Tubes Puncture Free Tire?

[Roy Carpenter]

Perhaps try two or three flatheads or other similar flat objects???

You should forget the nomore flats, tho. Buy kevlar tires, and liners for both sides of a regular inner tube. I bought a thorn-resistant tire for the back tire to be extra sure i don't have to replace it... but I'm fairly certain that a regular cheap inner tube woulda worked just fine.

Then you'll only have to check tire pressure every couple weeks... and you'll get a much smoother ride!

I've had problems with the Mr Tuffys rubbing holes in thinner tubes....the edges of the strips, especially on the end that overlaps. It just happened to my front with stock tube. Same thing happened on my back tire with a stock tube. I like these thick tubes...they're heavy, but no more wear holes from the Tuffy it's self..lol...kinda defeats the pourpose.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

After about 250 miles using the bell comfort tire with kevlar and a slime tube I got a flat. The nail that punctured my tire couldn't be any more centered than if I did it deliberately!! There was green slime everywhere and the nail had punched holes in the inner wall of the rim. I couldn't believe it. I went to walmart and picked up an airless innertube or whatever they call them. At least now I don't have to worry about the back tire going flat anymore. I figure the front tire is a quick fix, but with the motor and all in the back--NO WAY...too much headache. I haven't done anything but a test ride and the airless tube is a little loose handling but pretty normal. BTW, I probably spent an hour getting the tire and new tube mounted. I'm confident I could get the tire off without any problems.

 

[Marktur]

I got my rear tire off in about a minute with my Sears cutting tool!

I'd love to laugh and watch video of you taking off your rear tire at this point...dude, it's on there forever!

I have the No More Flats on the front only...I don't feel handling issues because the rear tire is properly filled with air, and that's where my weight is.

I think I have solved my flats problem and strongly considering going back to the balloon tires. The comfort tires just don't look right with a big gap between the fender and the tire because they're a smaller outer diameter...the rear tire - easy...the front...hmmm...maybe I'll just look for a new rim, since I know I'll have to destroy the tire to get it off.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

Uhg!!! The frustration...I went for a ride today (almost 100 miles) and two things happened. 1) I hit a "pot hole"...it was one of those funky ones where the asphalt is seemed and chips out kinda oblong. Couldn't have been more than 1 inch deep and about 8 inches long...just deep enough the tire fit down into it. BAM!! front tire survived (pneumatic), rear tire survived (obviously-airless) BUT...the rim bent <sigh> . BTW, I couldn't see it until last second. NOT MY FAULT, seriously. Anyway, I'm over it. Now i have to learn how to true my wheel. 10 miles from home and teh handling was off. Pulled off, didn't see anything, got ready to start again...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................2) front tire goes flat Pull the wheel off and check the tube. IT WAS COMING APART AT THE SEAM!!!! WTF. Tried a patch, inflated teh tire. Seemed to be holding air...got ready to start...flat. Luckily I had a spare tube and I put that on. Oh, and BTW, that was a brand new tube (250 miles). I'm gonna try one of those super heavy duty tubes. I just don't trust the no more flats on the front of the bike. I have visions of the tire peeling off because the tire didn't mount properly and I go head over heals over the handlebars at 30 MPH...no thanks.

Maybe I will make a video of me taking that tire off so I CAN LAUGHT...we'll see who gets teh last laugh. Seriously though, I think I can get it off...I just have to get the bead started...and the screwdriver thing worked for me...

 

[sparky]

Yes, it seems that the NoMoreFlats aireless tube does nothing for us on the back tire. There is too much weight on the back wheel for an airless tube.

This is my number one recommendation to anyone on any type of bicycle... get some kevlar tires, puncture resistant tubes, and liners for both sides of the tubes (tire & rim sides). The NoMoreFlats tube could never handle like a real pneumatic tube... EVER. The whole thing you need to be focusing on is how to "bulletproof" your pneumatic tube.

 

[Marktur]

Yeah, I like my setup...NMF in front, seems to be GREAT, and air in the rear...my variation has 3 layers of electrical tape over the spokes, then thick slime tube, then Mr. Tuffy liner, then Kevlar comfort tire.

I am thinking about putting the balloon tire back on the rear, just so I have a bigger tire under me. I don't think the NMF would be good with a balloon tire.

Terminal...the Kevlar is like a steel bead around the edge of the tire where it inserts into the rim I think...REALLY F'ing hard to take off. Maybe 2 guys working on it will do, but you definitely need at least 3 hands to wedge it off, then one more to get to teh next spot. For $12, I cut the tire off after about 2 hours of pure frustration and hand torture.
I'd love to see the video...but also - if you do get it, please let me know how you did it - I would actually like to go back to the big tires.

 

[KiDD]

OK! I've had 3 flats recently.
I was running stock tube and wheel and got a flat riding to get some food on my lunch, ran over a little piece of aluminum. NO big deal, I replace it with the slime tube I carry in my backpack.
I had a slime tube in the back and ran over a screw on the way to work. The very long screw was bent and punctured the tube in 3 places! I tried to patch it for over an hour and the slime just won't let you patch it! So I gave up and replaced it with the spare slime tube I carry.
The next tube I hit a small sidewalk crack (from tree branches you know?) and it pinched the tube because it wasn't inflated too full from fear of explosions!
Luckily I was only a block from my favorite bike store. I said screw the slime tires and just bought a thick thorn resistant tire. I'm going to stick with air and rubber and do what Duane suggests and just use the tubes as liner when they do eventually go flat.

The only good thing I can say about the slime tire is that you can tell where it is leaking really quickly!
I may consider buying a bottle of slime to use with the thicker tubes...

 

[sparky]

If there is one thing I will never understand... it's why people choose to buy slime tubes. It boggles my mind.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

Well, I've decided to get rid of the no more flats tube. So...I had to cut the tire off. I know, I know but after inspecting the first bead after that came off and with the damage to the steel belts, I decided it wasn't worth the effort to finishing pulling everything apart because I would not use the tire in its current condition. I still think I could have pulled it all apart, but that would require making a tool to reach into the tire once the first bead was off. So, I pulled out a pair of ****s (dykes sp?) to cut the bead, a utilitily knife to cut through the tire and it was off. I tried installing the new tire and extra thick tube with the tread from the old tire between the inner tube and the new tire, but I coudln't get it to squeeze, so I settled for one of the old innertubes that I wouldn't be using. So, now my front and rear tire have teh extra thick tubes and the 1.95 tires. I lowered teh pressure a bit and all I can say up to this point is its been my smoothest ride yet. I'm aiming for reliability. I define minimum acceptable reliability as approx 2000 miles w/o a major incident. A major incident would be defined as anything that would set me back by 20 minutes or more. I think the two big things that could set me back is a REAR tire flat because of the chain drive or motor problems. I'm not ready to give up on MBing to commute yet, but I can't be spending too much more money on it either. So I'm giving this tire-tube combo a try. 2000 miles is a lot, but not impossible...I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[ozzyu812]

more flat talk

http://www.motoredbikes.com//showthread.php?t=11625