View Poll Results: Tire Liner - Yay or Nay?
Yes, I ride through bombed out streets with it!



30
37.50%
Yes, but not worth it



1
1.25%
No, I use kevlar-lined, dragon-skin, unobtanium laced tires



37
46.25%
No, tire liners add weight.



12
15.00%
Voters: 80. You may not vote on this poll
Tire Liners - Usage Poll
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 1
From: Boise, ID.
I use them on my xtracycle and my road bike/commuter. EG If I'm not using armored tires I'll use tire liners.
I still get flats commuting with them on my Motobecane, but its a lot less than before they were put in. Usually if I ride through some goat heads I can stop and pull them out before they've worked through the liner.
I still get flats commuting with them on my Motobecane, but its a lot less than before they were put in. Usually if I ride through some goat heads I can stop and pull them out before they've worked through the liner.
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,373
Likes: 8
From: Columbus, OH
Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, 2011 Redline Conquest Pro, 2012 Spesh FSR Comp EVO, 2015 Trek Domane 6.2 disc
Belted tires have typically worked well enough for me, although after this winter and all my flat tire problems, if the swap to new (belted) tires with a thicker tread doesn't work I may just get some Marathon Pluses, tire liners, and Slime so I can ride through flaming piles of broken glass and roofing nails out of spite.
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"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
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#7
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: wa
I bought and installed some mr. tuffys in my slickasaurus tires, have not had a flat in since. Before the liner I was getting flats on a weekly basis. I wanted to "use up" these tires before purchasing something with better flat protection. I cant really notice any difference in handling or weight. Though I commute with quite a bit of weight as it is.
#8
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,116
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
I use them. Totally worth it.
Heck, I raced on them twice this weekend. It wasn't worth the time and effort to pull them out of the tires for a couple of early season crits. A few grams wasn't going to be the difference between winning and losing.
Heck, I raced on them twice this weekend. It wasn't worth the time and effort to pull them out of the tires for a couple of early season crits. A few grams wasn't going to be the difference between winning and losing.
#9
I prefer the slime tubes, but you need to have something. I too get to go through the goat heads on the way to work. You can see the green blood on the tires at times, but no flats since putting them in.
#10
Subjectively Insane
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 801
Likes: 0
From: Saint Louis, Missouri
Bikes: '09 Rodriguez Adventurer Custom, '08 Trek 7.3Fx
I used them a lot when I was younger and short on cash. Much cheaper in the long run since tires are 15-20 a pop and flats rarely if ever happen with liners.
Never had any issue with them, I was extra careful trimming and taping the edge down. IMO makes the most sense financially, maybe not performance or eye candy wise.
Never had any issue with them, I was extra careful trimming and taping the edge down. IMO makes the most sense financially, maybe not performance or eye candy wise.
#11
Mad bike riding scientist




Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,210
Likes: 6,286
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
I bought and installed some mr. tuffys in my slickasaurus tires, have not had a flat in since. Before the liner I was getting flats on a weekly basis. I wanted to "use up" these tires before purchasing something with better flat protection. I cant really notice any difference in handling or weight. Though I commute with quite a bit of weight as it is.
). One of the 4 bikes made it all the way back to the trailhead and didn't show up with a flat until about a week later. That would be my bike with liners in both tires
I use 'em
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Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
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Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
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Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 903
Likes: 1
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: 2010 Kona Dr. Dew, Moose Bicycle XXL (fat bike), Yuba Mundo V3
Yep. I went from a puncture every few weeks to no punctures at all in the last 5 months or so. That's on my commuter.
I haven't managed to get them on my longtail yet. I have them, I just haven't been able to budge the nut on the rear wheel to take it off. I really need to do that. Right now that tire is a flat waiting to happen, and then I will well and truly be up a creek.
I haven't managed to get them on my longtail yet. I have them, I just haven't been able to budge the nut on the rear wheel to take it off. I really need to do that. Right now that tire is a flat waiting to happen, and then I will well and truly be up a creek.
#14
always rides with luggage
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,109
Likes: 20
From: KIGX
Bikes: 2007 Trek SU100, 2009 Fantom CX, 2012 Fantom Cross Uno, Bakfiets
I use them all the time on all of my bikes. But then, I don't like changing tires.
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--Ben
2006 Trek SU100, 2009 Motobecane Fantom CX, 2011 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, and a Bakfiets
Previously: 2000 Trek 4500 (2000-2003), 2003 Novara Randonee (2003-2006), 2003 Giant Rainier (2003-2008), 2005 Xootr Swift (2005-2007), 2007 Nashbar 1x9 (2007-2011), 2011 Windsor Shetland (2011-2014), 2008 Citizen Folder (2015)
Non-Bike hardware: MX Linux / BunsenLabs Linux / Raspbian / Mac OS 10.6 / Android 7
--Ben
2006 Trek SU100, 2009 Motobecane Fantom CX, 2011 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno, and a Bakfiets
Previously: 2000 Trek 4500 (2000-2003), 2003 Novara Randonee (2003-2006), 2003 Giant Rainier (2003-2008), 2005 Xootr Swift (2005-2007), 2007 Nashbar 1x9 (2007-2011), 2011 Windsor Shetland (2011-2014), 2008 Citizen Folder (2015)
Non-Bike hardware: MX Linux / BunsenLabs Linux / Raspbian / Mac OS 10.6 / Android 7
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: San Carlos, CA
Bikes: '83 Miyata Two-Ten, '84 Raleigh Pestige, '09 Downtube 8H
I have them in my folding bike, but I wasn't worried about rolling resistance when I set it up. I don't ride that bike much anymore. I'm now commuting on my randonneuse, and don't want to add the extra weight/rolling resistance to her. I've only had one flat in 5 months, covering close to 2000 miles, so I guess i don't really need them.
#20
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
From: PDX
Bikes: Trek 1200, Kona Honky Inc, PX Stealth
I ride a road bike with race wheels on my 25 mile RT commute. I can feel the resistance in the kevlar tires more than I notice the liners. They don't weigh much and don't really change the feel of the tire.
#21
Not a legend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 379
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
I have Slime liners. It was a royal PITA to get them in. About 6 months to a year later I got the first flat after I put them in--the edge of the liner rubbed through the tube.
Seems not worth it for me. I guess a lot of people don't have problems, but some people can't get them to behave no matter what. I'll probably just spring for the tires next time.
Seems not worth it for me. I guess a lot of people don't have problems, but some people can't get them to behave no matter what. I'll probably just spring for the tires next time.
#24
xtrajack
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,058
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Bikes: Kona fire mountain/xtracycle,Univega landrover fs,Nishiki custom sport Ross professional super gran tour Schwinn Mesa (future Xtracycle donor bike)
This is what I do. Even kevlar belted tires can get flat. Mixing those tires with a liner makes them nearly bulletproof.
I ride a road bike with race wheels on my 25 mile RT commute. I can feel the resistance in the kevlar tires more than I notice the liners. They don't weigh much and don't really change the feel of the tire.
I ride a road bike with race wheels on my 25 mile RT commute. I can feel the resistance in the kevlar tires more than I notice the liners. They don't weigh much and don't really change the feel of the tire.
#25
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
In the poll I said, yes, I use them. In fact I do everything I can think of to avoid punctures. Well, I don't use voodoo or sympathetic magic or anything like that, but if someone could tell me the right incantation or magic words, I'd try that too. With the combination of kevlar puncture proof tires and liners I only get about a dozen flat tires per year.




