Bicycle Tires....Redux

Slime.

SLiME! - The World's #1 Tire Sealant, Proven and Tested!

I have had a good run with Specialized tires. They have some flat resistant tires.

hey stevenrh,
I look for a tire with "kevlar" compound in it, and a high tpi. Kevlar is a synthetic fibre that some companies claim is bullet proof (dont quote me on that one ) and increases the durability dramatically without much extra weight. TPI is the number of threads per square inch - higher TPI (somethin like 270 - 290 from memory) stops blow outs and reduces weight.
other things to look for are silicon compounds (rolling resistance) and synthetic beads or lips (weight reductions). Concider these if you have the money to "invest"

.::aidan::.

Another trip to a new cycle shop and another opinion. Thought I would throw it out here for comments. The latest suggestion is to keep my current wheels and go with a puncture resistant inner tube. The cycle shop owner suggested that it will protect as well as the puncture resistant wheels but cost ALOT less, about $10 per tube .

Any new thoughts?

(this is my 25th post! Yahoo! I should be getting my first star!)

I feel that I am qualified to comment on this post!  I have stress tested wheels and tires now for almost 3 years.  I have had my Kestrel Talon for 2.5 years and I have never changed a flat on the road.  Let me tell you what I run.  I run a two tires, one for racing (700x23) and one for training (700x25) which are both Kevlar lined tires.  I use Slime light tubes which are made by Slime and they are self healing.  I did one time hit a piece of metal and put a hole in my rear tube and the tire flatted, but I took a CO2 cartridge and pumped it back up and rode 18 more miles back home. I do carry an extra tube, but only pull it out of my seat bag to make sure it doesn't have a hole rubbed in it.  The faster riders, don't like to ride Slime tubes because they are a little heavier, but I have never worried about the extra weight, because the benefits, have been greater than the extra few ounces.  My knocking on wood two cents!

puncture resistant tubes are thicker than standard tubes and therefore weigh alot more. they do an ok job, but on previous experience they dont pay for themselves
the principle is quite simple - if you run over a shard of metal or glass, or a thorn etc. the compounds protecting the pressure within the tube must be either thick, dense or inpenetratable enough to stop it piercing through. if you want to, you could wack on everything in the book, and it would pretty much eliminate the chances of getting a puncture, but at the same time make your wheel set weigh a lot more.
My advice would be to just get an affordable kevlar tire, and make sure you take all the precautions while putting it on and changing flats - im pretty sure most are aware of the main points but -

*check for sharp objects and damage in tire and rim
*inflate tube a bit before putting it in
*check that rimtape covers the spokes, and use material tape if you have double/triple wall rims
*be careful when using tire levers, and try not to use them at all when putting the tire back on
*dont under/overinflate
*check the angle of the valve - rims can cut valves sitting at wrong angle
*check the bead is sitting properly in the lip! there is a guideline along the side of most tires, but alot of people forget to check
*check glue is dry on patches, so it doesnt stick to the tire once inflated. put some dirt or chalk on it to stop it sticking

flats are just a part of the sport. dont go riding through glass and the tubes should last long enough.

aidan

Edited by Pro_rider 2004-04-10 4:53 AM

THANKS! The advice has been great. I think I'm going to go with the Kevlar tires. I'm not sure about the slimed tubes yet. But I'll let you know.