Help! Punctures! Please give me your advice!

[LikeClockwork]

Fitted a lot of slime tubes to hire bikes over the years, ones that had to go along a cycle track that had blackthorn hedging all along it. Council/farmer would regularly cut it back later in the year....

Pump up before each ride, and check pressure regularly, and I was taught to do the spinning it round thing, to distribute the gunk, it does work and you'd be surprised what it can cope with! (Bar slashy bits of bottle glass, but that's not your problem by sounds of it) Schwalbe puncture guard tyres are good too but maybe a little unnecessary if you find the slime works for you?? Good luck!

 

[Moosey Moose]

Thanks LikeClockwork, will give the slime thing a go.

 

[feetabix]

They work really well........they will need replacing every 18 months or so though.......I keep a bike permanently fitted with them in case I go anywhere near a canal tow path.......

 

[benjy]

Last time me an a mate want down tow path he got about 8 thorons in one tyre i had none. Main things difrent were he had tyres with large gaps between studs an lower presure. Think i got away with it as i had some cheap tyres with a solid center an studs were realy close so thorns would need to go though them. Or i was just super lucky ha ha

 

[Pyro Tim]

I hated slime, and they sealed the valves, so couldn't inflate when needed

 

[Carge]

Have used SlimeTubes on the towpath bike, as there's a liberal sprinkling of thorns on a fairly regular basis, and I'm happy with em.
Yes they are a bit heavier - but it's better training for the legs
And you actually get to ride... not fix flats!

 

[LikeClockwork]

Would add, don't go for cheaper brands/copies, go for the original green Slime branded ones, or you may encounter problems with blocked valves, etc. Also buy them with it already in, don't buy the bottled stuff and try putting it in yourself!! And be careful not to pinch it against rim when inflating...did that once...not good....

Oh, and Happy New Year by the way! :facepalm:

 

[frank.youngman]

I have gone over to tubeless for mountain bike tyres,using the Stans No Tubes system.I have the same problem living in Devon:the farmers thrash the thorns and brambles out of the hedge and onto the lanes.

The first bike I did was a no-brainer in that it came with tubeless ready rims to which I fitted a tubeless valve,tubeless ready tyres and two scoops of liquid sealant.I realised at the end of this summer that I had gone two years without a puncture.With this system when a thorn penetrates all you get is a little squiggle of white sealant on the outside of the tyre and then it dries and seals.

When I did my 1991 Cannondale Beast this year I used a pair of modern Ground control tyres and old style Mavic 237 rims.I used a Stans sealing strip and valve plus two scoops of sealant and this has worked well.The conversion held air right from the off and obviously I have had no punctures.The advantage is that the extra weight of the sealing strip and sealant is offset by the removal of the inner tube.

 

[Moosey Moose]

Cheers Everybody,
Have ordered some of the original green Slime tubes to try, if I still manage to get the thorns into these then I will go to the tubeless option.
Will let you know how things progress.
Thanks
Rachael.

 

[The History Man]

Cheers Everybody,
Have ordered some of the original green Slime tubes to try, if I still manage to get the thorns into these then I will go to the tubeless option.
Will let you know how things progress.
Thanks
Rachael.

By reading this thread have I jinxed my ride? :facepalm:

How different do they feel or is the weight immaterial for the larger gentleman?