I've had quite a number of bikes with spokes but have never had an instant deflation. The thought of that makes me a little nervous. I went to California and back (over 5500 miles) on a bike with alloys and when I got back, I noticed two large nails in the rear tire and didn't lose air enough to even notice. Hard to believe, but true. But I have a question. Now, I have an '05 1200C with lots of goodies tacked on. If the 21" front spoke wheel had a flat, or blowout, would the rim automatically hit the pavement? Just wondering if anyone has had this happen, and if it was as bad as I suspect it would be. Experiences shared would be appreciated.