Mr Tuffy tire liners?
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Mr Tuffy tire liners?
I was using Vittoria Randonneurs for 2 years, but when it was time to replace my back tire, I decided to switch to 28c tires. I opted for the Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech, which are supposed to be pretty durable However, since switching tires, i've had 4 flats, all from road debris. That's all within around a month and a half, compared to the one flat in two years on the Randos.
After changing my flat last night, i decided to go back to my Randonneur on the back (the one that was on the front before) but now I can feel a huge difference in the tire feel compared the Rubino. (bad) Simply put, I like the Rubino ride quality and road feel better.
So, with all that said.. i'm wondering if anyone uses Mr Tuffy tire liners? I've read good and bad about them. Good being that they work, bad being that they increase rolling resistance somehow and could possibly cause flats.
Any thoughts?
After changing my flat last night, i decided to go back to my Randonneur on the back (the one that was on the front before) but now I can feel a huge difference in the tire feel compared the Rubino. (bad) Simply put, I like the Rubino ride quality and road feel better.
So, with all that said.. i'm wondering if anyone uses Mr Tuffy tire liners? I've read good and bad about them. Good being that they work, bad being that they increase rolling resistance somehow and could possibly cause flats.
Any thoughts?
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Not significantly. And what kind of cramp does a flat tire put on your overall speed?
I agree with everything else.
Last fall I did a mountain bike ride. 4 people, 4 bikes, 8 tires. We had 32 flats. One bike had 27 punctures, 1 bike had 4 (it had 1 tubeless tire that got a flat), 1 bike had 1. That leaves one bike that had zero...mine. The one that had 1? I forgot to put the Tuffy back in my wife's tire Yeah. They work.
I agree with everything else.
Last fall I did a mountain bike ride. 4 people, 4 bikes, 8 tires. We had 32 flats. One bike had 27 punctures, 1 bike had 4 (it had 1 tubeless tire that got a flat), 1 bike had 1. That leaves one bike that had zero...mine. The one that had 1? I forgot to put the Tuffy back in my wife's tire Yeah. They work.
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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
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Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Last edited by cyccommute; 06-09-10 at 12:02 PM.
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I ride them in all my clinchers. I've seen them chafe tubes, but primarily in low-pressure applications. After cutting them to fit, sand both sides of the cut edge (I usually just rub it on the sidewalk a bit to round off the edge).
They do make $50 tires ride like $25 tires but punctures are REALLY rare.
They do make $50 tires ride like $25 tires but punctures are REALLY rare.
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In my experience they do reduce the amount of flats per mile. What I also have found is they are no where as useful as good armored tires.
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I've only tried Armadillos which are $50 tires that ride like $15 tires. I killed mine in a freak encounter with beer bottle chunk that sliced the sidewall, so I've had opposite experience in that realm. Like I say it was a freak accident, however.
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The "feel" of the tires will change once you put the Mr. Tuffy's in. I agree with the comment that they work well when installed correctly, the other side of the argument is, if they are installed incorrectly, they can cause more flats than they prevent by chafing or pinching the tube.
A better solution is to find a tire with adequate puncture protection built into the tire. There is always a trade-off however. Tires that have exceptional puncture protection will generally be heavier and provide a less dynamic ride, or they can be very expensive. Most mainstream tire manufacturers make an array of options.
A better solution is to find a tire with adequate puncture protection built into the tire. There is always a trade-off however. Tires that have exceptional puncture protection will generally be heavier and provide a less dynamic ride, or they can be very expensive. Most mainstream tire manufacturers make an array of options.
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The "feel" of the tires will change once you put the Mr. Tuffy's in. I agree with the comment that they work well when installed correctly, the other side of the argument is, if they are installed incorrectly, they can cause more flats than they prevent by chafing or pinching the tube.
Tire liners have the added advantage of cost. A Mr. Tuffy liner can last for decades...out lasting many sets of tires. Tires with integrated liners are a single use item. Once the tire is worn out, the liner is discarded with the tire.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
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
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Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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"It's not nearly as noticeable as people make out."
This would depend on the tire. On the tires that the OP mentions, maybe you're correct. The lighter and more supple the tire (think racing or sport tires), the more noticable the difference. I'm not dissing Mr. Tuffys, just saying that you don't get something for nothing. If you add weight and a peice of rubber/plastic to a bicycle tire, it's going to feel different. This is true whether it's an add on (like Mr. Tuffy) or molded into the tire (like our Marathon Plus tires).
This would depend on the tire. On the tires that the OP mentions, maybe you're correct. The lighter and more supple the tire (think racing or sport tires), the more noticable the difference. I'm not dissing Mr. Tuffys, just saying that you don't get something for nothing. If you add weight and a peice of rubber/plastic to a bicycle tire, it's going to feel different. This is true whether it's an add on (like Mr. Tuffy) or molded into the tire (like our Marathon Plus tires).
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"It's not nearly as noticeable as people make out."
This would depend on the tire. On the tires that the OP mentions, maybe you're correct. The lighter and more supple the tire (think racing or sport tires), the more noticable the difference. I'm not dissing Mr. Tuffys, just saying that you don't get something for nothing. If you add weight and a peice of rubber/plastic to a bicycle tire, it's going to feel different. This is true whether it's an add on (like Mr. Tuffy) or molded into the tire (like our Marathon Plus tires).
This would depend on the tire. On the tires that the OP mentions, maybe you're correct. The lighter and more supple the tire (think racing or sport tires), the more noticable the difference. I'm not dissing Mr. Tuffys, just saying that you don't get something for nothing. If you add weight and a peice of rubber/plastic to a bicycle tire, it's going to feel different. This is true whether it's an add on (like Mr. Tuffy) or molded into the tire (like our Marathon Plus tires).
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
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!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
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!