At least it was easy to tell exactly where on the tire the puncture had occurred.
Flat tires caused by punctures are a fact of life when riding a bicycle. But the physics of just how this happens is not necessarily clear.
Take this staple, for example. (It looks bigger in the photo, but I’m pretty sure it’s a bent staple of the kind made for home or office use.)
So there’s this staple lying on an Albany street, maybe in the bike lane, maybe somewhere else. Who knows? Could have been anywhere, at any point on the last 11 miles the bike and I have traveled since starting out.
Presumably a little bit of metal like this, discarded on the pavement, would be lying flat.
So the mystery is this: What makes a staple lying flat on the pavement suddenly stand up? And stand up just in time to penetrate a bike tire and make a hole in the tube underneath?
Here’s a theory: The staple lies there, flat on the ground, minding its business, no threat to anyone, not doing any harm. Then, bam, the bike’s front tire passes over it, disturbs the staple’s resting state. For a split second the wiry little thing wiggles around and one of the sharp ends points up just as the rear tire comes along.
This theory may be bogus, nothing but speculation and hot air. But it might explain the cause of the resulting flat.
What it doesn’t explain is why anyone would be careless enough, or mean enough, to discard things with sharp points on a public street. (hh)
My theory: Someone was carrying a folder (with 3 open sides) of documents to their car. The staple fell out and eventually ended up in your tire. Or, the staple was in the sole of a shoe, and came out of the sole where you eventually encountered it.
Life is full of sharp things ready to puncture whatever comes along. City streets are collectors of all kids of stuff. So, we have motorized street sweepers with steel bristles which I’ve seen waiting to do their own damage. I’ll’ give an A to your theory
I always used those Kevlar bands inside my tires to help prevent these little hiccups.
The only time I’ve had a flat (and a patch kit with me was) a fine wire like from a wire brush. It was a VERY warm day and by the time I was done, I had sweat pouring down my face and into my eyes. I went to mount the bike and discovered an identical flat on the front. What’s the odds of flatting BOTH tires with a piece of wire that should have been laying flat?
BTW- I used to have Serfas Drifters in 1.5″. The rear made a “popping sound” on wet pavement like someone smacking their lips as it broke a vacuum created from the little “divots”.
Hi Bill. That wire was likely from a radial tire from a car. I found them in my bicycle tires for years and wondered why… I have also found too many staples a d cannot answer HH’s question.
I presume the wires were from steel belted radials. It’s just the odds of flatting both tires at once.
You need to update your technology. Tubeless tires with sealant would have let you keep riding and you could have just pulled that staple out at home. I find tubeless tires rides a bit more comfortable. I ride them at a much lower pressure than a tubed tire.
We passed paths while riding this week, I can’t remember where.
I’d venture to guess Hasso gets very few flats per mile with those tires. How many flats do you get Hasso?
Not everybody wants to deal with the downsides/mess of sealant.
Besides, if you go to the Serfas website, you’ll see- “Disclaimer: Tube Must Be Used Inside of Tire”
https://www.serfas.com/shop/products/tires/drifter-city-ctr/