Opinions/suggestions re: tire liners and/or tubeless tires ...?

Question

Anyone have any experience with tire liners (such as Spin Skins) or tubeless tires in order to prevent flat tires during a ride? Are they a good investment? Any pros/cons that you'd like to share? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

The big con with these products is that they add a ton of weight to the wheel. Wheel weight makes a big difference because it is rotational weight. The biggest difference you can make on a bike is adding lighter wheels. Adding these liners just increases the mass by a large amount. I've had customers use them, with moderate success. Flats are still possible and remain a fact of life.

Answer 2

I get the feeling that many of the responders have never changed a tubless tire. Unless you have the proper tools for breaking down the tire, forget it because you'll never get the bead broke loose. Nearly all rear tubeless rims have an automotive style safety bead, a small raised ridge set back maybe 3/8" from the wheel shoulder. It's there so that if you have a flat, the tire stays on the wheel rather than coming loose and wallowing around on the rim. Have a flat at speed and it's the rear one that will dump you in a ditch faster than a flat on the front. I once had a sudden blow out from something that cut an inch long hole in the tread. I slowly rode the full dress bike nearly a mile on a field road to get back to my house. While the rear did wallow around some, the tire never came off of the rim. To break the bead on a safety rim, you need a $50 Harbor Freight bead breaker or a hand held one shaped like a very large, dull chisel. The latter is hard to use, the former easy. Tubeless tire dimensions are no different than tube style, it's the rims that are different. Tubeless are easier because you don't have a tube to stuff in there and possibably pinch. However, if the tire has been stored on its side with other tires stored on top, the sidewalls can be mashed together and you'll never get the the beads to mate up to the wheel enough to take air. You then must use the old starting fluid and torch striker to ignite the starting fluid enough to explode, popping the wire onto the rim. You need to be careful because if you go pounding on a mag wheel, you can bust them and then you have junk. You also have to be careful when laying the wheel down or working on it because you can slightly warp the brake disc.

Answer 3

You cannot prevent flats. You can only hope to minimize them, and this means riding wisely and avoiding the situations that cause them. Buy reasonably tough tires, thicker tubes, and don't ride underinflated.

The liners are heavy, will increase rolling resistance and make the bike feel sluggish. That said, if you're just going out for casual rides, they work pretty well. I have a set of custom made snow tires made with 200 #6x1/2" stainless steel phillps pan head sheet metel screws per tire. I use the Tuffy liners so the heads don't wear on the tube, and have not had a flat in ten years with that set up. But since the tires weigh three pounds a piece and I ride them in snow, the weight and rolling resistance are not an issue.

I don't recommend tubeless tires. While you _can_ run lower inflation with them, they still go flat. Fixing a tubless tire on the trail is nearly impossible even with a 20 oz CO2 cartridge, unless you bring a tube with you. Then so much for the benefits of tubless tires. Not only that but you have to have tubless tires _and_ tubless rims, and there are compatibilty issues between brands.

Answer 4

Tire liners work great. They won't eliminate flats, but will reduce them. But it is a bit more difficult getting the tire back on the rim when you do get a flat. I've never tried tubeless tires, but I would guess they would add a lot of weight to the bike and probably would have a lot more rolling resistance, thereby slowing you down.

I didn't have good luck with the slime tubes. I tried one once and the tire didn't even get up to pressure before the tube blew a hole in it. And then, it didn't even seal the puncture as advertised. They might be OK for mountain bikes, but not for high pressure road bikes.

Answer 5

the dirt bike paths i used to ride were nothing but 6 flats a day! i tried the liner and my flats dropped to 3 a day. then i found "slime". its a green goo you put in your tire prior to filling with air. you find a nail, tack or goat head sticker in your tire, just pull it out spin the tire several times and re inflate to the proper pressure and your on your way. i haven't had a flat sense.

Answer 6

We have Mr. Tuffys in every bike we own. I commuted by bike for several years and only had three flats during that time...two of which were my "fault" due to over or under inflation, only one true puncture or cut. I recommend them highly!