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Tired Of Punctured Tires

Old 06-05-20, 05:13 PM
  #26  
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Casing fibers look damaged, some broken threads.. it appears..
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Old 06-05-20, 08:02 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Bicycle...and D
This is really pretty simple:

Can anyone tell me if there is a tire, or tube, that is truly puncture proof?
I have the heavy duty tubes with puncture goo added, but the thorns are winning.
27" X 1¼" tires.

Thanks for any and all help.
1. Stop using heavy duty tubes, heavy duty tubes ain't. Waste of money.

Either . . .

2. Use a tire that had a kevlar barrier built into the tread (think Vittoria Rubino Pro) for example along with a regular tube.

OR

3. Use a kevlar tire liner with a regular tube.

Understand that when using a kevlar liner, they hold up best and last longer if the tire is kept inflated and in constant use.

The rest is simply a matter of paying attention where you are going, watching out for and avoiding that which is clearly not a good place to go when riding.

Understand as well that cleaning your tires is a regular part of bicycle maintenance. You're supposed to do a quick inspection after every ride to remove pieces of glass, staples, tacks and thorns that have sheared but still remain in the tire. As the tread wears down, they will continue to be pressed inward and become a later threat.

=8-|
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Old 06-06-20, 03:42 AM
  #28  
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That tire looks done. Pumping to high pressure can result in catastrophic explosion.

Those are not your average thorns. I'd suggest using sealant inside the tubes as well as a tire liner. I don't think heavy duty tubes or tires will help prevent punctures from those kinds of thorns, and they'll just weigh you down.
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Old 06-06-20, 05:05 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by ups
I was thinking the Tannus as well. On their site that didn't look like they come in 27 in. If you could get a 700c wheelset the Tannus or Marathon pluses would work well.
I’ve mounted Greentyre’s solid tires - also supposedly in the 700C size - onto 630mm rims. It wasn’t noticeably more difficult than mounting them on the intended size.
I’d assume Tannus would behave similarly.
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Old 06-06-20, 03:50 PM
  #30  
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For those still suggesting rubber, see post 25. That's already done.

As far as the nipples are concerned, no, the threads don't match. It took me a half hour on line to learn more about spokes and nipples than any of a dozen shops I called this morning seemed to know. 2 of them (on the opposite ends of town) said they did have 15 gauge nipples in stock, so I rode my motorcycle over 40 miles, through Phoenix traffic, in AZ heat, to find that one place had them but with the new threads, and the other didn't really have any after all.

I don't feel bad about shopping on line anymore.
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Old 06-06-20, 04:55 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by Bicycle...and D
For those still suggesting rubber, see post 25. That's already done.

As far as the nipples are concerned, no, the threads don't match. It took me a half hour on line to learn more about spokes and nipples than any of a dozen shops I called this morning seemed to know. 2 of them (on the opposite ends of town) said they did have 15 gauge nipples in stock, so I rode my motorcycle over 40 miles, through Phoenix traffic, in AZ heat, to find that one place had them but with the new threads, and the other didn't really have any after all.

I don't feel bad about shopping on line anymore.
Might also try asking on ISO thread with as much info as possible. .
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Old 06-06-20, 06:14 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Last ride 76
Might also try asking on ISO thread with as much info as possible. .
Sorry, what is ISO thread?
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Old 06-06-20, 06:33 PM
  #33  
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sticky thread in C&V forum... In Search Of, and for Trade...Welcome!
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Old 06-07-20, 07:14 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Bicycle...and D
Well, I ended up getting what the local shop(s) had to offer.
New Kenda tires with Sunlite super heavy duty tubes and Slime tire liners.

The combination seems like it will be as close to impregnable as anything out there...or so the shop guy claims. My decision was pushed a little by a thumpy front tire. (see pics)

New question: This bike is French, early seventies. Are the threads on the spokes/spoke nipples the same as today's spokes? Can I replace a couple of rounded off nipples with new ones, or do I need to replace the spokes as well. Sorry, not familiar with the terminology for this. Are there numbers/sizes specific to this stuff.


That tire is probably damaged a lot more on t he inside.

Here's an image of a tire that has similar looking damage to yours.


Here's an image of what's under that section of tire.


I wouldn't ride it.

Cheers
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Old 06-07-20, 10:18 AM
  #35  
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I rode it no farther than back home.
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Old 06-07-20, 10:39 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Bicycle...and D
I rode it no farther than back home.
With my bad tires or worn out tires i cut the tire beads before tossing them and that way no scrounger will try to use or sell them used.

Cheers
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Old 07-26-20, 02:51 PM
  #37  
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Okay...an update...and a new question. I ended up just buying all new spokes and nipples. I was having trouble truing the wheel and the spokes were sticking up through the nipple a lot, so I took the wheels into the shop. The shop guy said I bought the wrong spokes. (too long)

I had carefully measured a spoke to be 298mm. He said I needed 296mm on everything but the non-crank side of the rear wheel. Okay, to be sure, I went to 295mm and bought 54 more spokes. All is well, now, spoke-wise.

So I also bought some Slime tire liners. I had no idea something like those could be such a headache to install. Has anybody got any suggestions to help get those in place, and keep them there? I was wondering about rubber cement...?

Also, what is safe to use to make it easier to install a tire. On both front and rear wheels the valve stem is crooked, but the tire & tube will not budge the half inch on the rim it would take to straighten the stem. I tried soapy water but no help.
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Old 07-26-20, 03:21 PM
  #38  
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You could try a few points of rubber cement for the tire liners. Also you might try covering the ends of the liners with duct tape. They can rub a hole in the tube.

As far as the valve stem, remove one side of the tire and straighten. You will wind up doing it on the road when it causes a flat. Its easier to do at home.
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Old 07-26-20, 03:38 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by stevel610
You could try a few points of rubber cement for the tire liners. Also you might try covering the ends of the liners with duct tape. They can rub a hole in the tube.
As far as the valve stem, remove one side of the tire and straighten. You will wind up doing it on the road when it causes a flat. Its easier to do at home.
I've had good luck for several years with "Mr. Tuffy" tire liners on my folding commuter bike. No problems with the ends causing flats, though there would seem to be no down-side to using a little duct tape.
I place 1" sections of double-sided foam tape rated for "outdoor" use at regular intervals (8 pieces in all for a 20" tire). I use these on my "winter" bike because the studs on the tires eventually wear through the kevlar belts in the tire carcass and cause flats. These liners are extremely tough and get me an extra season or two from the tires; I haven't had a flat in years.
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Old 07-26-20, 05:57 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by tyrion
https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_t...s/marathon_420

Not puncture proof but Schwalbe Marathon has extra protection and comes in 27x1 1/4.
I second these.
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Old 07-26-20, 05:59 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by tyrion
https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_t...s/marathon_420

Not puncture proof but Schwalbe Marathon has extra protection and comes in 27x1 1/4.
I second these.
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Old 07-26-20, 07:20 PM
  #42  
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Well, 2 sided tape doesn't seem to work. So, looking for some rubber cement, or anything that will actually secure the plastic strip to the center of the tire. I had some stuff that's made to seal car tires and is very expensive...like 42 bucks a quart. Used it on my motorcycle and a friend was going to split the cost with me and use it on his bike, too. He ended up selling his bike and giving the goop away with it. He never did pay his half. The stuff would have worked, for sure.
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Old 07-26-20, 08:24 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
Sounds like you have never ridden is thorn country. There are numerous stories about tourists going through all their spare tubes in a day in some parts of our country. Do you hang out in this forum's Touring sub?

Side bar story- When I had my bike shop in Cleveland in the 1990s we had a large family that lived 2 blocks away as customers. A couple of the kids kept getting thorn flats. I suggested they look at their neighbors front yards and sure enough one had bushes along their driveway with thorns. The kids learned to turn the other way as the rode out their driveway and saved themselves a lot of hassles with flats. Andy.
Are you saying that Cleveland is thorn country? So what type of thorns are there?
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Old 07-26-20, 08:42 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by stevel610
You could try a few points of rubber cement for the tire liners. Also you might try covering the ends of the liners with duct tape. They can rub a hole in the tube.

As far as the valve stem, remove one side of the tire and straighten. You will wind up doing it on the road when it causes a flat. Its easier to do at home.
You can also sand down the edges till it's very thin and that will prevent the Mr tuffy from rubbing a hole in the tube...OR...you can buy RhinoDillos that cushioned the one edge of the liner to prevent the chaffing. The RhinoDillos are every much as tough as the Mr Tuffy.
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Old 07-26-20, 09:01 PM
  #45  
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A suggestion that isn't the tire you should ride but one that might stop a few thorns from even getting started. Tiresavers. Small wire and plastic tube thingies you attach at the brake bolts that ride on the tire and knock objects off as the tire rolls past. There have been at least one recent thread re: them. I think they are still made and if not, they are still out there, plus you can make your own with coathanger and tube from a hardware store. Not ideal. You here them and they spray the bike in front of them with road dust, but they can stop a lot of flats, Many of used them back in the days of sew-ups. (I'd wear through the wire and rebuild them with coathanger.)

I'll go look for those posts and come back if I find them.

Ben

Edit: Well that was easy? Typed in "tiresaver" and first post:

Now I would bend the wire over the tire a little more so it fit the tire better.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post16031380

You can buy then at:

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...c/tire-wipers/

Last edited by 79pmooney; 07-26-20 at 09:09 PM.
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Old 07-27-20, 06:20 AM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by Bicycle...and D
Well, 2 sided tape doesn't seem to work.
If the tape doesn't stick to the tire liner, you could try the "Mr. Tuffy" brand... the "Slime" brand may have more of a non-stick surface. If it's the tire the tape won't stick to, there may be talc or other similar material on the tire.
Thinking about it, I'm surprised someone doesn't make a sort of "pre-formed" molded tire liner that would stay in place...
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Old 07-27-20, 07:30 AM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by greatscott
Are you saying that Cleveland is thorn country? So what type of thorns are there?
There are some plants/bushes that produce thorns and that are in the NE. When in Cleveland and on one of my first MtB rides at Punderson Pk (before they outlawed bikes from their trails, a long time ago) I got a flat just as I was about back to the car. Turns out I had 7 woody thorns in the casing.

That family i mentioned that suffered many thorn flats, until we figured out the thorn bush along their one side, had bushes that are pretty common. Little stiff thorns about 1/4" long and act like a sewing needle to weave between the casing fibers. Andy
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Old 07-27-20, 11:25 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Miele Man
With my bad tires or worn out tires i cut the tire beads before tossing them and that way no scrounger will try to use or sell them used.

Cheers
tightwad eh?
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Old 07-27-20, 11:43 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
A suggestion that isn't the tire you should ride but one that might stop a few thorns from even getting started. Tiresavers. Small wire and plastic tube thingies you attach at the brake bolts that ride on the tire and knock objects off as the tire rolls past. There have been at least one recent thread re: them. I think they are still made and if not, they are still out there, plus you can make your own with coathanger and tube from a hardware store. Not ideal. You here them and they spray the bike in front of them with road dust, but they can stop a lot of flats, Many of used them back in the days of sew-ups. (I'd wear through the wire and rebuild them with coathanger.)

I'll go look for those posts and come back if I find them.

Ben

Edit: Well that was easy? Typed in "tiresaver" and first post:

Now I would bend the wire over the tire a little more so it fit the tire better.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post16031380

You can buy then at:

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...c/tire-wipers/
Also known as Flint Catchers.

Cheers
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Old 07-27-20, 11:45 AM
  #50  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Miele Man View Post
With my bad tires or worn out tires i cut the tire beads before tossing them and that way no scrounger will try to use or sell them used.

Cheers
tightwad eh?

Not really. Just making sure that someone doesn't unknowingly try to use a worn out tire that would be dangerous to use.

Cheers
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