View Full Version : I really want flat free tires or inner tubes which company or brand do you recommend?
Jeffery
11-23-04, 10:57 PM
I want to buy either the Specialized Armadillos or the Schwalbe Plus tires for my recumbent but can't because they don't have my tire size. Why ?
Jeffery
11-23-04, 10:59 PM
What about foam filled tires as well ? Would that be any better?
formulaben
11-24-04, 01:36 AM
Are you checking and/or inflating to the recommend pressure before every ride? IMHO, low tire pressure is the #1 culprit. You'd be surprised how much air can leak out of a tube over time.
Grasschopper
11-24-04, 05:50 AM
Yea what type of flats are you getting? Is the damage coming from the outside or the inside. Conti has the Ultra Gator Skin and Specialized has their Armadillo both of which are VERY resistant to puncture flats but if you have a bur on the inside of your rim or an exposed spoke nipple it wont matter. Also with both of those tires you will pay for the durability in weight and the Specialized is supposed to have pretty bad road feel. Velox the inside of the rim if it isn't already and inspect for burs.
What are you currently using?
Specialized Armadillos. I ride their 'All Conditions' and have been flat free since in daily riding.
However, as noted above, there is a cost in weight and some road feel. Keep them pumped at the max recommended, and this helps reduce the hit to road feel.
Maj.Taylor
11-24-04, 07:17 AM
I really want flat free tires because I am getting way to many flats and don't want to have to worry about it.
I'll offer the advice given me many moons ago: "Stop riding over stuff!" And guess what...it works! But yes, some tires are easier to puncture than others. However, I ride tires most think are easily punctured, but cannot count the number of times people with whom I spend a good deal of time riding have asked if I ever get a flat. In fact, I may average about 2 a year, at most. I typically see casing threads before I see anything else. So to repeat some great advice that effectively fixed my flatting woes: "Stop riding over stuff!"
Add a set pf spin skins they work very well. Also as alread said get a good floor pump and use it everytime you ride and you will have less flats.
Cheers,
Steve
Phatman
11-24-04, 07:27 AM
I use the michelin carbons, and in almost 4000 miles of riding I have not had one flat. I'm very happy with them.
Would NoMorFlats.com inner tubes be a better opinion or its the same as a flat free tire?They really aren't inner tubes,but a solid foam replacement for tubes. They don't flat but are heavy and will tunn the bike into a slug. Maybe ok for a flat short commute. With regular tubes,there is nothing that is flat proof, just different degrees of flat resistance.
karlfitt
11-24-04, 07:34 AM
Performance is the only place i know they are available,
But I use their Thorn proof tubes. They are the old style, just very thick rubber. They add weight in the only real place it matters on your bike (rotating mass) but I haven't had a flat in a LOOOOOONG time. Even had a cut in the tire bad enough to make me chuck the tire (through the casing) but did not get a flat.
There is no magic solution. This problem is very variable depending on conditions and environment.
I think my biggest problem is alcoholics.
Why? Because where I live people drink 40oz bottles of malt liquor and then toss them anywhere they want. The result after decades of such behavior is streets with glass specks everywhere. The big shards are avoidable, but there are so many little specks I simply can't avoid them.
I wish the makers of cheap malt liquor would switch to plastic containers.
shokhead
11-24-04, 07:58 AM
I've been on Conti 4-seasons for the last 8k{not the same pair} and i've got my share of potholes and glass and stickers and only 2 flats and 1 was when they were worn out.Not bad.
Specialized Armadillos, heavy, but really tough
I've been on Conti 4-seasons for the last 8k{not the same pair} and i've got my share of potholes and glass and stickers and only 2 flats and 1 was when they were worn out.Not bad.You don't live in goathead and thorn country do you?
thomj513
11-24-04, 11:38 AM
I've been riding Continental Ultra-gatorskins for 18 months, have 2,200 miles on them and have had no flats. I ride and agree with Maj. Taylor, don't ride over stuff. Also check your tire pressure before every long ride. Whenever I ride around the neighborhood, I won't check the tire pressure unless it's been over a week since my last ride, which is rare. Recently received my order of Rivendell's Rol-y Pol-y kevlar belted and beaded tires. They look great and am hoping that they'll ride smooth, long and trouble free as claimed by other users.
I really want flat free tires because I am getting way to many flats and don't want to have to worry about it. I know I have read everything posted about them here and other places. I want to at least try them for myself. What company or brand woujld you all recommend?
Would NoMorFlats.com inner tubes be a better opinion or its the same as a flat free tire?
Dude what the heck is your deal? You've asked this question REPEATEDLY we've gave you all the answers you could ever ask for and yet you keep asking the same *********************** question. Of your 42 posts on this forum 4 have been about a friggin topic other than tires! The other 38 are nothing but the same question over and over again. We've tried to help but if you won't listen.....
http://www.bikeforums.net/search.php?searchid=582350
Dchiefransom
11-24-04, 01:25 PM
Yea what type of flats are you getting? Is the damage coming from the outside or the inside. Conti has the Ultra Gator Skin and Specialized has their Armadillo both of which are VERY resistant to puncture flats but if you have a bur on the inside of your rim or an exposed spoke nipple it wont matter. Also with both of those tires you will pay for the durability in weight and the Specialized is supposed to have pretty bad road feel. Velox the inside of the rim if it isn't already and inspect for burs.
What are you currently using?
I have some Armadillos, and they have great road feel. You can pretty much feel everything on the road, no matter how small :D .
formulaben
11-24-04, 02:01 PM
I have some Armadillos, and they have great road feel. You can pretty much feel everything on the road, no matter how small :D .
Everytime I hear "armadillos" I think of THIS (http://members.aol.com/chiprowe/armadilo.wav) :D
legitimate user
11-24-04, 02:05 PM
I haven't flatted my bontrager race lite hardcases in about 1000 miles and the roads here are terrible with glass
Dude what the heck is your deal? You've asked this question REPEATEDLY we've gave you all the answers you could ever ask for and yet you keep asking the same *********************** question. Of your 42 posts on this forum 4 have been about a friggin topic other than tires! The other 38 are nothing but the same question over and over again. We've tried to help but if you won't listen.....
http://www.bikeforums.net/search.php?searchid=582350
Jeffery is clearly a guy who cares a whole lot about tires.
shokhead
11-24-04, 02:39 PM
I have some Armadillos, and they have great road feel. You can pretty much feel everything on the road, no matter how small :D .
These are what you want. You can even run reg tubes. Now go buy them.
Jeffery
11-24-04, 04:44 PM
The problem is the Armadillos are not in my size for my recumbent. 16 inch front wheel and 20 inch back wheel. Yes they have tires that are in my size but there not as strong as the Armadillos. How do I suppose to get Armadillos then? I don't think they custom make them.
shokhead
11-24-04, 05:12 PM
Recumbent? You forgot to mention that.
Trev Doyle
11-24-04, 06:23 PM
I must have good luck, cuz i have ridden around 4000 road kms this year on Conti supersonics and i haven't flatted yet. I keep my pressure at 120 religiously, but i have to throw out the tires after 1000 (give or take kms) or one big skid.
I have similar luck on my Hardtail. No flats this year.
I use the michelin carbons, and in almost 4000 miles of riding I have not had one flat. I'm very happy with them.
I agree. I haven't been quite as lucky as Phatman, but these are the most puncture resistant tires I have used.
vrkelley
11-24-04, 07:29 PM
Are you checking and/or inflating to the recommend pressure before every ride? IMHO, low tire pressure is the #1 culprit. You'd be surprised how much air can leak out of a tube over time.
They loose air cuz they're full of holes. Get the thorn-proofs and you'll only need to inflate like every 2 weeks.
Jeffery
11-24-04, 09:19 PM
I want to get them but can't.
Specialized Armadillos. I ride their 'All Conditions' and have been flat free since in daily riding.
However, as noted above, there is a cost in weight and some road feel. Keep them pumped at the max recommended, and this helps reduce the hit to road feel.
AMEN! I was always getting flats before I bought my first set of Armadillos. It's ben about 3,000 miles and flats are a thing of the past!
Jeffery
11-25-04, 09:05 AM
But why can't I get this tires for my recumbent though? that what I don't understand.
Retro Grouch
11-25-04, 10:15 AM
I really want flat free tires because I am getting way to many flats and don't want to have to worry about it. I know I have read everything posted about them here and other places. I want to at least try them for myself. What company or brand woujld you all recommend?
Would NoMorFlats.com inner tubes be a better opinion or its the same as a flat free tire?
If you are getting repeated flats, the FIRST thing to do is to analyze what is causing them.
Take a look at a couple of your punctured inner tubes. Find the holes.
If the holes are on the inside circumference of your inner tube, you have a rim strip problem. Notice where the hole is relative to your valve stem and check that part of your rim. If the rim strip has migrated over to one side of the spoke hole, that's your problem. The best solution is to get a rim strip that is exactly the right width to cover your rim from flange to flange. Those hard plastic ones that are a little too narrow absolutely SUCK.
If the holes are on the outside circumference, you are getting punctures by glass or thorns. If that's the case, the first thing to do is to always line up your tire label with the valve stem. That way you have a point of reference for finding the thorn or whatever. Always look see if the glass or thorn is still stuck in your tire. If you can't find it and keep getting flats in the same place, throw the tire away and get another. Tires with kevlar belts stop glass better than unbelted tires. Add-on barriers like Mr. Tuffies sometimes help, but they can also wear your tube where they overlap and start flats on their own.
Sidewall flats come in two flavors. Impact flats are recognized by two parallel slits like a snake bite. That means that your tire has completely compressed and your inner tube got pinched between the road surface and the rim. Cures are to use more air pressure and try not to jump curbs and hit pot holes quite so hard. Sidewall cuts are my least favorite. They're usually caused by a rock or something and they usually cut all of the way through the cords and ruin the tire. Boot your tire by sticking a dollar bill or something inside to get home.
Everybody has their own favorite tire brand and and I don't guess that my opinion is any better than anybody else's. Armadillos are nearly bulletproof but ride like a log truck. I use them on urban rides or anywhere I expect to find lots of broken glass. Gatorskins are a little more forgiving but don't offer as much sidewall protection. I have them on my tandem. I use lighter, less puncture resistant tires on my go-fast bike but I'm picky where I ride it. I don't use tire liners, thorn resistant tubes, or slime, but then I don't live in the goathead belt either.
Jeffery
11-25-04, 07:20 PM
Just curious but has anyone here offically tried out airless tires before saying anything about them ? Just asking.
Is there any offical reviews out there for them? Like the newest ones?
In my experience, preventing flats is less about the product (tires, tubes...) and more about the behavior. So along those lines are 3 important things - two already stated by others:
1. Get a good floor pump and use it before every ride as Dusk suggested. Yes, it's a pain in the a** but it works.
2. As the Major says, stop running over things!
3. Most flats caused by debris you run over don't happen as soon as you run over the crap. It takes several more revolutions to puncture the tire so learn how to use your gloved palm to wipe off the tires (front tire ahead of the brake, rear between the seat tube and tire) while you're rolling along. I wipe 'em off several times each ride and rarely get more than 2 flats in a 3000+ season. The secret is to keep your damn thumb out of the spokes but you'll learn that fast enough!
Jeffery
11-25-04, 08:59 PM
How often do you suppose to wipe off your tires ? Every 10 mins ?
Several times each ride. I ride for 2 hours so maybe 2 or 3 times a ride.....usually after flying through the "sand" that seems to always collect around bigger intersections. To wipe them off while you're riding takes a second...it's not like you have to stop and get off the bike (like you do to change a flat....haven't figured out how to change one while I ride - anyone have suggestions?!).
vrkelley
11-25-04, 10:26 PM
AMEN! I was always getting flats before I bought my first set of Armadillos. It's ben about 3,000 miles and flats are a thing of the past!
Wow how have you achieved this? Do you swap out the tubes/tires at a certain mileage to prevent flats?
Jeffery
11-25-04, 11:09 PM
So no one here has every tried airless tires or inner tubes before correct? Just seeing.
Raiyn has a point. Jeffery sounds like a shill for those airless tire companies.
Jeffery
11-25-04, 11:59 PM
The schwalbe plus don't come in the 16 inch and 20 inch sizes for my recumbent either.
Do they custom make them ?
This is my biggest problem I can't find any strong tires for my recumbent. There some but not the strongest ones for both the front and back wheel.
So is there anyway to get the Specialized Armadillos or the schwalbe plus tires custom made to 16 and 20 inchs or do they even sell them in these sizes? I looked on their websites and could never find ones. I found some in the sizes of 16 and 20 inch but they were not the strongest tires they sold. Want the strongest air tires if I could get them for my recumbent.
Mr. Smashy
11-26-04, 12:03 AM
Just use bmx tubes.
Jeffery
11-26-04, 12:06 AM
KonaRider24 but what about the tires ?
I want to buy the Specialized Armadillos or the schwalbe plus tires for my front and back wheels.
Prefer the Specialized Armadillos. Why can't I buy those ?
Mr. Smashy
11-26-04, 12:31 AM
One because specialized or schwalbe don't make recumbent tires.
Another solution would be to fill the tires with high quality epoxy.
uninelson
11-26-04, 12:40 AM
just stop landing flat, and stop trying to jump stairs.
cjs1948
11-26-04, 06:48 AM
The problem is the Armadillos are not in my size for my recumbent. 16 inch front wheel and 20 inch back wheel. Yes they have tires that are in my size but there not as strong as the Armadillos. How do I suppose to get Armadillos then? I don't think they custom make them.
Use Tuffy liners. Install them with a small amount of contact cement (so they stay lined up during install). Then you will have exactly the same thing as Armadillos or Schwalbe Plus.
Chip
Jeffery
11-26-04, 10:40 AM
Tuffy liners are the same protection as a Armadillo or Schwalbe Plus tires?
I have Schwable Marathon Plus tires on my 20" front wheel right now. Go to the Scwable North America web site and order them.
The problem is the Armadillos are not in my size for my recumbent. 16 inch front wheel and 20 inch back wheel. Yes they have tires that are in my size but there not as strong as the Armadillos. How do I suppose to get Armadillos then? I don't think they custom make them.
What type of flats (i.e. pinch flats, punctures, chaffes)?
Is your rear an ISO 406 or 451?
Is your front an ISO 305 or 349?
Is this a SWB or MWB recumbent?
Are the flats predominately front or rear or about evenly distributed?
So no one here has every tried airless tires or inner tubes before correct? Just seeing.
I bought an airless inner tube but haven't tired it because the only 406 wheel I have that is wide enough for it is carbon fiber so that be a hoot running a heavy airless tube on a carbon wheel. I've heard you likely will destroy the rim during the act of removal so you probably don't want use it on an expensive rim.
cjs1948
11-28-04, 02:45 PM
Tuffy liners are the same protection as a Armadillo or Schwalbe Plus tires?
The Armadillo and Plus tires have a belt that is built in--check out their sites for a cross-section of their construction. That extra belt is also the source of the extra weight that is common to the punture resistant tires--not different from a Tuffy lined one. I essentially don't plan on fixing flats on the road. While I want some performance, the performance would be way downgraded for me if I had to stop and fix a flat en route. I'm not above adding Goo (or Slime) to a Tuffy protected tire just for good measure. I've always lived in the Southwest with plenty of goathead thorns lurking. I haven't had a flat on a Tuffy protected tire. You could run a kevlar tire with a Tuffy in it to make sure. The kevlar will limit damage to the tire and the liner will take care of puntures. Also, the Tuffys don't degrade so when you wear out a tire you can transfer the liner. Try it--it WILL work for you.
Chip
bentcruiser
11-29-04, 10:21 AM
I want to buy either the Specialized Armadillos or the Schwalbe Plus tires for my recumbent but can't because they don't have my tire size. Why ?
According to someone at Bentrider Online, Continental tires have a 1 year flat-free guarantee if you use them and their tubes.
According to someone at Bentrider Online, Continental tires have a 1 year flat-free guarantee if you use them and their tubes.
I have a pinch flat Continental tube (purchased in July) in a Stelvio. Is that under warrantee?
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