Puncture protection on bikes

libertysurf

Hi all – love it if you could help here with advice. … We cycle the Chilterns and we’ve been getting a number of punctures recently and would love to hear of any advice on better tyres to get.
We already have slime inner tubes, and the same company’s inner liner for tyres, but still the punctures get through.
It’s putting us off going out for rides as a family when ½ an hour is wasted changing by the roadside/ hillside.
We even had a puncture this morning….:eek:
Thanks a lot!

Billy-no-Money

The tyres supplied with new bikes are often shockingly poor at puncture protection - that's partly because good tyres aren't cheap. I don't know the Chilterns but suspect flints are the big problem there.

The most bulletproof tyre out there (OK, not literally) is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus, which can be had for about £20 each - others that come close include various forms of Bontrager Hardcase. If most of the punctures you're getting are on the rear it might be enough just to upgrade the rears for now.

Have a look on some of the cycling forums, e.g. cyclechat - the choice can be bewildering!

Personally I think it's scandalous that bikes are sold to newcomers with tyres which offer virtually no resistance to punctures - it's possible to ride for thousands of miles with no problem, but not on most stock tyres.

sequence

Good tyres will solve 90% of the problem! But good tyres are not cheap, you'll be looking at around £50 for a decent set of tyres.

Slime this and that is all a gimmick in my opinion, I wouldn't bother with them.


P.S I haven't had a puncture in a year (approx 4000 miles) !

libertysurf

sequence wrote: »

I haven't had a puncture in a year (approx 4000 miles) !

Wow! What is your secret please!

Scooby_Doo.

libertysurf wrote: »

Wow! What is your secret please!

Decent tyres.;)

libertysurf

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

I don't know the Chilterns but suspect flints are the big problem there.

Yes, you are right. And we do canal tow paths but surprisingly no punctures from that. Roads and woods instead.

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

The most bulletproof tyre out there (OK, not literally) is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus, which can be had for about £20 each - others that come close include various forms of Bontrager Hardcase. If most of the punctures you're getting are on the rear it might be enough just to upgrade the rears for now.

Thanks for the specifics - very helpful indeed. And yes, rear tyres go: the more difficult to change, naturally!

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

Have a look on some of the cycling forums, e.g. cyclechat - the choice can be bewildering!

I will do that. I came to MSE since it has the best people on board

Thanks again.

libertysurf

Scooby_Doo. wrote: »

Decent tyres.;)

Mmmmm.....
And the ones you use are.... a secret!

custardy

have you fully checked the tyre doesnt have any thorns in it?
you can often get a small thorn remaining in the tyre and then catching the tube again and again

rev_henry

The secondhand bike I've just bought has slime and Schwalbe Marathon Pluses fitted. The guy I bought it off said he got several punctures in the first 6 months of owning the bike, then changed to this and had none for 2 years until he sold the bike to me. So I guess it is the way to go.

On my old bike I got about 5 punctures in about 2 weeks. I only managed to stop this by fitting new tubes and tyres. Don't really see the point in repairing tubes as you can get new ones from wilkos for about £2.

Gloomendoom

Have you considered solid tyres?

Greentyre

bigjl

The cycle response unit uses tyres that have a reinforced section .
I think you can get them in Evans or Decathlon, but i don't know the name.

I take the kids out on paths beside the River Thames and we have only.got a few punctures but our bikes are mountain bikes.

As others have said it may be down to poor quality tyres, i am changing the tyres on my bike this year. But not bothering on the kids bikes as they are getting new ones. But i am going to consider getting better tyres from the off.