dave Stallard
wrote:

Last question: has anybody else had sidewall flat problems with the
Gators?


I've had these type of flats on numerous occasions usually from riding
on rock strewn rail trails and back roads with 25c tires. On analysis
all the punctures have been pinch flats.

luke

In article , Dave Stallard
wrote:

Last question: has anybody else had sidewall flat problems with the
Gators?


I've had these type of flats on numerous occasions usually from riding
on rock strewn rail trails and back roads with 25c tires. On analysis
all the punctures have been pinch flats.

luke

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 11:29:18 -0400, Dave Stallard wrote:

Should I patch the inside of the tire with a tube patch behind the
abrasion areas, just to be sure?

Short answer is no. Either the casing is undamaged, and you can just use
the tire with no problems, or the casing is damaged, and a tube patch will
not fix it. As an emergency measure you can install a "boot", a layer of
fabric between the tire and the tube, which will get you home. I use
pieces of an old tire for this. But this is only a temporary patch. Real
solution is to replace the tire.

Many people I have ridden with have had trouble with Continentals and
sidewall damage. I don't buy them.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve
_`\(,_ | death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to
(_)/ (_) | them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
-- J. R. R. Tolkein

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 11:29:18 -0400, Dave Stallard wrote:

Should I patch the inside of the tire with a tube patch behind the
abrasion areas, just to be sure?

Short answer is no. Either the casing is undamaged, and you can just use
the tire with no problems, or the casing is damaged, and a tube patch will
not fix it. As an emergency measure you can install a "boot", a layer of
fabric between the tire and the tube, which will get you home. I use
pieces of an old tire for this. But this is only a temporary patch. Real
solution is to replace the tire.

Many people I have ridden with have had trouble with Continentals and
sidewall damage. I don't buy them.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve
_`\(,_ | death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to
(_)/ (_) | them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
-- J. R. R. Tolkein

David L. Johnson wrote:

Many people I have ridden with have had trouble with Continentals and
sidewall damage. I don't buy them.

What do you like instead?

Dave