Racing Ralphs, getting lots of punctures

[rouxtjie]

Aaah maybe that's what it is, I noticed the spots before on the tyres but they weren't going down fast, would pump them maybe every 2 weeks, they're definitely worse after this weekend though.

 

I've seen good feedback on the tyres that's what made me get them and was feeling a bit let down but, hopefully I've got a dud

Hold on, that is normal with RR....I just call it RR sweat...these are little punctures that the stan's sealed but still letting out some of the sealant....your stan's are running dry, you need to top up.

[jcza]

Hold on, that is normal with RR....I just call it RR sweat...these are little punctures that the stan's sealed but still letting out some of the sealant....your stan's are running dry, you need to top up.

 

Rouxtjie my new ones are not leaking like this

[jatho]

Hold on, that is normal with RR....I just call it RR sweat...these are little punctures that the stan's sealed but still letting out some of the sealant....your stan's are running dry, you need to top up.

The punctures I plugged were quite big, the back has 3 of them now along with all the other little ones so I'd probably rather replace at this point. It might be worth patching from the inside topping up the sealant but I'll be miff with myself if I puncture on that tyre in a race again and didn't replace it.

[rouxtjie]

The punctures I plugged were quite big, the back has 3 of them now along with all the other little ones so I'd probably rather replace at this point. It might be worth patching from the inside topping up the sealant but I'll be miff with myself if I puncture on that tyre in a race again and didn't replace it.

Ja it might be time to be honest....again they are super tires, but not the toughest of them all....they have a good balance of weight vs strength....

[rouxtjie]

Rouxtjie my new ones are not leaking like this

Wait, its coming....they start sweating after 1500km I promise

[Capricorn]

snakeskin only protects the sidewalls. HD speed /puncture guard is the anti-puncture measure.

Normally, the evolution line will offer triple compound, HD speed guard, and if coupled with SS, then it will be called double defense. What does your RR say on the sidewall. it normally lists all the features there.

 

but it could just be bad luck. Are you running tubed or tubeless?

[jatho]

Thanks for the advise everyone, I'll give the RR's another go

[jatho]

snakeskin only protects the sidewalls. HD speed /puncture guard is the anti-puncture measure.

Normally, the evolution line will offer triple compound, HD speed guard, and if coupled with SS, then it will be called double defense. What does your RR say on the sidewall. it normally lists all the features there.

 

but it could just be bad luck. Are you running tubed or tubeless?

 

I'll need to check, I know they're the snakeskin but not sure on the other specs.

 

Running tubeless.

[Capricorn]

I'll need to check, I know they're the snakeskin but not sure on the other specs.

 

Running tubeless.

 

no worries, i'm pretty Rouxtjie nailed it for you.

[Lucky Luke.]

My bike came with the non-snakeskin ones - slightly less durable than rice paper. Happy to get rid of them.

[bolt67]

RR Snakeskin sidewalls are not the problem, its bit between the treads,do not like shale and gravel, cuts up really easily, especially on the rear tyre if you are sitting and climbing. Ditched mine for Maxxis Ikon, light but much stronger !

[V12man]

Jees then maybe I've just had bad luck.

 

What do you guys inflate your tyres to?

 

1.3 on my racing ralphs...

 

I often see little spots on the RR's of what looks like sealant - but they don't seem to leak. I think in 3 years of using them I have had to plug about 4 times, and the rest the sealant has taken care of - except for cutting a sidewall and having to put in a tube - only once... but the tire held well enough for another 10/15 km to get me to the end.

 

Of course I check my sealant every couple of months - got a collection of funny looking rubber bits...

[Helpmytrap]

Yeah using stans.

The other possibility is that the Stan's bottle wasn't properly shaken/mixed before putting it in the tyre. If you don't do this then you land up with what is basically water and no puncture plugging granules in the tyre. Because that is quite an aqueous solution, it just leaks out the puncture holes without sealing much.

[Warren_G]

I put a brand new set of Racing Ralphs on my Cannondale about 6 months ago, I've been riding my single speed a lot more so the Ralphs haven't seen much use, I recon around 600km.

 

Anyway, I got a front puncture about 2 months ago at Modders, didn't think much of it, did a race this weekend which had a few rocky sections and punctured the front, fixed it carried on, then punctured the back, fixed it carried on but it had a slow leak but got to the finish after bombing it a couple of times. Got home and thought I'd find the slow leak and fix it which I did, inflated the tyre to around 2.5 bar to check for leaks and noticed the sealant coming out of tiny holes all over the top of the tyres between the tread, not in any specific order sort of riddled across the tyre so its not linked to the tyre design.

 

I have Vredesteins on my SS have done loads of mileage on them even did Van Gaalens on it and haven't had a single puncture, my previous bike with Conti's same thing, had no punctures.

 

Its got me thinking, have I just been unlucky or are Racing Ralphs just not good tyres? The back tyre is basically toast at this point so I need to replace it but I'm hesitant to replace it with another Ralph.

 

I inflate my tyres to about 2 bar, its on a hardtail and I weigh around 73kg. Would like some feedback from the clever hubbers out there.

I think you got a bad set of tyres, been on my Racing Ralphs for more than a year doing many races and social rides without a puncture, OK 1 puncture but that sorted itself out with Stans sealant and just carried on racing so no punctures I had to fix myself

[Face Plant]

i have RR evo tires on my bike and the Mrs has RR snakeskins on hers, she has punctured three times in the last two weeks, i have about 2000km on mine and haven't had one puncture on mine??? may just be luck of the draw i guess!

[rouxtjie]

The other possibility is that the Stan's bottle wasn't properly shaken/mixed before putting it in the tyre. If you don't do this then you land up with what is basically water and no puncture plugging granules in the tyre. Because that is quite an aqueous solution, it just leaks out the puncture holes without sealing much.

very valid point....