Hi Embellina,

I carry a patch kit as well as two tubes. It's easier to patch, and you never know if the stem on the new tire is going to hold. I've had _three_ blow there, as soon as installed, and am now riding with a double -patched tube that has well over 2000 miles on it! So they _can_ last nicely.

On my spare bike, which was BF's old bike, it's a GT mountain bike with road tires on it, which he used for several years of triathlon, which I then got and put about 500 road miles on (before getting my own bike)- I just changed the tires a few weeks ago. They met most of the conditions on momonbike's checklist- worn _flat_, no tread at all, gray sidewall with wires sticking out, large nicks, a huge bumpity place on one of them- but they were still going strong. Now that I've changed them, I can't get the brakes adjusted for the new wider tires and can't ride the bike at all until I get it in the shop.

So they _can_ last a long time. But maybe if you're having problems with thorns, you might want to try Gatorskins or Armadillos or something.

Nanci