Airless/solid tyres...
Discussion
Spent a good 15 minutes battling a inner tube change last night on the side of an unlit B road, which wasn't fun. Had to call my wife to pick up my daughter in the end as I the delay meant I was going to be late for the end time of after school club.
For some reason I seem to be getting a chain of rear punctures on the commute recently, its my 3rd in as many months.
The rear tyre is wearing so that may be a reason, but any one got experience of solid tyres like Tarnus, or 'armour' inserts??
The bike is an eBike, so weight isn't an issue, am just getting a bit too familiar with the mini pump!!
For some reason I seem to be getting a chain of rear punctures on the commute recently, its my 3rd in as many months.
The rear tyre is wearing so that may be a reason, but any one got experience of solid tyres like Tarnus, or 'armour' inserts??
The bike is an eBike, so weight isn't an issue, am just getting a bit too familiar with the mini pump!!
There shouldn't be too many possible causes -
Something stuck in your tyre (a tiny bit of flint / thorn), which you should be able to find by slowly feeling around the tyre.
Your rim tape might be loose / non-centred, causing the tube to rub against the rim or spoke holes.
Your tyre is worn and you'll just get punctures until you get a new one.
Something stuck in your tyre (a tiny bit of flint / thorn), which you should be able to find by slowly feeling around the tyre.
Your rim tape might be loose / non-centred, causing the tube to rub against the rim or spoke holes.
Your tyre is worn and you'll just get punctures until you get a new one.
t itself, I’d still be able to keep moving at a reasonable pace without stopping.Gin and Ultrasonic said:
There shouldn't be too many possible causes -
Something stuck in your tyre (a tiny bit of flint / thorn), which you should be able to find by slowly feeling around the tyre.
Your rim tape might be loose / non-centred, causing the tube to rub against the rim or spoke holes.
Your tyre is worn and you'll just get punctures until you get a new one.
If you are suddenly getting lots of punctures in the same tyre then it's probably because of;Something stuck in your tyre (a tiny bit of flint / thorn), which you should be able to find by slowly feeling around the tyre.
Your rim tape might be loose / non-centred, causing the tube to rub against the rim or spoke holes.
Your tyre is worn and you'll just get punctures until you get a new one.
Worn out tyre. Replace with Schwalbe Marathon or similar. Highly puncture resistant but quite hard. Fine foe commuting.
Tyres not pumped up enough. Soft tyres puncture more easily.
Debris poking through inside the tyre repeatedly holing inner tube, or spoke rubbing through rimtape. Are the punctures on the tread side or spoke side of the inner tube?
I also have a mate who puts a bit of tubeless sealant in his inner tubes for extra protection. Dunno if it makes much difference though;)
Soild foam tyres seem like the ultimate in puncture resistance but at quite a price in terms of all the other qualities we look for in a tyre.
My last two punctures had the same cause. Both times I managed to finish my ride, but found the tyre deflated after a couple of days when I went out to start my next ride.
I'm extremely thorough checking for sharps when swapping tubes, but even I couldn't find the offending item first time out. After the second puncture I used a bowl of water to trace the damage, keeping the tyre and tube in the same orientation. Marking the hole in the tube, then offering it up to the tyre and marking the tyre in the corresponding place. (To be on the safe side, also reverse the tube and mark the opposite side of the tyre) That gave me a location where I concentrated my search. Even then it took several attempts, and resorting to borrowed reading glasses, to find that the culprit was a tiny "shark's tooth" of brown glass which wasn't pushing through the tyre carcass enough to feel the point with my finger when checking it. I had to find it on the outside of the tyre, which obviously meant washing the tyre, impossible at the side of an unlit 'B' road. When fully inflated, and with my weight on top, the glass was pushing just far enough through to wear at the inner tube. Any smaller and it probably wouldn't have caused deflation, and larger and I might have found it while inspecting the tyre with the tube out. "Pinching" the tyre at the shoulder can help by opening up any small holes on the tread too. That way small debris can be spotted, or it may even just fall out. Top tip to avoid more debris in these weak spots is to fill them. I use superglue or the "dries flexible" type glue, pushed into the hole with a cocktail stick. No need to trim/sand it as friction on the road soon deals with that issue. Works with minor slashes/cuts too, so long as the cut hasn't gone right through. Happily the small size of the damage to the tubes meant I could repair them to carry as spares. During the repair process one of them was plugged by the vulcanising solution alone (obviously I put a patch on too) which means I'm confident the repair will hold. Larger punctures are harder to patch on high pressure road tyres so a new tube would be needed.
I did wonder about "armouring" tyres the other day. The thought occurred while throwing away some old hosepipe that I'd cut from a reel because it was leaking. Not sure how it would affect riding comfort or grip, but I considered cutting a section of the hose to the correct length to fill the tyre. Then I'd cut it lengthways to open it up. with one bead of the tyre seated I would push it into the tyre, Into that push the innertube (smaller volume tube, possibly) and inflate as normal. I'm not saying it would/will work, but it might give an additional "belt" of armour inside the tyre, and the semi-rigid nature of the hosepipe might give you some "run flat" properties. Then again, the edges of the hosepipe could well cause punctures by rubbing the tube thin, and it would probably make ride a lot less comfortable, as well as adversely affecting grip and handling properties. Clearly it only works (if it works at all) if the diameter of the hose is compatible with the internal volume of the tyre, so probably road bikes only.
I think it's quite obvious that a properly developed/engineered solution would work better. The issue with my suggested "ghetto" method would mainly lie with the thick, potentially sharp edges of the hose damaging the very tube I am seeking to protect. But a tapered edge would likely work to some degree. Then it becomes a question of sacrifices. To some people who rely entirely on bicycles for transport it might be worth the weight penalty and erosion of grip and comfort to reduce the potential for suffering with punctures. For others, the cost (financial/time/effort/etc) of replacing the occasional tube would be worth suffering compared with the penalties imposed by my "solution"...
...I'm overthinking this, aren't I?
I'm extremely thorough checking for sharps when swapping tubes, but even I couldn't find the offending item first time out. After the second puncture I used a bowl of water to trace the damage, keeping the tyre and tube in the same orientation. Marking the hole in the tube, then offering it up to the tyre and marking the tyre in the corresponding place. (To be on the safe side, also reverse the tube and mark the opposite side of the tyre) That gave me a location where I concentrated my search. Even then it took several attempts, and resorting to borrowed reading glasses, to find that the culprit was a tiny "shark's tooth" of brown glass which wasn't pushing through the tyre carcass enough to feel the point with my finger when checking it. I had to find it on the outside of the tyre, which obviously meant washing the tyre, impossible at the side of an unlit 'B' road. When fully inflated, and with my weight on top, the glass was pushing just far enough through to wear at the inner tube. Any smaller and it probably wouldn't have caused deflation, and larger and I might have found it while inspecting the tyre with the tube out. "Pinching" the tyre at the shoulder can help by opening up any small holes on the tread too. That way small debris can be spotted, or it may even just fall out. Top tip to avoid more debris in these weak spots is to fill them. I use superglue or the "dries flexible" type glue, pushed into the hole with a cocktail stick. No need to trim/sand it as friction on the road soon deals with that issue. Works with minor slashes/cuts too, so long as the cut hasn't gone right through. Happily the small size of the damage to the tubes meant I could repair them to carry as spares. During the repair process one of them was plugged by the vulcanising solution alone (obviously I put a patch on too) which means I'm confident the repair will hold. Larger punctures are harder to patch on high pressure road tyres so a new tube would be needed.
I did wonder about "armouring" tyres the other day. The thought occurred while throwing away some old hosepipe that I'd cut from a reel because it was leaking. Not sure how it would affect riding comfort or grip, but I considered cutting a section of the hose to the correct length to fill the tyre. Then I'd cut it lengthways to open it up. with one bead of the tyre seated I would push it into the tyre, Into that push the innertube (smaller volume tube, possibly) and inflate as normal. I'm not saying it would/will work, but it might give an additional "belt" of armour inside the tyre, and the semi-rigid nature of the hosepipe might give you some "run flat" properties. Then again, the edges of the hosepipe could well cause punctures by rubbing the tube thin, and it would probably make ride a lot less comfortable, as well as adversely affecting grip and handling properties. Clearly it only works (if it works at all) if the diameter of the hose is compatible with the internal volume of the tyre, so probably road bikes only.
I think it's quite obvious that a properly developed/engineered solution would work better. The issue with my suggested "ghetto" method would mainly lie with the thick, potentially sharp edges of the hose damaging the very tube I am seeking to protect. But a tapered edge would likely work to some degree. Then it becomes a question of sacrifices. To some people who rely entirely on bicycles for transport it might be worth the weight penalty and erosion of grip and comfort to reduce the potential for suffering with punctures. For others, the cost (financial/time/effort/etc) of replacing the occasional tube would be worth suffering compared with the penalties imposed by my "solution"...
...I'm overthinking this, aren't I?
Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 10th November 10:04
yellowjack said:
...I'm overthinking this, aren't I?
I would say so 
Sound like solid tyres aren't that great, the rear tyre probably does just need replacing. Add in the fact the last 2 punctures I had to 'ride' on them for about 1 mile to just off the carriageway means they are really are abused now. These look good, hopefully will keep me riding
.https://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-sm...
yellowjack said:
...I'm overthinking this, aren't I?
Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 10th November 10:04
I think you've basically made a ghetto version of the Durano Plus I'm curious to know if it works though!
Edited by budgie smuggler on Wednesday 10th November 13:00
Purely anecdotal, but over the last 6 months and 2800 miles I haven't had a single puncture in the Schwalbe "G-one-bite" 38mm tyres fitted to my Orbea Gain D30 1X e-bike. They are marketed as gravel tyres, and have very small circular tread blocks. Prior to that, I was running on Schwalbe Land Cruiser tyres that had much bigger tread blocks, and I'd get at least one puncture a month. Fingers crossed I don't get a puncture on the way home tonight!
budgie smuggler said:
yellowjack said:
...I'm overthinking this, aren't I?
Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 10th November 10:04
I think you've basically made a ghetto version of the Durano Plus I'm curious to know if it works though!
It is interesting, considering a problem and trying to conceive a solution to it. I don't have the engineering skills, nor access to moulding facilities to give it much further thought. But, from Richard Trevithick to James Dyson, they all had to start somewhere. Not that I'm claiming to have had a new idea, obviously.
Going back to "airless tyres" for a moment. I'm pretty sure there were such things back in the 1970s and/or 1980s. Pretty sure they died a death then, and haven't taken off even now, despite advances in materials and moulding technology. Incredible to think that John Boyd Dunlop's invention of 1888, or even Robert Thomson's original 1846 patent is still what we basically rely on for bicycles in 2021...
On my "thorns/autumn tyres" thread, someone suggested filling your inner tubes with tubeless slime.
I decided it was cheap to try and seems to work - it has certainly saved me from at least one more thorn puncture (as I pulled the thorn out myself, it was annoying me with the blunt end going round and round), and quite probably more.
I decided it was cheap to try and seems to work - it has certainly saved me from at least one more thorn puncture (as I pulled the thorn out myself, it was annoying me with the blunt end going round and round), and quite probably more.
Fitted the Marathon tyres today, put to them to use straight away. They look identical to the Schwalbes that came with the bike, but they weigh easily twice as much!!
Feels really substantial, but they ride like normal tyres. Well see how they go, but I recon I've been very lucky last winter to get away with so few punctures on the stock tyres.
The 5mm extra rubber doesn't sound like much but dare I say it, they almost feel sturdy enough to work like run-flats if needed.
Feels really substantial, but they ride like normal tyres. Well see how they go, but I recon I've been very lucky last winter to get away with so few punctures on the stock tyres.
The 5mm extra rubber doesn't sound like much but dare I say it, they almost feel sturdy enough to work like run-flats if needed.
gangzoom said:
Fitted the Marathon tyres today, put to them to use straight away. They look identical to the Schwalbes that came with the bike, but they weigh easily twice as much!!
Feels really substantial, but they ride like normal tyres. Well see how they go, but I recon I've been very lucky last winter to get away with so few punctures on the stock tyres.
The 5mm extra rubber doesn't sound like much but dare I say it, they almost feel sturdy enough to work like run-flats if needed.
They are a good winter commuting tyre, despite the weight and numb feel. Not quite puncture proof, but pretty good. I commuted 80-100 miles a week for 3 winters on Marathons and only got a couple of punctures. The Mararhin Plus is even more heavily armoured but v stiff and wooden to ride. Feels really substantial, but they ride like normal tyres. Well see how they go, but I recon I've been very lucky last winter to get away with so few punctures on the stock tyres.
The 5mm extra rubber doesn't sound like much but dare I say it, they almost feel sturdy enough to work like run-flats if needed.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff