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Ok....I commute every day XC only approx 8 miles but I like it..
I have been lazy and haven't bothered to take off my Schwalbe marathon slicks ( from a long distance ride in Ireland last year)....
Until this morning
When I decided due to the possibility of snow - I'd better go for the knobblies.
NP swapped the wheels off I go.
Two puntures later and some scary mid countryside tube changes in the dark ooooooerrr I arrive home.
Now - I do not want this to happen too often.
What does everyone else use to minimize puntures...is there a tyre tape that protects the toobs???
What happened to my c's...puncture not punture
😳
Does anyone use slime? I used it in my motorbike - a sudden puncture on a roundabout with your knee down isn't fun!
Same stuff should work on MTBs. Basically you take the valve out, add the slime and pump up. When ever there is a puncture the slime fills the hole. I wouldn't ride on it repeatedly but it would save on the trail punctures.
Talc powder. Liberal coating of it on the inside of the tyre wall and over the tube, works for me. Obviously won't stop thorns though...
I use Slime tubes (as not tubeless)on both my bikes as for ever coming out to find one wheel or another flat. Been in around 1yr and no problems, only down side is you have to get your pressure right as if you need to let them down at all the slime comes out 😯
What does everyone else use to [s]minimize[/s] eliminate puntures..?
UST!
Does anyone use slime? I used it in my motorbike - a sudden puncture on a roundabout with your knee down isn't fun!
Do you really think Slime will protect you from the sort of puncture that would cause a sudden deflation?
In 30+ years of riding I've only ever had 1 blow-out on a motor bike - proper scary stuff on a RD350 at speed - I can't imagine Slime would have fixed that.
Anyway to answer the OP
Ghetto tubeless is the best/cheapest puncture prevention system I know of.
what knobbly tyres did you put on???
if you didnt have an issue with your marathons then it must be your new tyre choice,
maybe get something with with better puncture protection,
I and a few friends use slime, gone from a puncture every other ride to a punture once a year 🙂 Does bung up the valve occasionally, but if you want to let some air out, just leave the valve at the 10 or 2 O-Clock position for a few minutes. Even when you do get a puncture, you tend to have enough time to find somewhere convenient to stop rather than in the middle of a muddy field in the wind.
GF's latest bike has tubeless, and although it is very resistant to punctures, its a little more faff due to tyres going soft if the bike isn't ridden for a week or two, and when we do get punctures, the sealant has usually balled up. Plus swapping tyres is messy with tubeless sealant, whilst with Slime'd tubes you can change tyres in front of the TV on the carpet 🙂
I use Panaracer Fltaway strips. Stick them inside your tyre. I've not had a puncture in over two years using these. At less than £10 per wheel it's a lot cheaper, and a lot less messing around than any of the tubeless suggestions.
UST!! no! more! punctures!
Jenga - I reckon ghetto tubeless is around £5-6 per wheel if you use good tubes
More like £3 with cheapy ones