MTB flats every ride!

[JanT]

The heavy duty thorn-resistant tubes are heavy and bulky. I tried them once, but they really didn't help much with the deadly desert cholla here in Phoenix. The thorns still get through the tube, so you have to change it, plus pack out a bulky flat tube. Slime tubes cost about the same, and will get you on your way quicker if you encounter those nasty prickly things.

[LED_now]

I'll give my thumb's up to the tire liners as well (Mr. Tuffy's) -
I haven't had a flat in 6 years!!
I probably can't remember how to fix one anymore - ... Maybe that's the down side? Still - I'll take it!

[deeonwheels]

ok ladies! help me out here, please!

i seem to get a flat EVERY time i ride my MTB! if not during the ride... it flats overnight from something getting into the tire (stickers?)

my 5 cts worth...riding in western US, "goatheads" work their way into any tire. As someone said here before, "slime rules the desert!".
Goathead holes are small, so, slimed tubes seal the air leaks just fine.
Of course, be sure to check tires after every ride - small needle nose pliers are great for removing goatheads embedded in tires.

Just in case, for those frequent flats...put the leaky tube in the tub filled with water, if that's what it takes, to determine if the air leak is located on the outside or the inside of the tube. Just to rule out the rim as the culprit.

[MomOnBike]

Back when I lived in goat-head country, I had heavy-duty tubes, AND the fore-runner to Slime. It was a bit like using suspenders and a belt, but it worked for me. I was mostly flatless during those (commuting to college) years, too.

I'll put in a plug for heavy-duty tubes. They are heavy, so you aren't going to win any races on them, but if your tire gets a big gash and the tube peeks through, it's not a crisis. DH ran for WEEKS before I got him to change out that gashed tire. (He's not real big on preventive maintenance) The tube is still going strong, thank you all the same.

[bcipam]

Cali:

I mountain bike all the time and never get flats. Are your tires worn? Check them carefully and make sure there are no cuts, nicks or debris you aren't clearing out. Are you running the tire at proper pressure? Say 35 - 40 #. Too low will cause pinch flats. There are some good tires out there (I use MutantoRaptors and love them especially for silty/sandy conditions like the So Cal Mountains) that contain Kevlar.

Stay away from Slime. OK for road tires but put enough in a mountain bike tire and the tire becomes very heavy and very sluggish. Just too much area to cover and it all piles in one spot (if the turn the wheel it immediately stop where all teh Slime is piled up - half turn, done, no more rotation). I tried it once and never again. Make sure you are using good tubes. Bless them, Performance tubes suck. Try Specialized instead.

It really sounds like you have a small sticker or glass in the tire that you haven't cleared out. When you get a flat, blow up the spent tube and check where the hole is. Find that same spot on the tire and check for debris. Each time you get a flat you should be checking to see if its the same spot. First thing first is probably buying a new tire.

[caligurl]

lol! well... i started out with specialized tubes (cuz it's a specialized!) bought the performance... cuz ya.... they are cheap and we have *knock on wood* great luck with them on the road bikes!

i'm pretty sure it's stickers.... (goatheads) causing the flats... i'm in the desert....

we looked at the tape stuff (don't think it was tuffy) at the bike shop in PS.... but waited cuz we knew we weren't gonna be mtb-ing too much till after oct 1st... and wanted to see what the closer bike shop had... unfortunately.. that visit ended up horribly (looooooong story.... i'll have to share eventually involving hubby's new "dream" bike... grrrrrrrr HATE the LBS right now!) but anyways.....)

when we get back down to PS when the bike store is open.... i think we'll pick up that tape stuff... it's only 2.125 or something like that... and my tires are 2.2... but cory (one of the bike shop guys who is a big mtb-er) said he runs them on his bike and his tires are wider than mine...

hubby doesn't want slime... so i'll not use it either... for now.. and try the tape stuff! heck... if we get further down the hill when shops are open... i'll check other stores for tuffy (maybe cylery usa will have it???) (we're thinking of driving down and doing oak glen this weekend.... so cyclery usa is right near there!)

[CorsairMac]

you can try Air-Loc.....it's the next generation Slime. It doesn't congeal like Slime does and it's lighter. I run Air-Loc in my road bikes And my MTBs and right now I have Slime in my commuter bike.

[caligurl]

i haven't seen that in the stores i've been in... but i can check if we get to go to any this weekend!