i'm tired of flat tires, damn it! bike riding in the city.

[mopinko]

every time i start to get in the groove of riding my bike, i get a flat tire. i dumped my last bike, a cheapie that i bought used, because the tires were going flat every other ride. i replaced tubes and tires, and still they went flat. it wasn't worth investing in new rims. my daughter had a nice bike that she never rode, so i bought that from her. then she decided to ride to work. so she is off on MY bike pretty much every day. fine. it's good for her.
but i went out for a ride tonight and- flat tire.
city riding is hard on bikes. but damn. we can put a man on the moon, but we can't make a tough enough for the city bike tire?!
some days it seems like everything in my life turns to shit sooner or later. the more i like it, the sooner.

[DS1]

1. you can get kevlar tires now

a bit heavier, but they'll probably go through a lot of what's puncturing your current tires a lot better

[mopinko]

2. wow. armadillo tires!

you have made the world a better place. i hate bike rides that end with a long walk home. they are a little more than regular tires, but not THAT much. i'm gonna get some. whew. thanks.

[Shine]

3. sorry about that, mopinko. flat tires suck.

Been there, done that. :hug:


Good for you for gettin' out there for a ride, though! :thumbsup:

[mopinko]

4. yeah, especially since i started riding as an alternative

to homicide. although those long walks home are disappointing, they are usually tiring enough to cool me out. winters are long in chicago, tho.

[Omphaloskepsis]

5. I ride my bike everywhere and I get tons of flats.

Now I keep a spare tube, that little plastic lever, and pump in my bag. I have the wheels that don't need any wrenches to remove. I can change a tube in about ten minutes. And the kit barely takes up any space.

[mopinko]

6. check this out-

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipTiresArmadillo
i'm getting these.
i used to have that stuff. but i feel too old to sit on the side of the road farting around with my tires. at least in chicago, if it is THAT far, you can take your bike on the buses and trains.

[Omphaloskepsis]

9. I will look into those for my fixie... (the one that I ride long distances)

Fixed gear bikes are crazy, but a lot of fun. But, I need wrenches to change the tubes on that bike..

I have this one: http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/925.html



It is a very nice bike.


But my ride ten blocks to the store bike cost me twenty bucks. I don't really want to spend 40$ for tires right now. I can get a new tube for 2$.

[EFerrari]

7. I haven't had a bike in years and don't remember how to fix flats.

I have two in my Amazon cart, though, because the park is so handy and I see so many people riding around here.

Can you get AAA for cycling?

[mopinko]

11. people who cycle in san fran-

:crazy: ??
for fun, i'm sure it is great. you can go where you want. but to get places, and to have to navigate those hills? my legs hurt just thinking about it.
like i said, in chicago, all the buses have a bike rack in the front. the trains now have a car that has an area with no seats for either wheel chairs or bikes. there is halfway decent bus service in and out of the burbs, too. so i can't get completely stranded. but...

who knows, tho, look around. maybe some smart cookie DOES offer roadside assistance in san fran.

[qnr]

8. I used to live in Nevada... broken bottles and goatheads everywhere. I bought

a set of tires made by Amerityre about 5 years ago, and they're still running fine. It's a closed-cell polyurethane foam tire (not something you insert into your tire, it's the whole tire....) it's great, I never have to worry about a flat, and I've put about 4,000 miles on the bike since I bought them.

http://www.amerityre.com/index2.cfm?group=tech

[mopinko]

12. ok, i like these a lot.

walking home with DH we were discussing the wisdom of something like this. we figured someone had to be doing this. i may even get a pair for my old bike, which i am attached to, just tired of putting money in it.

[Kali]

10. get some no mor flats or similar

http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/flatfreetires.html

[seemunkee]

13. 3 years on sewups without a flat

haven't had any on the fixie either, guess I''m just lucky.

[bedpanartist]

14. too many trashy assholes throwing malt-liquor bottles out the window

I feel ya'. I've popped two in the last two weeks and am going to upgrade to some nobbier tires. My gf never has those kind of problems on her mountain bike while riding the streets.

[bikebloke]

15. Flats are a drag

Flats are part of biking, but you can decrease the frequency.(I hate finding them in the morning when I'm about to take off for work - the hurry repair ruins the day)

There's a liner, called Tuffy, you put between the tube and tire. That will protect you from glass and thorns, maybe a tack or two.

Keep your tires pumped up hard. Many flats are caused by pinches. And beware of those steel plates lying in the road without a little asphalt to smooth the sharp corners.

My regular tire brand Continental recently discontinued a good trekking tire (Top Touring 2000)that I've used for years. I've bought a replacement model (Contact), but it doesn't appear as sturdy. And I'll experiment with another brand.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/

It was reviewed as bomb proof. And feels it, but I won't install it until I've worn out my stock of Continentals.

[bullwinkle428]

16. Just started running Specialized Armadillo slicks on my mountain bike -

I do nearly all of my riding on the road, but haven't really used them long enough to get a true sense of their durability. I've had no problems so far over a couple of weeks, and they are a fast-rolling tire.

[mopinko]

17. wow. thanks for all the feedback.

sometimes it is the little things that make your day suck. like a flat tire. i am very grateful for all these options. now, at least, i feel less helpless.
i like the foam ones, especially the yellow ones.
now i just have to figure out which ones to buy!
thanks all.

[mopinko]

18. kicking this thread because i can't find my size.

none of the tires suggested in this thread seem to be my size. i have an old bike that i was going to junk, but if i can get flat free tires for it, i will give it one more chance. that and my daughter has taken to riding the bike that i bought from her, because she never rode it.
so, i need a pair of 26 x 1.75, and a pair of 26 x 2.1. is there some sort of conversion chart that i am missing, or are both of these uncommon sizes?

[mopinko]

19. kicking for the daytime crowd. nt

[AllegroRondo]

20. have you tried slime?

Its a green goo you put into your tires before you inflate them, that fills in any small holes so you dont have to replace the tube each time. I used it for years on my touring bike. The tires may still go flat, but wait a few minutes, re-inflate, and they are usually good to go.