Selecting new tires

[Melalvai]

I don't patch. I don't know if it's me or what, but I've even had formal training in patching, and my patches still don't hold air. Like you described, they slowly leak. So I just use new tubes. I don't get many flats. Maybe one or two a year. So it's not that expensive to always use a new tube.

[Jo-n-NY]

Just another idea no matter what the tire. We put Mr. Tuffy's in between the tire and tube on all our road bikes. I also keep a piece of Mr. Tuffy in my under seat bag just incase the tire gets a slit. A dollar bill works for this also, but you never just in case the piece of Mr. Tuffy is always there. Flat are far and few with these.

[Dogmama]

I also just replace the tubes. I hate flats. Plus, I can NEVER find the darn hole even with inflating it & dunking it in water. Grrr...

Tires - I swear by Continental 4 seasons. A bit pricey, but I love that they have a bit of tread (great for that fine layer of sand that you don't see & scream through) and they really seem to hold up well. My LBS said they're the last "real rubber" tire - whatever that means. I just know that they hold up well with the AZ nasties that AZFiddle illuminated on. Oh - and don't forget jumping cactus pods in the bike lane. Must be the season for jumping cactus to shed or something