Mountain Biking - Light tires/ tubes combo - my experience...

I had Conti twister supersonics (360gr) and schwalbes xxx light tubes (100gr). I did on them 1000miles. My experience - about 15 flats overall - on average every 66 miles I had a flat. I had enough of it (6 flats last month - and its quite cold here right now - my riding buddies were quite pis..d at me also because of my flats, which I understand) and am going to change the tires into Cont twister pros foldable - (450gr) - with better protection against flats.

What is intersting, when you look at the light bikes sites - most of the times the use conti supersonics and light tubes - you start asking yourself a question - do they ride the bikes at all?

Conclusion - It is difficult to be a weight weenie :) (lots of time for patching flats and lots of cash for parts replacements)

my few cents...

It depends on what you run over. I ride 210 gram tires about 150 miles a week. I average about one flat a year. This year I was not looking, I hit a small rock and grazed the sidewall. One flat this year. It depends on where you ride, and if you concentrate on the small things on the ground. Lots of variables, every situation is different.
Have you heard about spinskins? They are the strongest kevlar tire liners.

210grams? Are these road tires? could you give more details on them

Maxxis makes some really light tires....

Downside with light tires is the kiddy sidewalls.....their like paper. If you ride somewhat hard, youd be better of with some kid of trail tire.....although give those new Conti's a shot.

210grams? Are these road tires? could you give more details on them

OOPS....... I thought you were talking about road tires. Now I think you are talking about off road tires.

Yes I was talking about road tires.

ON one of my MTB's I have 430 gram Maxxis Hookworms with very Light Maxxis tubes..BUT.. I have Kevlar Spin Skin tire liners protecting the tubes. The Spinkskins are about 35 grams each. I'm going from memory here, I mght be wrong about the weight a little.. I ride off road every weekend almost. I have not had any flats since I started using spinskins not a one! Including another set of tires I have been using spinskins on That MTB for about 4 years. I think Perfofmance bike still sells them.

Its the mountain bike forum. We generally don't talk about roadie stuff ;)...

Not a weight weenie. I don't need to risk stuff breaking mid trail when I am stuck on some mountain. Especially my wheels, frame and fork. Drive train can take a crap, I can mcguyver that to work under any conditions :)

I don't get flats, period. I always run heavy tires and under the roughest conditons but I still don't flat.

I use the stock Specialized tires, but with thick tubes, liners, and slime. I had an odd flat on the back wheel.. doesn't hold air for more than 5 mins now :S
The bike shop installs the tubes and etc, and since there's a warranty on it, I'll just bring it in instead of fixing it.

<runs 1400grm tires with 600grm tubes.....going to switch over to tubeless though....

I dont know if its entirely safe to save weight on tires when on the mountain. I use anti flat stuff for on the mountain. On the road i use lighter stuff. I just dont wnat to deal with it when your out in the woods

I can't see going stupid light for a tire. Anything around 600g is fine with me, and I always use regular tubes. I maybe get 2 flats a year, and mostly when I ride my MTB on the pavement and pick up something very sharp. In TX, my Mutanoraptor Lite was too thin with all the thorns... would average around 2-3 flats a week. Going to a standard weight tire it improved quite a bit.