Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - flat tires

been getting alot lately. i checked and they are all punctures so its not an internal problem. anyone have any special miracle no flat tire type of things or what type of tires do you use to prevent them?

and dont say wooden tires or some dumb **** and spend 10 minutes trying to think of some super clever reply.

If you want the ultimate solution and don't care about a 100+g weight penalty, just get a plastic tyre liner like this one (http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/mr_tuffy_tyre_liner_mtb.html). A nail could theoretically go through but glass has no chance. I used to have one when I had a junk tyre and it worked.

make sure you get whatever is causing your out of the tire before you patch or replace your tube.

Mr Tuffy's cause their own unique pinch flats. Get some armadillos. I ride michelin grip(winter) carbon(summer) and have never had problems.

By the way, make sure you try to put the label on the tire next to the valve stem and on the drive side. That will make puncture investigations a lot quicker.


edit: Whoops, lurking in the ssfg forum, thought I was in the mechanics page.

Rim tape!

Mr Tuffy's cause their own unique pinch flats.

How?

How?

Use your imagination. Especially at the end of the strip. I've even seen the ends start curling in after sliding to the side.

airfreetires.com

+1 on the armadillos if you're consistently getting flats. The only flats that I've gotten while riding them have been from popping spokes through on crappy wheel sets.

Gatorskins - only flats I've gotten were caused by my fouling up the rim tape job by missing a hole lol.

Gatorskins - only flats I've gotten were caused by my fouling up the rim tape job by missing a hole lol.

I second this.. except the only flats I got were from forgetting rim tape.....

Use your imagination. Especially at the end of the strip. I've even seen the ends start curling in after sliding to the side.

I thought I had a pretty good imagination but you have me baffled with that one.
I for one taped the ends each other/to the tyre but even if you don't... Yeah, the liner may slide around, so what? Even if it curls up around the innertube like a coil spring it'll never come close to damaging it in any way.

Apparently the corners at the end of the strip are rather sharp and as you ride, the tube rubs against them until it eventually punctures. This is what I've read, anyway. I use tube liners on one of my bikes and they haven't given me any trouble. If your liners are giving you flats, the solution (I've read) is to take a lighter to the edges and soften them a little.

I thought I had a pretty good imagination but you have me baffled with that one.
I for one taped the ends each other/to the tyre but even if you don't... Yeah, the liner may slide around, so what? Even if it curls up around the innertube like a coil spring it'll never come close to damaging it in any way.

To be honest, I'm relatively new to my shop and have only seen this once, but the two mechs I work with (25yrs of service between 'em) don't trust Mr. Tuffy's worth a lick. We have goat heads all over Idaho so lot's of flat experience. Stans tubeless tire sealant is the ultimate in flat protection, but that's barely made it's way to road wheels.

To be honest, I'm relatively new to my shop and have only seen this once, but the two mechs I work with (25yrs of service between 'em) don't trust Mr. Tuffy's worth a lick. We have goat heads all over Idaho so lot's of flat experience. Stans tubeless tire sealant is the ultimate in flat protection, but that's barely made it's way to road wheels.

I haven't found anything that stands up against goatheads. Even Armadillos and Slime.

I have had good luck with mr tuffy liners, but I can see how they could cause a problem. I don't use them in any of my bikes currently though, they're pretty freakin heavy.

I second this.. except the only flats I got were from forgetting rim tape.....

i third this

To be honest, I'm relatively new to my shop and have only seen this once, but the two mechs I work with (25yrs of service between 'em) don't trust Mr. Tuffy's worth a lick. We have goat heads all over Idaho so lot's of flat experience. Stans tubeless tire sealant is the ultimate in flat protection, but that's barely made it's way to road wheels.

goatheads....*shudder*...i don't miss that about idaho.

To be honest, I'm relatively new to my shop and have only seen this once, but the two mechs I work with (25yrs of service between 'em) don't trust Mr. Tuffy's worth a lick. We have goat heads all over Idaho so lot's of flat experience. Stans tubeless tire sealant is the ultimate in flat protection, but that's barely made it's way to road wheels.

Ok, mihlbach's explanation makes some sense. that's still not a pinch flat but I see the point. I didn't use Tuffies but some other random brand so I don't know about Tuffies...

I say just pick any tyre liner and if it looks too stiff then cut the corners so they aren't pointy and be done with it. Burn them if you like burning stuff...
Tyre liners are still the atominc bombs of puncture protection as far as I'm concerned. Combine them w/ puncture resistant tyres to double the fun.

goatheads....*shudder*...i don't miss that about idaho.

word. although i havent had any lately since i got armadillos/gatorskins for all of my bikes.. sew-ups w/ some of that sealant has also worked great for me.. no flats last season!!