Cycling UK Forum

My last five punctures have all been on the rear wheel. Coincidence, bad luck or is it to do with the extra weight?
I have Schwalbe Marathon MTB 57-622 on both wheels, inflated to about three bars, and I swapped them about a thousand miles ago.

I find it hard to keep up with all of the different tyres that are now called Marathon. Is that Marathon Plus MTB?
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/mtb-reader/ ... n-plus-mtb

Any clues from the type of puncture... thorns, glass, same position on the wheel, any possibility that they might be snakebite?

Thanks

Jonathan

Yes, it's Marathon Plus MTB. I've had a nail, a drawing pin and tiny shards of glass. They've all been in different places on the tyre.

Thanks

!

Jonathan

Shoogle wrote: ↑13 Nov 2022, 8:48pm My last five punctures have all been on the rear wheel. Coincidence, bad luck or is it to do with the extra weight?
I have Schwalbe Marathon MTB 57-622 on both wheels, inflated to about three bars, and I swapped them about a thousand miles ago.

I thought as a rule rear punctures are more likely. Certainly it is my experience to have more rears than fronts.

alexnharvey wrote: ↑13 Nov 2022, 10:12pm

Shoogle wrote: ↑13 Nov 2022, 8:48pm My last five punctures have all been on the rear wheel. Coincidence, bad luck or is it to do with the extra weight?
I have Schwalbe Marathon MTB 57-622 on both wheels, inflated to about three bars, and I swapped them about a thousand miles ago.

I thought as a rule rear punctures are more likely. Certainly it is my experience to have more rears than fronts.

Yes, they're more likely. It's Sod's Law. Rear wheels are more difficult to remove and replace than front wheels.

The only front wheel punctures I usually get are impact ones from hitting something substantial. Rear wheel I guess are probably 3x more regular, doubtless on account of the weight bearing effect.

The last puncture I had on my Mercian was the rear, and that was September in 2015.
Last one on Moulton, was also the rear, and that was in February 2021.

They don't happen very often!

Yes, I do keep records.

Shoogle wrote: ↑13 Nov 2022, 9:06pm Yes, it's Marathon Plus MTB. I've had a nail, a drawing pin and tiny shards of glass. They've all been in different places on the tyre.

It sounds like bad luck. If you are cycle over something sharp, chances are you will get a puncture. Having said that, if you have only recently started getting lots of punctures, it may be related to the autumn wet weather. Sharp objects penetrate tough rubber much more easily if they are lubricated by water. I've been on wet weather rides where every second person seemed to puncture.

Try cutting a car tyre with a knife; it's much easier when wet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk7sKY5tRq8

I was averaging about one punture a year but yesterday's was the third this year. It may be time to replace the tyres. Schwalbe say you can expect about 10,000km from the Plus range. I've done about that.

Dingdong wrote: ↑14 Nov 2022, 8:10amRear wheel I guess are probably 3x more regular, doubtless on account of the weight bearing effect.

Or the additional distortion caused by drive torque?

Some years ago I was cycling along a quiet road and heard a car coming up behind me, at maybe 40-50mph. Shortly before it reached me there was a loud bang and whooshing sound. Something metallic came clattering and sliding past me. Then the car came past and stopped in short order with a flat nearside back tyre. "What the hell happened there?", asked the driver. Well, the metal object was found, almost hiding in the grass verge. It was a foot long piece of scrap angle iron that had probably fallen off a lorry. It was mitred at the ends. I reckon the front wheel had flipped it up into the air so that the back wheel hit it on the nose and was thereby destroyed.

I reckon I had a lucky escape that day.

Mind you, I would not suggest that if you steer your bike very carefully so that the front wheel collects the spiky things before the rear wheel passes over the exact same patch then you will alter the front/rear balance of puncture incidence.

I've often wondered about that. You'd think the front tyre would pick up the jaggy things first.

Shoogle wrote: ↑14 Nov 2022, 11:14am I've often wondered about that. You'd think the front tyre would pick up the jaggy things first.

Some years ago, I punctured the rear wheel with a big nail.
It went into the tyre, and through both sides of the tube, and made a dent in the inner face of the rim.
Straight-ish bit of road, so maybe the front flipped the nail so the rear took it.

Just here at Crow's Nest.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.49837 ... 384!8i8192

Shoogle wrote: ↑14 Nov 2022, 11:14am I've often wondered about that. You'd think the front tyre would pick up the jaggy things first.

Not if you spot them while you still have time to steer round them!