The vast majority of my punctures(which are usually two to three a year,one this year,a 15mm thorn which I only found when checking the tyres a couple of days later still embedded with tyre still at pressure )are thorns,with a very occasional glass shard and even less being sharp stones,with an even less minority of other assorted 'intrusions'
I'm aware tht some folks in different areas of the country suffer from flint flake or arrowhead flint punctures,I've no experience of these.
Thorns on the road are caused by hedge cutting/flaying,which can strew the road with them still attached to small 1 to 2inch bits of twig perfect for bicycle tyre insertion but at least you have a chance of seeing them.
But some also remain on top of the cut/flayed hedge for weeks until the next windy day when they can get blown onto the road,you maybe caught out by the odd one you've not noticed,so it pays to be vigilant on windy days
. Glass isn't as easy spot but unless larger pieces of say a broken bottle are evident,the smaller shards are almost impossible to see on an otherwise clear road until you're practically on top of them.
The only time I've had sharp stone punctures have been on wet roads,so I'm inclined to think a wet tyre helps the penetration I'm also inclined to think that the stone needs to be dead centre on the tread as the only ones I've experienced(two that I can remember)have fitted that criteria
Puncture prevention is desirable and various manufacturers claim varying materials,mainly Kevlar belts or thick rubber like layers under the tread,but if the potential puncture cause is sharp enough and long enough it'll get through.
So prevention for me is best served by good riding technique,I don't ride in the margins of gravel heaps on tarmac.
If a road looks suspect I tend to scan it in front riding around anything that looks suspicious.
If I'm forced to ride a road where the hedges are being cut I always check tyres when the hazard is passed.
I check tyres regularly for foreign bodies no matter how small,picking them out with a scriber made from a small screwdriver or a sharpened nail.If there's some small stone or glass shard,thorn,etc it will only be rolled further in if it's not picked out so regular checks are made.
Occasionally I deflate the tyre so the tread can be rolled/squeezed across it's tread opening up any cuts to reveal if there's anything in them,I wear a pair of cheap x4 reading glasses for tyre checking,it's amazing what they show up
I don't run tyres down to the canvass,if they're looking old a bit thin of tread and cut up,I bin them.
I've just binned a pair of old Marathon Slicks which I only run in winter,because although the tread was reasonable there were signs of rusting on sections of the wire beads,not worth the risk.
I've tried a few different methods of glueing cuts in tyres,super glues(various)including the flexible ones,Shoe Goo,Polyurethane boat glue,etc,nothing seems to last more than a couple of rides.
If anyone's had any better success let us know.
I don't mind patching tubes as if done properly are just as good as the original tube.
I always put a 25mm square of old tube(with a hole in the centre)over the valve,snug up to the tube as it protects the valve base.Also I soften the edges of the valve hole on the inside of the rim with a bit emery paper wrapped around a pencil,which also helps.Also make sure the valve is square to the rim as if it's at an angle it put pressure on one side of the valve base which can lead to a tear.
I check tyre pressures before I ride,if you ride narrow HP tyres it helps to lower the TP's a bit in the wet and cold,they'll grip better if nothing else.
There's few people on the forum asking about 'puncture proof' tyres.Other than solid tyres there aren't any,only degrees of puncture 'resistance' and the more puncture resistant a tyre the more uncomfortable the ride,because puncture resistance is directly related to tread thickness,tread thickness=less supple=heavier=stodgier the ride.
If anyone can think of anything else to add please do.
