froze

There is no flat proof tires...not yet anyways. The Armadillo All Condition Pro is the best flat resistent tire for road bikes currently on the market.

But you still need to carry half dozen patches (I use glueless), a tire boot patch, spare tube, I go as far as to carry a spare ultralight folding tire because I ride in remote areas and have destroyed tires, tire irons, and a multi tool, and of course don't forget the pump. I carry other stuff but that's the basics.

angelo

Same here. In my experience the gatorskins have been impervious to glass. The only thing that has gotten them is those little needles of steel. I'm glad that here in the northeast, we don't have goathead thorns!

Clordio

I don't care how bullet proof your tire/tube combo is. If you commute by bicycle you better be prepared to fix a flat.

I work at a bike shop and we sell thick as hell thorn resistant tubes with slime, kevlar tire liners, and armadillos. And guess what, even with that combo people still get flats. Stuff happens, and if your putting all your faith in the concept of a "thorn proof" setup be prepared to invent some vocabulary when you hear the infamous hisssssssssssssssssssss

Wake

Is duct tape good for a tire boot? I've quit carrying a tire because it's bulky and heavy, and I've got 850 miles on a set of 700/23 Vittoria Zaffiros with some cuts, but no flats. I fill the cuts with Shoe Goo.

BA Commuter

I ride Ultra Gatorskins on my road bike and Schwalbe Marathon Plus' on my commuter. However, a patch kit and a set of tire levels take up very little room and weigh next to nothing.

I'd rather fix a flat than walk...

hairnet

wow your Zaffiros lasted longer than mine. I had to replace my rear one a month into its life which was about 400-500 miles because it had a few deep cuts, no flats surprisingly.

cccorlew

I live in the land of broken glass AND goat head stickers. I buy patches in the 100 box. I ride gatorskins and it just doesn't matter.
I carry a tube and patch kit. That's life, for me.... I just deal with it.

Time to go patch a tube right now!

SingingSabre 

Never had a flat in my Nimbus Armadillos that came from the outside...lost a few valve stems though!

I carry spares and patches, but in an Xtra it's no biggie.

imi

You guys that have Schwalbe Marathon Plus's, what are the "BEST" (damn I said it) levers for these tires (on a Mavic A719, 32x700c, if that makes a difference)?
Any tips 'n tricks to making it easier? cheers

woodway

Wet glass shards will go through Ultra Gatorskins. I speak from experience.

Also, Duct tape is a handy thing to carry, but you don't need a whole roll, just take a few wraps around your tire pump.

I am partial to Pedros tire levers (the Yellow plastic ones), they are light, tough and slide along the rim easily when you are unseating the tire.

dwr1961

There are a couple of recent threads on this - do a search for "tire levers"... A couple of us talked about techniques we use that make it easier to work with tough tire/rim combs.

Here is a tire lever that is purported to work well on tough tires (I haven't used it personally)

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...&item_id=KS-TJ

And another that I have (not really a take-along sized tool, though)...

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...em_id=PA-TL-10

BA Commuter

I used a set of Spin Doctor steel core levers https://tinyurl.com/n523bl and rubbed some liquid soap around the tire bead. It helped, but they are the most difficult tires I ever worked with.

Tabor

I run Ultra Gatorskins and I do carry a spare tube plus a patch kit and a co2 inflater.

nashcommguy

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt except I removed a 2" self-starting screw w/t phillips attachment on my multi-tool, inserted a new tube, pumped it up and I was on my way in 10 mins. The trick w/SMPs is to use tubes a size too small and Pyramid metal tire levers w/t 'burrs'/'edges' filed down smooth. And pump the tubes up slightly using the 'lockring'(if using presta valves) to hold them in place, work the tire bead around, then let a little air out at a time to keep from getting a pinch flat. Use the end of the tire lever to carefully push the tube under the bead as the tire 'seats'. I use 18-26mm tubes for my 28mm SMPs. One aforementioned flat and one slow leak on over 7000(8000 now) commuting miles and 2500 recreational/commuter miles on my other 2 bikes equipped w/25mm SMPs.

BTW, I wouldn't go to the end of my driveway w/o a multi-tool(including a chain tool), tubes, patchkit, frame pump, universal spoke wrench and METAL tire levers(plastic are CRAP), BP SB, Cateye Opticube Sport 1 LED w/constant/blinking modes. Too much experience w/being under equipped...never again. It's about being capable of taking care of one's self out there. I've got a check list mounted to the wall next to my exit door...better OCD than SOL.

bjoerges

Commuter bike has 700x32 Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires, 2000+ miles, zero flats (though I have picked out chunks of glass and other debris from the tire while cleaning the bike).

I carry at least a spare tube with me in my trunk bag, usually carry my Wrench Force Two Shot (CO2+Hand Pump), but I don't worry much if I leave it attached to my other bike.

(I also carry a 700x[18-25] and 26x[1.75-2.2] tubes and a patch kit in case I come across another cyclist in need)

huhenio

I carry a spare tubes on puncture proof tires, tubes, and urethane strip combo.

bkrownd

Fortunately I only live 2.25 miles from work, so if mine goes flat I just walk it the rest of the way. If it goes flat elsewhere in town I walk home and return in my hatchback. Only two on-the-road flats in 5 years, anyhow.

froze

I wonder, sometimes I do that. I wonder if you took a Armadillo All Condition Pro, added a thorn proof tube, a Mr Tuffy, then wrapped the entire tire and wheel with about 2 inches thick of Duct tape...would that then be flat proof?

genec

I use Armadillos... I carry a repair kit, but I have found the glue dry on the rare occasion when I have offered to fix a flat for someone else.

froze

Barrettscv I'm considering changing to Gatorskin or Armadillo tires. I don't want to change a flat. Fortunately I can jump on a bus or call a cab if I have a flat while commuting.

Do I need to carry a repair kit & spares?

Michael


Why not carry both? That's what I do. But I think I'm the odd duck here because I aways attempt to repair the tube first then go to the tube if for some reason I can't, vs others who do the other way around.

Andy_K 

Depends on the level of debris in the 10 feet of your driveway you'd ride it on before deciding to turn around and stay home.

froze

I see. Then I was also thinking that if I wrapped the duct tape inside out so that the sticky side is out, I could clean the streets of debris while riding so that other riders could ride flat free.

thehum

probably not the "best" way, but I use my wet hand and dab some dish soap on the inside of last two edges before using a plain old plastic lever to get both sets of my SMPs (700x25c and 26x1.75) on. Takes me 3 minutes to get each one on. Otherwise, mounting is damned near impossible and when I finally get it on the tube usually gets pinched between the tire and rim.

anyway, this is steering off topic into SMP land. for anything less than a few miles I don't carry pump and tube, for anything more, I do. Just in case.

Andy_K 

Good plan!

mustang1

I use gatorskin and carry two tubes plus CO2 and airpump. I needed it once, after 7 months use. It's my get-me-where-i-wanna-go insurance policy, and it's free.