I must get more flat tires than anybody. Most people in my position would have gone back to commuting in a car. 99% of my driving is in the paved bike lane. There is 355 lbs on my rear tire and I cruise about 35 mph. Apparently this is the best way to puncture tubes!
Here is what I have learned:
(1) Definitely scan the path ahead of you for puncture hazards and be prepared to swerve around them. For night riding, get all the light you can, slow down and scan for puncture hazards.
(2) If you can, buy thick tires like Schwalbe or moped tires.
(3) Slime helps sometimes, but it will often fail to seal even small holes. When putting slime in a tube, use a tube with a removable valve core and buy a valve core removal tool.
(4) My experimental homemade seven layer Kevlar tire liner did not work out. Kevlar tape needs epoxy in order to work properly.
(5) NoMor flats and similar solid foam tubes do not work, except on kids' bikes.
(6) Using old, bald tires with the beads trimmed and the knobbies ground down (with a huge die grinder) is the closest thing to the Holy Grail of flat prevention. It will require a fair amount of extra power to get that extra mass rolling, but once rolling you have more momentum. One extra tire isn't enough? Put in another one. You have to cut out a little bit of the circumference in order for it to fit.
(7) Mr. Tuffy liners are just okay. They should make them more tough.
(8) I have tried using several old tubes slit down the inner seam to be used as additional tire liners. It worked okay, but not as well as old tires.
Questions for you guys:
(1) I have been using the green tire slime and I am not too impressed. Is there a better brand out there?
(2) What experience do you have with running high or low tire pressures to avoid punctures?
(3) Any other ideas about a tough tire liner? Should I be looking at an expandable metal hoop?
(4) Would it be a good idea to spray Line-X (used to coat truck beds) on a tire liner?
(5) Any other ideas? All these flat tires are really raining on my parade. I am willing to try the weird, experimental ideas. I work at UPS and we have these "forever bags" for small packages. The material might me a good candidate for a tire liner. Maybe a strip of leather or rubber would be good.
Here is what I have learned:
(1) Definitely scan the path ahead of you for puncture hazards and be prepared to swerve around them. For night riding, get all the light you can, slow down and scan for puncture hazards.
(2) If you can, buy thick tires like Schwalbe or moped tires.
(3) Slime helps sometimes, but it will often fail to seal even small holes. When putting slime in a tube, use a tube with a removable valve core and buy a valve core removal tool.
(4) My experimental homemade seven layer Kevlar tire liner did not work out. Kevlar tape needs epoxy in order to work properly.
(5) NoMor flats and similar solid foam tubes do not work, except on kids' bikes.
(6) Using old, bald tires with the beads trimmed and the knobbies ground down (with a huge die grinder) is the closest thing to the Holy Grail of flat prevention. It will require a fair amount of extra power to get that extra mass rolling, but once rolling you have more momentum. One extra tire isn't enough? Put in another one. You have to cut out a little bit of the circumference in order for it to fit.
(7) Mr. Tuffy liners are just okay. They should make them more tough.
(8) I have tried using several old tubes slit down the inner seam to be used as additional tire liners. It worked okay, but not as well as old tires.
Questions for you guys:
(1) I have been using the green tire slime and I am not too impressed. Is there a better brand out there?
(2) What experience do you have with running high or low tire pressures to avoid punctures?
(3) Any other ideas about a tough tire liner? Should I be looking at an expandable metal hoop?
(4) Would it be a good idea to spray Line-X (used to coat truck beds) on a tire liner?
(5) Any other ideas? All these flat tires are really raining on my parade. I am willing to try the weird, experimental ideas. I work at UPS and we have these "forever bags" for small packages. The material might me a good candidate for a tire liner. Maybe a strip of leather or rubber would be good.
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