Puncture-resistant tyres for friction drives

[mifletz]

Does fitting anti-puncture linings to the inside of the tyre affect the performance/flexibility/tyre-inner tube longevity/wheel balance/rolling resistance/roller contact/heat build up/road adhesion etc, up in any adverse way?

Are self-sealing inner tubes with anti-puncture material in them any good against thorns?

Is it worth fitting both?

(The puncture-resistant Kevlar tyres are $100+ each in Israel).

 

[cpuaid]

i have my rear 26" tire with the special extra slime innertube, not the standard slime tube or manual fill slime tube. i ran over a medium size 1" nail and didn't even notice until i had green stuff all over my drive roller. the tube didn't quickly deflate as with a non-slimed one and was only slightly low. 200 miles later and it's still holding air without being re-inflated. they say slime in the front tube may cause excessive vibrations so I left my front wheel nonslimed. i put the slimed wheel on a regular bike flipped upside down and spun it... you can see it being really out of balance. i really don't notice it on my friction drive bike.

 

[Tinker1980]

I put a tire liner between the tire and tube on the tire I installed on my friction drive bike, and after very little riding, the liner had disintegrated into a bunch of pieces about as big as my finger.

HOWEVER, these liners are about 15 years old... I think that new ones would hold up better.

 

[Bill555]

When ever I've tried using liners on the rear tire, I've had problems with flats where the tire liner overlaps itself.

 

[Esteban]

I believe that just a good quality tire, & a good tube, not a cheap one, is pretty good protection.

 

[motorbikemike45]

I put a Specialized Bikes Armadillo Hemisphere kevlar tire on the rear of my friction drive bike. The tread lasted over a year (7 month riding season here) but has begun to crack and open at the low point of the tread where the rubber is thinnest. I feel the tire on a friction drive bike can last TOO LONG. The extreme flex where the tire must bend to conform to the roller will ruin a quality tire eventually. My advice is to use a cheaper tire, wear it out, toss it, and accept the fact of life that friction drive wears out tires. I don't use slime, liners, or anything else other than good quality tubes. I've had one flat in 3 years. Most flats are a pinched tube from installation.

 

[cpuaid]

i have to agree with motorbikemike45 on using cheaper tires for friction drives. they all do have a tendency to crack on the sidewalls before all of the treads are gone. i think i am one of the few riders who uses their bikes as a primary daily mode of transportation. it's not uncommon for me to put 500 miles a month on my motorized bikes (thats why i use 3 bikes/motorized kits on a rotational basis). i get punctures from slivers of metal from who knows what, braided metal strands, shards of broken glass, nails, etc..., on a monthly basis. when you're commuting @ 5 AM daily and it's pitch dark and you're speeding at an average of 30 MPH... you're not going to be able to avoid small things on the road that can give your tubes a puncture. I still stand by my assessment of using heavy duty slimed tubes on the rear wheel. that little $12 investment will prevent you a lot of grief in the long run. my $12 heavy duty slimed rear tube has outlasted 3 tires, all due to split or cracking sidewalls.

 

[Happy Valley]

When ever I've tried using liners on the rear tire, I've had problems with flats where the tire liner overlaps itself.

I experienced a similar problem with pinch flats, the tube gets pinched where the tire liner laps as it passes under the drive spindle.

I found through trial and error two things that cure that.

First I found it was critical to always overlap the liner with the long end of the lap next to the underside of the tread oriented toward the front of the bike.
Next was going with thick thorn resistant tubes also. The thicker rubber won't get pinched under the liner lap.

3000 miles and no more problems.

 

[Slackbiker]

I have found that thorn resistant tubes seem to be the most critical element.

 

[Steve M.]

Unfortunately the Armadillo tires have a tendency to crack on the sides well before the tread is worn down, which is why I have been reluctant to buy another one for the rear of my friction drive bike. This happened on a set I had on a non powered bike years ago too.

Here in the desert slime is a way of life due to the thorns, so my usual drill on any bike is to put thorn resistant tubes front & rear, slime, and a Mr Tuffy. The cheap tires are actually better than the expensive ones because they're thicker rubber. Kevlar in the tires means nothing to the thorns, as they are sharp enough to penetrate anything that's woven. So far so good.