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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Glendale, Arizona
    Posts
    231

    tube and tire questions

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    I'm new to road cycling, but have been mountain biking for a few years. My mtb bike has slime tubes, which have saved me endless grief on the trails here in Phoenix. The question:
    Does anyone use slime tubes for the road?
    I got a flat from a stupid staple, of all things, that with slime, I could pump , spin the wheel, and ride on.
    Next question: Does anyone know how road tires hold up on the unpaved portions of the canals? There's about 5 miles of unpaved portion of the Arizona Canal that I'd like to ride, but I'm not sure if the little gravelly rocks will slice the tires.
    Thanks for any and all input.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Sillycon Valley, California
    Posts
    4,872
    Some tires are tougher than others - Panaracer Pasela TG, Rivendell Ruffy Tuffies, Continenal Gatorskins. All these guys have some kind of belt that helps prevent flats (I call my Pasellas bomb proof, I've had 3 flats in 4 years). As opposed to what I call tissue paper tires - Michelin Race something or others. I have a friend who rides the Michelins - one day she had 7 flats! You might also check out cyclocross tires.

    Can't help with the slime question, I've never used it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    On my bike
    Posts
    2,505
    Yes, you can get road tubes with slime. Check your LBS or on line.
    To train a dog, you must be more interesting than dirt.

    Trek Project One
    Trek FX 7.4 Hybrid

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Glendale, Arizona
    Posts
    231

    Thanks!

    Thanks for the information. My next tires will have the kevlar, and if that doesn't solve the flat problem, I'll add slime tubes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    On my bike
    Posts
    2,505
    I'd go with the slime now. It's too hot to change flats!
    To train a dog, you must be more interesting than dirt.

    Trek Project One
    Trek FX 7.4 Hybrid

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    247

    Flat Tire Virginity gone!

    Had a flat yesterday, tho in controlled conditions (the garage.)

    I managed to change it myself!! no help no one around. Actually it was easy.

    Only thing is I'm bummed because it was new Gatorskin tires I thought they were supposed to be better!!! grrrrr

    I just today thought about getting Slime tubes. Sounds like a good idea!
    Crediamo in te, bici!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    898
    I could be wrong about this but I believe that the Gatorskins have the kevlar belt around the sidewalls, to prevent sidewall cuts, not around the tread. Doesn't make much sense to me, but that's what I was told. Anyone know for sure???

    I know flats are a pain, but I try to think of every flat as a chance to improve my flat-changing ability. First time I changed one, I bet it took me a good 25-30 minutes. Now it takes around 5 - 10 minutes (if I don't have to patch a tube.) But think of how many flats I've changed over the past 16 years!! I'm up to 6 for this season....... yikes!

    annie
    Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived." Captain Jean Luc Picard

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    247
    You are correct re: the kevlar on the gatorskins. Its all very frustrating if you ask me.
    Crediamo in te, bici!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    michigan
    Posts
    377
    I just got as flat from a stable this weekend too! Actually first, I managed to pull the valve out of the tire (before the start of a tour/ride). That was my first ever tire change. All went well, slow, but well. The next morning, the same tire is flat. I pull it apart and find a pin hole. So now I patch it and again the next morning, it is flat! I either missed another hole or did a bad job with the patch. I'm gonna try again in the morning, then I will keep that tube for a spare. At least now I am not afraid of having to change a flat on my own!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    On my bike
    Posts
    2,505
    My last tires are Continental Grand Prix 4 season. They were a little expensive, but well worth it. I run a tube with slime also. The bike paths around here can have cactus in them from people hauling debris & not covering it with a tarp. All kinds of stuff litters the sides of roads!

    Anyway, you know that middle strip of rubber that new tires have? That little skinny strip that usually wears off right away? It took several hundred miles for my front tire to wear out that strip! That's how good these are. They are really nice in slick conditions too - like fine sand & rain.

    So, I'm a Conti fan. I also like the way they handle - very responsive.
    To train a dog, you must be more interesting than dirt.

    Trek Project One
    Trek FX 7.4 Hybrid

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Glendale, Arizona
    Posts
    231
    How long (mileage) do good tires last?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    On my bike
    Posts
    2,505
    Mileage depends on how you ride,where you ride, how much you weigh, etc. My back tires last me ~2,000 -2,500 miles. Front tires last ~ 3,000 to 3,500. I replace them when (1) I start flatting a lot and/or (2) they become flat on the rubber to road side & the tread can no longer be seen easily.
    To train a dog, you must be more interesting than dirt.

    Trek Project One
    Trek FX 7.4 Hybrid

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    165
    I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Having just changed another flat on the rear tire, I NEED to know what a slime tube is!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    9,324
    Slime tubes have this green goo inside them. When you get a puncture the goo fills in the hole. I have gotten one flat while using slime tubes. I knew I had hit something, but didn't get a flat while riding. I got home parked the bike, looked at it a couple of hours later and had a totally deflated tube. The goo filled the hole, but once I stopped moving the tire did eventually go flat. That's okay with me. Changing a tube in the comfort of my home is a lot easier than doing it on the road.

    They are heavier than regular tubes. But I certainly don't notice the difference. I replaced the slime tube with a regular one as that was all I had.

    V.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    165
    Does the green goo get on the tire at all or make any kind of mess? Or does it stay inside the tube?

    Someone recommended using the spray in sealer they sell for auto tires, but others have told me to ignore that advice because of the mess it makes.

    Thanks.

 

 

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