[s2pyd]

I keep getting flats on my commute to work, I have to ride down some rocky trails, and there is probably random glass because it's heavily traveled by tourists...

I have heard that tires are made with kevlar or something now, does anyone know what if any tire is the best that I could get at perhaps walmart?

Thanks

 

[hophead]

The only kevlar tires I've seen are ones with a kevlar bead which isn't going to help you.

You could try a slime tube. Not sure how well they work. I've never tried them myself, but they are supposed to be self sealing.

 

[Doc]

Also you may try the little foam insert that you can put between your tube and tire, seems to work very well for me.

 

[JustJohnny]

Is that like a protective material that is harder to puncture than the rubber of the tube if something gets through the tire?

What if you put in your new tube, then put slime between the tube and the tire before airing it up? LOL Ultra flat protection?

I bought a kit once had a bag under my seat with a small crescent wrench, spare tire, automatic air-up co2 cartridge device I bought so I could do flat repairs on the trail

 

[BigDumbBear]

The tire liners do help a bunch. they are a very dense, but flexible, rubber material that goes between the tire and tube to help keep punctures to a minimum. You may be getting pinch-flats too, wich means you simply need to put more air in the tires.

 

[wildroot]

I have seen the self sealing tubes work, but you still need air for them. Get a puncture, they will go down a bit, seal theirselves and you pump them back up.

Slime in a bottle didn't work for me, I just watched it come out between the spokes.

I have kevlar belted tires made by Maxxis. "Optimum Puncture Protection" it says on the side, so far so good. They are 700X38 and only a couple of grams heavier than an ordinary tire.

The shop I work at sells thorn proof tubes and they are working for a friend but for me they are too thick and heavy.

I agree about the inflation, most are pinch flats and the heavier the rider the more important the maximum inflation is. I weigh 200 lbs. and letting a little air out of my mtb tires for off road never worked for me.

 

[Doc]

He brings up a very good point, make sure you check the weight differences out before you buy a tube with slime in it. Often enough they are VERY heavy in comparison.

 

[Misfit]

Do they make light enough tires that are some solid material?

 

[Doc]

Do they make light enough tires that are some solid material?

Not that I have seen but I would be interested in what others have found.

 

[jeepwithnoname]

Back in the day when I worked close enough to home I used to have the same problem... got pretty good at patching a hole in the tube on the trail. But a friend of mine told me about "Tire Tuffy's"... they work very well. I bought them at my local bike shop. Not very expensive but kinda heavy. There's always a give and a take.

 

[vlundy]

I ride on Elston Ave. in Chicago where there is a lot of broken glass and I've had a lot of problems with flat tires. I ride 700 x 23's and have debated going to a larger tire. I bought some Continental Gatorskins last year. I've had a lot fewer flats since then. I've also started reinflating my tires at least once a week. I was told flat tires are more prevalent when the tires are a little low on air so I will let some air out of the tires and reinflate them to 115 psi at least once a week. I have to say I've noticed I usually get flats when I haven't done this in a few days. I was in a bike shop the other day asking about tires and the mechanic was pitching the Specialized kevlar tire saying it was better than the Continental. I'm going to finish off the season with the Conti's and then switch to the Specialized next season. I've also heard the Tuffys work and I might give those a try.

 

[Norman]

Flat tires suck!!!

 

[Chester]

I went from using the regular old off road bike tires with little knobs on them to using completely flat freestyle tires once. I tried riding on the trails with my freestyle bike, very bad idea. Instaflats. I don't think it had to do with the inflation level, it was those crappy GT tires...

 

[BajaScout]

Sold on Schwalbe

I commute 36 miles per day (18 each way) on a Giant Seek 1. I used to get flats until I switched to Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires about 3 months ago. Since then I have not had one flat and do not carry tools/air/tube anymore. They roll nicely but are a little harder ride than the original tires I had before (Maxxis Columbiere). I wore the originals out in 3 months. The Schwalbe's still have plenty of tread left after 3 months.

 

[malsackj]

In my study on flats I found that when the ship deployed that my tire would go flat stored in a storage space on the ship. What I found was that the punctures were near the spoke niples inside the rim.

I replaced the rims with a double wall rim internally and placed small aluminum shims over the holes to the spokes. taping over the shims creating a sealed rim. Most of my flat issues have been gone ever since. I have had tires and tubes last complete seasons and showing threads and not blow out. I was riding between 4000 and 6000 a year then.

 

[BajaScout]

Almost 5 months now without a flat on the Schwalbes......

 

[CTD50]

There are several types/brands of tire liners out there; even W-M has them, made by Slime. I've never tried them, as my flat problems seem to come and go by year; this year has been a bad one, likely will only have 1-2 flats all year in 2010. (Most this year were caused by trying to get that last little bit of mileage out of old tires)

 

[Spinner]

I use Mr. Tuffy tire liners. I rode my touring bike with Continental tires and Mr Tuffy liners across America 3,250 miles and had only one flat. Tire Care Pros - Mr Tuffy, StopFlats2, MrTuffy, Slime, QuikStik and more...

 

[bikedozer]

Has anyone ever had that tube slime stuff work? It always just seemed to ooze into my rim and out the edges somehow...

 

[wild]

Well after my last walk I ordered some Michelin City treking with protec plus some slime tire liners and some new tubes. I had 4 flats in a 2 weeks time, maybe them tires were a little worn all the flats were in the rear tire, where the weight is 244#