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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    120

    Question Evil goatheads--what to do??

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    I live in what must be the goathead capital of the US--the stupid things are everywhere! Not to mention broken glass and other road junk. My DH swears by Slime in his MTB tubes, but that won't work for road tires apparently. So what should I do? I haven't had a flat yet, but I just got the bike and haven't gone far (just around my neighborhood, in fact). I have heard bad things about Mr. Tuffies, so I didn't want to try those. Any other suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    socal
    Posts
    1,852
    one word.... LUCK! we also live in goathead country..... the tour de palm springs had SO MANY flats cuz of those blasted things! for roadies... luck....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Chi-town
    Posts
    3,265
    What are goatheads? I love the title of the post! Imagine you have no idea what a "goathead" is--who could resist opening such a thread?
    Run like a dachshund! Ride like a superhero! Swim like a three-legged cat!
    TE Bianchi Girls Rock

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    120
    Wow, you are so lucky that you don't know what they are! They are these big fat nasty stickers that are really hard and sharp, and are shaped like a goat's head, hence the name. They are from these short weeds that grow everywhere. They are terrible, and will puncture a tire/tube easily

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    socal
    Posts
    1,852
    nasty little, SHARP stickers... that have the shape of a goat's head.... and did i say SHARP????????????

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Posts
    1,993
    Sounds awful. Thank goodness we don't have them here. Glass and sharp tiny stones are bad enough.

    I've had good luck with the Stelvio raceguard tires that TE sells but those might not have enough protection for goatheads. Maybe Gatorskins?

    Luna Eclipse//Terry B'fly
    Luna Orbit//Sella Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    Bianchi Eros Donna//Terry Falcon
    Seven Alaris//Jett 143
    Terry Isis (Titanium)//Terry B'fly

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,867

    believe it or not...

    There's a website called:

    http://www.goatheads.com/

    They ARE nasty looking. Ouch.

    Karen

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts
    1,104
    When our neighbor across the street saw us out for one of the first times on our new bikes, he came over and chatted with us a while. Paul maintains bikes for the local police force bike unit (when he's not out protectnig our fair city!) Goat heads are evil here too (think 8 punctures in five minutes riding....) I'm not sure exactly what the force rides, but Paul says since he got Armadillo tires (Specialized) for all 16 bikes, he fixes like 30 flats a summer instead of at least 30 a week. He did also recommend the slime. Dunno if he puts that in skinny tires, but then, I don't know if he's got skinny tires he's tending...

    (he also recommended slicks, but DH hasn't listened...)

    Karen in Boise

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,548
    Karen,
    we took our kids to the Weiser, Idaho old time fiddle festival one year and took their bikes along so they'd have something to do. As we were setting up camp, we gave the kids their bikes and said, go have fun. They were both back in 5 minutes with flat tires. After several more flat tire incidents my husband eventually bought tire liners and flat tube foam (I forget the name of it). My sons also got better at avoiding the goathead weeds.
    They are fairly easy to see once you get to know them (ouch, I have) they are very low to the ground and kind of lacy in their habit.
    They don't seem to like the cool climate here thank goodness
    Mimi Team TE BIANCHISTA
    for six tanks of gas you could have bought a bike.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    the foggy wetlands,los osos,ca
    Posts
    2,860
    Road through a field once, flatend both my tires. That was my first experience and thank goodness the last. It is a pain to try and get them out of your tires.
    Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
    > Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    somewhere between the Red & Rio Grande
    Posts
    5,297
    I use Continental Gatorskins on my bike. While I have not encountered anything that nasty, these tires are tough. I have only flatted once on the road it is was due to under inflated tires, not a puncture. I believe the Armadillos are a little thicker, but I have heard the Gatorskins are easier to change a flat on. You may want to look into one of those two types of tires.
    Amanda

    2011 Specialized Epic Comp 29er | Specialized Phenom | "Marie Laveau"
    2007 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Road | Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow | "Miranda"


    You don't have to be great to get started, but you do have to get started to be great. -Lee J. Colan

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    socal
    Posts
    1,852
    and you don't want to be around anyone when you step on one with barefeet! or at least don't want to hear what comes out of their mouth cuz of the pain!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    SW US
    Posts
    423
    I have armadillos on my bike and have never flatted in over 1k miles with them. Which means I'll be a disaster if I ever actually GET a flat !

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Pendleton, OR
    Posts
    782
    I've had 2 goatheads (on different occasions) with my slime tubes. I pulled out the goathead, spun the tire a bit, filled it with CO2 and was on my way. And, yes, that's on a road bike. One goathead puncture was so bad that the slime literally squirted out the hole. But that slime took care of it. That was actually last month, and I'm still on the same tube and tire. In fact, I did a century on it yesterday!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts
    1,104
    Yup, Aint Doody, that slime is good stuff when it comes to goat head punctures! I ended up putting a new tube in the day I had eight at once, cuz next day the tire was flat again. Since then, though, the slime has taken care of the holes every time! I have some slime goobers on the outsides of my tires too, just little gobbets. Once I learned the trick of inflating the tire with the valve at the top of the tire, the slime isn't escaping thru the valve and clogging that anymore either!

    Karen in Boise

 

 

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