Schwinn Tourist Hybird.......

[johntao1231]

A few months ago, I bought a Schwinn Tourist Hybrid bike at Target for $280 and have spent another $175 on various upgrade-parts (e.g. tires, stem raiser, new seat, computer, light set, etc) and paid my LBS $190 to properly tune and install most of these items. Although I am very happy with this bike for the most part, I seem to be getting one flat tire every twenty or thirty miles, which is completely unacceptable to me. My last bike, which I also bought from Target a few years ago has probably lasted close to 4,000 miles and only gotten about six or so flats during that time period....

Although I probably would have been better off buying an LBS bike from the get-go (as opposed to spending upwards of $647 on a X-mart bike), what's done is done. I was considering buying http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XOJD9A/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details this wheelset for it, and I was wondering if any of you know if it will be compatible with my existing cassette and what not.

 

[expjawa]

If you're getting frequent flats, are you certain that the tube isn't being pinched when you install it? Do the wheels have an adequate liner strip that prevents the tube from being poked? Also, look inside the tire for a piece of debris or a stone a little bit of glass that might have somehow been picked up and is repeatedly cutting the tube. What do the tube punctures look like? That can tell you something about what's causing them. Are you patching or replacing the tubes when they go flat?

I didn't see a Schwinn Tourist on Target's site, but depending on how many speeds it has and how they specced the components, you may or may not be able to switch over your cassette. For starters, it is possible that your bike doesn't have a cassette at all, but an older style (and less expensive) freewheel. How many speeds does your rear wheel have? Also, why are you looking at buying another wheelset? Is it just to get away from the flat tire issue, or do you want a second set of wheels?

 

[Voyager Al]

buy a better tire. They have kevlar reinforced tires that are darn near flat-proof, and they are NOT expensive. I bought some for my hybrid,700 sized for 18 dollars I think. I have never had a flat with them. Saying that created bad juju and I'll prolly have 2 flats this week...lol

 

[gcrank1]

I really like my Bontrager 700c x 38(?) on my Trek 7200, and never a lick of trouble, even on crushed limestone trails.
Are you fixing the flats?, new tube or patching?. Are you sure its not the valve core? Always 'mark the leak' to inspect the tire carcass and tube closely. Upon reassembly, I like a tiny bit of air in the tube to hold shape while I stuff it into the tire, then hand snap the bead on (NO tire tool is usually necessary and this avoids bead pinch flats). Once together, I give it a puff of air to expand and center the tube up inside, then let it ALL out to relax the fit, Then the final inflation to rec. pressure.
Flats are usually road causes or installation, not the bike or wheels, though you do need to make sure there are no metal burrs, etc. inside.