Another lost opportunity
Well, I made a plan, and worked the schedule to get out for a quick hour ride today. Suited up and all was well. Made my way a few miles out to edge of town where the fun/enjoyment/peace would start. At the moment I passed the city limit sign I noticed that dreaded squirm in the rear end of the bike. Rats! A flat. Pull over on the side of the highway (an eighth mile from my turn off to lesser traveled county roads) and started to assess the situation.
Multiple cuts in the tire...this thing looks like Swiss cheese. Used all my boots and patches to shore up this lost cause of a tire and then slap in the extra tube I had. Pull out the Leyzene pump and start going to town. Probably looked like a monkey whacking off on the road side, but I aired it up to around 80 and started to unscrew the pump from the tube. Rats, the valve unscrewed from the tube...all my work is lost!
I scoured through everything I had to tighten the valve...nothing. I had a brief thought of patching the old tube, but that is no longer possible since I applied my only two patches to the tire. At least I have a cell phone and nice weather to sit and wait for my ride....
sorry, but you'll be repaid....
with a glorious ride of many miles. (Sorry, I'm trying to sound like an optimist.)
Ouch!
Sounds like your day was worse than mine.
Sorry to hear your bad luck. Was it one of those indestructible tires you destroyed?
Indestructible...yeah
Yup that is the one. Though not indestructible, it rolls like is is made of concrete. Time for something better. I don't think I have a choice in the matter.
Serfas Seca FPS
Try one of those tires and see if you can destroy it. I put an entire season of training and brevets on one set and never had a flat. Don't know if they're using the same compounds or not, but definitely a solid tire.
FWIW, I also raced those tires two years ago at Froze Toes and in some crits. Not supple, just dependable. YMMV.
I have an odd problem
Thanks for the suggestion, but I have an odd problem that is a considerable pile of high end racing tires that need to be used.
I have found that high thread count tires actually hold up pretty well if I can simply avoid riding through glass and the like. This last round of training tires had a very thick tread rubber that while many would assume would add durability, I think it was actually the root of my problems. Thick rubber is great for a trainer, but on the roads it seems to simply retain more debris that eventually drills through the casing. I could ramble on for hours about tires and my theories...but for now I am going to go back to my Vittoria Corsas which did very well for me last year.