Avoiding patching a tube (anatomy of a flat)

On Fri, 01 May 2009 08:59:58 -0400, dgk wrote:

[---]

I'm using the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. They really are very flat
resistant, but I pay for it with rolling resistance.

Is it really that noticeable?

When I lived in Arizona, I would always have flats from thorns, and
the thorn resistant tubes did not do much good. One day I met someone
who had something called "tire savers" basically a small wire that ran
against the tire, and knocked things off the tire before the tire hit
the ground again. It was the difference between night and day. I have
not seen them for sale lately although I think I bought some at bike
nashbar at one time. You could easily make your own. Actually, I think
I will do a google search, and see what I come up with.

Tom

In article ,
dgk writes:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:52:33 -0500, Mr. Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:40:43 -0700, (Tom Keats)
wrote:

To the best of my knowledge, tire casings
are always penetrated with a quick, forceful stab with
a sharp object that's long enough to go through outer
rubber and interior casing in one decisive, fatal go.
Like a goathead thorn.

But not in wet conditions. On a dry tire the force of the wheel
spinning will generally throw off debris before it can puncture and
start worming it's way in. However, a wet tire will hold on to said
debris and allow it to penetrate further with every roll.

I'd say over 80% of my flats are dluring wet conditions.

Yes, I've also found that wet conditions are much more conducive to
flats. But not always the wet day. I seem to get flats a few days
later. Needs more study.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Nuthin' like another excuse to ride more.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

On Fri, 01 May 2009 22:31:17 +0200, Andrew Price
wrote:

On Fri, 01 May 2009 08:59:58 -0400, dgk wrote:

[---]

I'm using the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. They really are very flat
resistant, but I pay for it with rolling resistance.

Is it really that noticeable?


I don't know. I can't do an a/b test so I use it as an excuse when
kids whizz past me. But when I first mounted them I do recall thinking
that it was tougher to pedal. I'm old, the bikes old, so who can tell?