Can heavy panniers increase your chance of punctures?

[Goovna]

Lately I have been riding with one heavy pannier rather than two lighter ones and have been experiencing an increase in the punctures all on my back tyre. Has anyone else had this problem or is it simply a case of bad luck?

[CommuRider]

Sorry to hear you've had a couple of punctures. From my end, bad luck. I've carried heavy stuff on my double rear panniers - try to distribute the weight evenly between the two.

[sogood]

It's possible but not likely for the relative small difference in weight. What I think makes a difference is how you ride over a glass field. When approaching an unavoidable glassed area, soft pedal and allow the tyres to gently glide over it. Powering over a glass field has been successful in generating quick flats in my experience.

[lethoso]

Powering over a glass field has been successful in generating quick flats in my experience.

yeah, now that I think about it I was going hard in at least 3/5 punctures I can remember copping last year. I think it's because when I throw the bike around the sidewall is more exposed.

I can't see that having one heavy pannier would make any difference at all compared to two light ones, a few kg of weight off centre isn't going to be much of a difference when you take bike & rider weight into account.

[sogood]

I agree. Side to side weight distribution won't make any difference for the weights you are talking about. The other worthwhile maintenance issue is to regularly check and pick your tyres for embedded glass fragments.

[il padrone]

Powering over a glassfield is fine - if you use Vittoria Randonneurs

I've been carrying lots of stuff in heavy panniers (25-30kg touring loads) and had no punctures for the past 15000kms

[sogood]

I've been carrying lots of stuff in heavy panniers (25-30kg touring loads) and had no punctures for the past 15000kms

Pete, make sure you carry a spare tube in good condition tomorrow.

[il padrone]

Alwas do..... just never used it for about 3-4 years.

[Goovna]

Thanks everyone for your responses and advice

[lethoso]

Alwas do..... just never used it for about 3-4 years.

check your spare hasn't perished

[Comedian]

Bad luck i reckon. As tyres age they get more prone to flats too. That could be a factor too.

[LHT]

Too many factors to consider.

With quality hoops though, probably not.

It's one of those things.

[tnt]

Yes you need quality puncture resistant tyres, the only time I've had flats with them is picking up the very fine steel wires that are left behind by shredded car/truck tyres. You can't see them and yet they seem to go through anything.

[ghettro]

Personally I prefer to keep my eyes on the road and run over glass than collide with an unseen car - although I do consciously avoid potholes, glass etc when I can. Most of the times i've punctured I hadn't pre-emptively seen the object that caused it.

To me, the logical thing to do is to run sensible tyres. You can't expect to run silk tubulars and not puncture because of pure skill in dodging glass. I have randonneurs on my roadster as well and have not have one puncture in the whole year and a half I've been riding on them.

[trailgumby]

The short answer to the original question is yes, from my experience. Not from changing to one heavier pannier on the side, though. In my case that would just lead to a sore back as I compensate for the off-centre weight, which is why I never do it and recommend that people run two lighter panniers with the mass spread as evenly as possible.

I've found I've suffered an increase in pinch flats. Usually from the lip on the wheelchair accessway where the road transitions to the footpath, and hitting it too fast. Often from panel joins in footpaths as well (yes I know I'm not supposed to ride them, but I'll cop the fine from a polite cop over being deliberately hit again when traffic gets in "that mood").

Keeping my rear tyre over 95psi has helped stop that happening (80kg male).