How can I stop flat tires?

[biknut]

I'm all of a sudden having a plague of flats. The day before yesterday I got a flat caused by small piece of wire that stuck through my tire. It was about the diameter of a piece of wire from a wire brush. I removed the tire, found the wire and pulled it out of the tire and replaced the tube.

Now two days later I got another flat. This time I ran over a sticker in the grass (bur). It was stuck to my tire and when I pulled it off the tire pssssssssssss.

What's the best way to stop getting these flats? Should I buy heavy duty tires? Tubes? Are there such a thing as tube liners?

 

[2door]

There are tube liners, heavy duty tubes and compounds to put in the tubes, (Slime) that are all effective against punctures. There's a thread, I'll see if I can find it for you, where Goat Herder describes his success with Slime against goat head thorns.
I like the thick, thorn resistant tubes but I've run Slime and tube liners also.
Tom

EDIT: http://motorbicycling.com/f11/goats-head-22645.html

 

[biknut]

There are tube liners, heavy duty tubes and compounds to put in the tubes, (Slime) that are all effective against punctures. There's a thread, I'll see if I can find it for you, where Goat Herder describes his success with Slime against goat head thorns.
I like the thick, thorn resistant tubes but I've run Slime and tube liners also.
Tom

EDIT: http://motorbicycling.com/f11/goats-head-22645.html

Thanks Tom, and I think that is the kind of thorn that got me today. I'm not a big fan of slime. I haven't had much success with it. I usually still get a flat, but then it's a royal mess too.

 

[biknut]

I was just looking online at tire liners. I think this is what I want to try first. I'm getting tired of flats, but it's sure easy to fix a flat on my bicycle compared to my Road King lol.

 

[The_Aleman]

I've used Slime for over 20 years and GoatHerder has used it for over 30. That stuff, IMO and his, is your line of defense. It's simply inevitable that something will puncture your tire. There's no stopping some stuff - if it is hard, pointed up, sharp, it's going to puncture your tire and tube. Running tire-within-tire, kevlar belted tires - it doesn't matter. Goathead thorns are one thing (and I sincerely believe some healthy goatheads can pierce kevlar), but Kevlar won't stop a self-tapping screw lying in the road.

Slime works to seal holes - it's much more effective than that emergency crap some people put in car tires. But like that evilish stuff on tires, you won't be able to patch anymore. I've tried. Of course, I've had tubes with dozens of punctures live because Slime willed it so. And if done right, it's not messy, nasty cuts aside. Like 3/4" wide metal banding pointed up and not ready to flatten at near 30MPH

Even if you get a real nasty cut in tube and tire that causes your bike to look like you flattened a Predator fetus, the green stuff washes right off.

Edit: Slime is not evil like that emergency car tire stuff. Slime is your friend! To a point. There are some brutal road hazards that Slime can't fix, but you cut those chances down with it.

 

[biknut]

I've used Slime for over 20 years and GoatHerder has used it for over 30. That stuff, IMO and his, is your line of defense. It's simply inevitable that something will puncture your tire. There's no stopping some stuff - if it is hard, pointed up, sharp, it's going to puncture your tire and tube. Running tire-within-tire, kevlar belted tires - it doesn't matter. Goathead thorns are one thing (and I sincerely believe some healthy goatheads can pierce kevlar), but Kevlar won't stop a self-tapping screw lying in the road.

Slime works to seal holes - it's much more effective than that emergency crap some people put in car tires. But like that evilish stuff on tires, you won't be able to patch anymore. I've tried. Of course, I've had tubes with dozens of punctures live because Slime willed it so. And if done right, it's not messy, nasty cuts aside. Like 3/4" wide metal banding pointed up and not ready to flatten at near 30MPH

Even if you get a real nasty cut in tube and tire that causes your bike to look like you flattened a Predator fetus, the green stuff washes right off.

That's a convincing testimonial. I'll keep thinking about it.

 

[Goat Herder]

That's a convincing testimonial. I'll keep thinking about it.

I run dirt cheep tires from the likes of walmart with it tires thoroughly breaded with Goat Stickers Hence where my user name came from. Pre-slimed tubes will never work there is simply not enough product in the tube this is what I am trying to say. In essence what is happening here is anyone and there uncle that tries a pre-slimed tube will go off crying it did not work.

They will not work here ether and never will. It is a useless concept to me. Then what happens is the part of denial trying to patch one that simply needed to have enough product in it to do the job. There is a huge difference in a lightly coated tube and a active working puddle. Pre-slimed tubes do not match this criteria.

The day when tubes come with up to 7 ounces of product in them [ pre-slimed] will never has never happened thus forth folks giving bad reviews. I assure you it works great for me this way on dirt cheap tires and heavy duty tubes. It will only work this way to. To the tune of stopping punctures by nails and yes permanently that of course do not reach the rim.

The way the stuff works is by actively having enough in the tube to have moving activity during riding. If you park a bike for weeks or months it will loose air pressure if you ride it it simply does not loose air pressure.

The worst thing I have seen happen here is the nonchalant belief that a pre-slimed tube works they do not work and never ever will in my opinion. I thought to explain why is all and share my experience. The way I use it is the only way anyone will ever achieve any good results IMO.

It is funny that the stuff is green they should simply make it clear like water perhaps so no one will be able to say they saw any thing green. I never had any luck with tires liners they pinch tubes in my opinion and ruin ride quality. I just will not use them. Paper thin tubes have been deemed truly useless to me for everything except for an emergency road side tube in all my travels in which case I will usually have a severely tore up tire.

So I solemnly say it works flawlessly for me this way and yes truly even on cheaper generic Wallmart tires but only with enough product and only on thick tubes. I will say it again I absolutely do not use patch kits ever at all what so ever.

Experience with a minimalistic pre-slimed tube will always produce a bad review IMHO.

YouTube - Slime Tube pucture Demo 002.AVI

I agree with GH, pre-slimed tubes are a gimmick, IMHO. I've been sliming my own tubes for over a decade, with very very few failures. My SA7 in my album never had one flat during it's 3100 mile life. I tried pre-slimed tubes on my old Giant MTB and both failed within 2 weeks. A quality liner, thorn-resistant tube, 6-8oz of slime = as close to bulletproof as you can get.

That said, I've never tried a kevlar-belt tire. I haven't found one that I liked.

Did not feel like typing that again lol. Kenda Downhill Tube 26 x 2.4-2.75 | BicycleBuys.com | Search Result
I prefer 2.5mm thick tubes. I have used these with great results.

 

[The_Aleman]

Yup, don't bother with pre-Slime'd tubes. Get a quality tube, thorn-resistant thick if possible (they have smaller punctures when they do get pierced) and 6-8oz of Slime. Run a liner too if ya want. I have dual rear tire, liner, thorn"proof" tube, and Slime on "OCD". It's fitting, literally.

 

[biknut]

This is what I'm going to try. Since I have so many punctured inner tubes sitting around I decided to try and made a poor mans ghetto tube liner.

I took a punctured inner tube, cut the valve stem off, and cut it open around the inside conference, and placed it around the new inner tube, and stuffed it all inside the tire.

 

[biknut]

This is what I'm going to try. Since I have so many punctured inner tubes sitting around I decided to try and made a poor mans ghetto tube liner.

I took a punctured inner tube, cut the valve stem off, and cut it open around the inside conference, and placed it around the new inner tube, and stuffed it all inside the tire.

This trick seems to be working well. I haven't had anymore flats since I lined my tire with an extra inner tube. Yesterday I did a 50 mile ride without any problems. I think I ended up with a flat after every other long ride I've been on, and none of them were as long as yesterday.

 

[DuctTapedGoat]

Slime brand tire liners work well.

Personally, I use solid tires from AmeriTyre, a little extra weight, but no drag and impossible to get a flat.

 

[biknut]

Slime brand tire liners work well.

Personally, I use solid tires from AmeriTyre, a little extra weight, but no drag and impossible to get a flat.

My first bike had solid tires. I don't think I'll go back to them. If I get another flat anytime soon I'll probably resort to slime, but I don't want to.

 

[DaveC]

I use Duro Easy Ride Flak Jacket tires. They have a polyethelene ring around the circumference under the tread, a pre-lined tire. I also run a liner and a tube with Slime.

No problems...so far

 

[harry76]

A downhill mountain bike tube (extremely heavy but worth it), rim tape (not just electrical tape), and a quality tyre with decent tread and flats will be rare. Thats all downhill bikes use. And they run over tree roots, branches, and no doubt thorns etc.

 

[harry76]

I say quality tyre because i bought the white tyres off EBay that a lot of people use. The front flat tyre in the pic was off my 66cc Kroon build. I got a flat and thought id just popped the cheap tube supplied with the tyre. So i pushed it home and bought a downhill tube, and when i removed the tyre to repair flat i found a splinter of wood about 6 inches long by about 2 inches in diametre. SCARY it punched a very neat hole in the tyre. I doubt a quality tyre like a Fat Frank would have failed the same way.

 

[spad4me]

I switch between no mor flats and a tire liner made of backwash hose from a pool supply.
I dont think a nail could go through the liner.
When the current set of tires wear out. I will go back to a properly sized 26 X 1.75 tire and a 26 X 1.75 no mor flats foam insert.

 

[biknut]

I switch between no mor flats and a tire liner made of backwash hose from a pool supply.
I dont think a nail could go through the liner.
When the current set of tires wear out. I will go back to a properly sized 26 X 1.75 tire and a 26 X 1.75 no mor flats foam insert.

That sounds like what I did except better. I guess putting a liner in the tire is a successful way to fight flats.

 

[Hammond Egger]

I haven't had a flat since I started using Kevlar tires and 5X thornproof slime tubes

 

[johnpeter]

Not very light but roll very well indeed... Shawalbe tires. ($40 to $90)
They are not inexpensive but have a considerable, near flat free, service life.
Liners and Slime tubes add weight, expense and increase roll resistance.

I have no connection to them.

 

[biknut]

After starting this thread back in march, I lined the tire with an old inner tube that I cut open. Since then I haven't had another flat, so I assume adding the extra tube is pretty effective.