General Cycling Discussion - Preventative measures for flats?

Here's a new question...

What if you cut really long strips of Tyvek paper that D*Alex mentioned in another thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9729) and pro-actively placed it between your tube and tire. It shouldn't add any noticible weight.

Wouldn't that add an extra layer of extremely tough protection between the tire and the tube?



:rolleyes:

Mr Tuffy tape does exactly that.

Check out http://www.rlaenterprises.com/cycling/spinskins/index.html

These Duros are great and at only 18 grams for 700x23.
Kevlar ones are 14 grams.
Much Much lighter than MrTuffys 700x25 at 113 grams.

Mr Tuffys are 8 times heavier.

I am not downgrading skin strips, or tuffytape, or any of those types of things, I would like to just add to the convo that I have replaced two sets of tires due to wear and tear, but have had the same inner tubes for two years. I bought Huffy brand thorn resistant tubes, cost me 5 bucks each. its not the solid tube type either, they have valve stems and hold air just like normal. There is no goop inside of them, i hate those goop tires, they never hold air. I live in rural kansas, where the state plant is the goathead sandburr, and have had no trouble since I bought these tubes, and yes, i do ride rough terrain. I guess when i move to wherever you guys are biking, i guess i will have to go withstrips also.

I want to avoid adding weight to my rims!

In States where bottle return laws are in place the reduction in broken glass on the roads is amazingly reduced. Encourage your State Lawmakers to pass a bottle return law and you will not need to worry nearly as much about flats.

Wells

Wells,
In Kalifornia, when teenagers drink while driving, the last thing they want is to have the cops pull them over and find open containers in the car. That is why they throw these glass items out of the car as soon as they are empty. A $300 ticket, your license suspended, jail time just doesn't compare to the 5 cents you get back on the beer bottle.

I rarely get flats from glass. A few weeks ago I got a front flat from a small paper staple! I have Specialized turbo s-works tires. They are light, fast, and have great traction, but not at all puncture resistance as specialized has claimed. I recommend getting a Kevlar belt tire. You may add a little weight, but save some time fixing flats. I thought that separate puncture resistance strips increase rolling resistance. Add this to the small additional weight, its may be better use a tire with good puncture resistant qualities even through they may weigh a few more grams than other tires.

I see a broken bottle every two meters here.

I've had two flats in a month, which is a very suprising. I'd expect a flat almost everyday.

With bottle laws there still is glass in the roads, but the amount is reduced by many fold. It's saved me countless flats. Michigan has a good idea with a $0.10 per bottle charge. Granted, in urban areas the reduction is not as noticeable.

Wells

I live in Michigan. There is a 30 mile linear park in the Detroit metro area. Each day approx. 50-200 cyclists train/ride on the wide shoulder. There is glass about every mile. I wrote the road commission and asked them to sweep the shoulder. Their response was for me to use the bike path, and they would not sweep the shoulder "as it is not safe for cyclists and they did not want to encourage them to ride on the shoulder". Well the shoulder is a full lane and that is where everyone rides. The park is in a natural flood plane and the bike path is often underwater, then filled with flood debris. For the last week, I have been sweeping the side of the road. I'm hoping others will join me in this effort. Many cyclists say, "Thanks" as they ride by. So....I don't know is if the bottle law is slowing the amount of glass on the roadside, but there is still plenty.

Originally posted by outashape
For the last week, I have been sweeping the side of the road. I'm hoping others will join me in this effort. Many cyclists say, "Thanks" as they ride by.
I honor you.

I stay out of debris and sand if possible, because it conceals all sorts of sharp thingies.