Tire Liners for Puncture Resistance

[MikeD]

Interesting test on Bicycle Rolling Resistance https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...nt-tire-liners

I've got these Rene-Herse tires that are not at all puncture resistant. I had a twig (first time ever) about 3/16" in diameter, not at all sharp, go through the tread and puncture the tire/tube! I figure if I add a Mr. Tuffy tire liner (rated highly according to the BRR test) to the rear tire only (seems I only get rear flats), that will be worth it. According to the BRR test, addition of the liner almost doubles the puncture resistance while adding about 2 watts of rolling resistance and about 60g of weight. Seems reasonable, I guess. I've done the tubeless thing and am not going back to that. I've never used or felt I needed tire liners before, but with these tires... Thoughts?

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Interesting test on Bicycle Rolling Resistance https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...nt-tire-liners

I've got these Rene-Herse tires that are not at all puncture resistant. I had a twig (first time ever) about 3/16" in diameter, not at all sharp, go through the tread and puncture the tire/tube! I figure if I add a Mr. Tuffy tire liner (rated highly according to the BRR test) to the rear tire only (seems I only get rear flats), that will be worth it. According to the BRR test, addition of the liner almost doubles the puncture resistance while adding about 2 watts of rolling resistance and 50g of weight. Seems reasonable, I guess. I've done the tubeless thing and am not going back to that. I've never used or felt I needed tire liners before, but with these tires... Thoughts?

I used some liners decades ago. They broke apart and were more trouble than they were worth. Just my tiny experience.

[robt57]

And as far as feel on the road, and rotational weight if you are fussy like me...

The weight added is nuts, I'd rather bring extra tires with me. Yeah, and they got wet and rotted so that when I did have to fix a flat, they weren't going back in. And once the bits left behind caused a tube to flat. Maybe I left them in too long, dunno. But I was commuting. I'd pick the right tires for the job, there are lots that are pretty flat resistant.

Do certain ones rot slower? Do I recall which ones I've used? Dunno and don't recall, sorry.

[KonaSS]

Haven't had good luck with those in the past either. Pulling from the tire rotation thread, maybe buy a more durable tire for the rear and only use those as a front tire.

[bigbill]

When I started gravel racing and didn't have tubeless, I used Mr Tuffys and they saved me on numerous occasions. The only thing I noticed was the Tuffy would chafe the tube at the overlap. I had a slow leak on my rear tire in the last 4-5 miles of a race, so I shifted my weight forward and felt the back end get more bouncy as I went. Post ride, I pulled the tube and saw where it had worn through.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by MikeD

but with these tires...

If you need liners or whatever for road/gravel tires, then you've got the wrong tires.

[dana_e]

period

[Tandem Rider]

BITD, I lived in a place where they kept a carpet of cinders on the roads all winter long. Cinders are like broken glass, I would get 1-3 flats every single ride. I tried thorn resistant tubes, tires with kevlar belts, Mr Tuffys, nothing worked. I ended up using a belted tire, putting a second belted tire inside it one size narrower with the beads cut off, and using a thorn resistant tube. I trained on this setup until the cinders went away every year. The ride sucked, but fixing several flats on a 4 hour ride in 35 degree rain sucked even more so I dealt with it.