Commuting - No-Mor Flats inner tubes

I'm like a lazy guy... Having the fear of getting a flat(s) while riding to work scares me or just getting a flat in general. I'm not very experienced in changing flats. I'm the type of guy who likes to get up and go without worrying. So here I am getting some reviews or opinions from you commuters out there. Just the other day I rode through a rocky cracked side walk filled with various debris on my single speed beach cruiser... and honestly I was sh***** bricks going through it. I kept thinking "oh no I'ma get a flat..."

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-No-Mor-Flats-Bike-Inner/dp/B001UGAJYA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

There are regular threads of airless bike tires (No-Mor Flats are "Rigid foam tire inserts") here in BF. From those threads it seems to me that, besides not flatting, they don't have much else going for them. No thanks, I'll continue to use the Schwalbe Marathon outer tyres, and enjoy the benefits of an air-filled inner tube.

--J

learn how to fix a flat and quit worrying. it isnt hard and it doesnt take a lot of work

"learn how to fix a flat and quit worrying. it isnt hard and it doesnt take a lot of work."

Well, this experience isn't typical, I've successfully fixed flats, but it's no "snap" to me and never WILL be. Once I tried to fix a flat on my '62 Schwinn (See Icon) and it took me an HOUR to get the tire off the rim! I STILL don't know why, since this was the 2nd time I had removed this tire from this bike and it only took me 10 minutes the FIRST time. After all that, I replaced the tube and I STILL had a flat! Yeah, EZ for SOME!!!!

learn how to fix a flat and quit worrying. it isnt hard and it doesnt take a lot of work
:notamused:
Depends where you live. here in California's Central Valley, there's a plant that produces zillions of needle sharp thorns with a knob (think of organic carpet tacks) that lie in wait for unwary bicycle tires. The thorns are 6-8 mm long. After a recent 15 minute ride, EACH of my wife's tires had 4-6 of these little darlin's in it, EACH ONE causing a tube puncture. You couldn't patch fast enough to keep up! The only viable option is some sort of barrier, combined with self sealing tires.

Every 'solution' has it's pros and cons... it's up to the individual to decide what works best for him/her.
I'm not a fan of foam inner tubes. Sure they're not subject to flats but then they don't ride like pneumatic tires either.

Puncture resistant tubes are OK and seem to offer decent protection but they can also be a bear to install and add quite a bit of weight and rolling resistance.

Self sealing tubes... I don't bother with them because they can really create a mess... not a big deal if you pay someone else to deal with it but I don't so IMHO they're not worth the hassle.

My solution to flat prevention relies on getting good tires... to me the function of a tube is to merely make an air-tight seal between rim and tire... a well designed tire should handle all other necessary aspects of ride quality and duraility. As Juha mentioned, Schwalbe Marathons (like the HS 420) is a great tire and has an integral 3mm belt to help protect against flats. Some Kenda Kwests also incorporate similar flat prevention measures (known as 'K-Guard'). I've also been impressed with Conti Gatorskins... there are plenty of tire options available in order to negate the chances of getting flats.

However the best solution to preventing flats is to be aware of and stay clear of potential flat hazards.

Depending on your situation, that product might make sense for you. I don't have experience with it, but from reading some of the Amazon customer reviews, it seems like a bad match if you are either a heavier rider or are primarily interested in speed/performance. If you are a casual rider, or a commuter who values iron-clad dependability over performance, it might make some sense.

I've changed a few flats, and even with the correct tools and a spare tube at hand, it still takes me some time and is not something I look forward to. I use Kenda tires with kevlar flat-protection, which helps prevent punctures (I haven't had any in 500 miles), but makes it harder to change the tire when you get one due to the stiffness of the tire itself (it can still be done, it's just not as easy as I hear from others here and see in the youtube tire change how-to videos). I've had one pinch-flat due to hitting a sharp rock (which didn't puncture the tire, but pinched the tube hard enough to rupture it) and two flats almost simultaneously soon after I got the bike due to crappy rim tape installed by the manufacturer. It is good to know how to change a flat and to have a flat repair kit with spare tube, hand pump, tire levers, and any wrenches you need to get fenders or wheels off with you.

If you do decide to go with them, please consider posting your review of how they work for you, I would find that interesting. Thanks!

I hate getting flats too, but its pretty much par for the coarse with bike riding. I got the Shwalbe Marathon Plus tires and just now put them on. I was supprized because they went on my 29er rims pretty easily. The video on you tube helped a lot.

Dont youjust love them...

http://warmweather.tripod.com/___photos/goathead_thorns.jpg

Dont youjust love them...

http://warmweather.tripod.com/___photos/goathead_thorns.jpg

I don't think tripod allows external links... I guess this is what you wanted to link to:
271963

...and no, I don't even like them much less love them.

I personally was not impressed with those foam inserts that Bell sells that the OP linked too. I tried them out for a week and then took them off and put them on a spare loner bike so they wouldn't go completely to waste. I am, however, a big guy who carries loaded panniers and/or back-pack on almost every commuting ride.

I am personally running Bontrager Hard Case Plus puncture resistant hybrid tires (available locally for cheap and the puncture protection is in the sidewalls not just the bottom of the thread) PLUS Mr. Tuffy wide brown color tire liners PLUS thick heavy "thorn buster" type tubes PLUS 4oz. of that green goo self sealant stuff injected inside the tube upon removing the valve core before airing them up initially PLUS nice heavy thick rim liners that are triple layer construction with the two outer layers being soft thin rubber material and the inner core layer being tough Nylon tight weave fabric.

Flats are all but non-existent for me now and the last one I had quite a while ago was a valve stem failure. Yes, the ride is noticeably a little stiffer and I added a couple pounds of weight or so to the bike but it is well worth it for me since I encounter broken glass and sharp metal debris on a daily basis not to mention some killer pot holes and sometimes to maintain my safety in traffic I have no choice but to ride right through it since swerving to dodge could endanger me. Bear in mind that I'm running 26" mountain bike type heavy duty double wall 36 spoke front and 48 spoke rear rims with hybrid commuter tires and not narrow road tires on lighter built wheels simply because the terrain over which I commute by bike is simply to rough in too many places for anything less to be reliable. Yes, I have an old but light weight ten speed road bike with narrow little 27 tires on light duty wheels with just regular light weight tires and tubes that I take on a pleasure cruise every once in a while on a pre-scouted route that I know is safe but that is as far as it goes for the roads up here.

One other possibility I might note is that when I was a kid my brother had a bike when he was a teenager that we picked up a yard-sale that used the largest size of solid rubber wheel chair tires that were completely solid rubber through and through. That bike was a fast ride on smooth pavement and was obviously no worries about getting any flats. Not sure how one would go about exploring that option and it would probably a custom proposition but there is a thought in there for someone that is willing to explore that option.

Practice changing tires in your living room. Do it a couple more times so it gets easier and faster. Then you won't dread doing it out on the road someday.

I got some back in 1999 and sort of liked them. No worries about a flat in goathead/puncture vine territory ever again. But they really slow you down. I used them for my commuting bikes with 26" tires, so speed wasn't as important as no flats. Later, I tried them on my EZ-1SC recumbent with 16" front and 20" rear tires and they were awful. I could barely pedal the rolling resistance was so high. Took them off and put on Maxxis Hookworms.