Forum: bicycles.stackexchange.com
Tags: <tire><puncture>
Title: avoiding punctures in 22mm tires
Question: I used to get a lot of punctures on my 22mm tires riding to work every day in boston. All of the punctures were from small pieces glass.  After a few weeks of almost weekly flats i got tuffy tire liners and now i no longer get flats.   Question:  Is there some other better solution then tire liners because they were  really  difficult to put in?

Answers:
sents: text: Some tire makers have a thicker center.
text: Specialized Armadillo based tires will work wonders.
text: They are a bit heavier, but worth it.
text: Specialized Armadillo Tires
text: Im
text: sure there are others, but this is the one I have used the most on my commuter road bike.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3124/Matt Adams
score: 3
sents: text: Similar to Matt Adams' suggestion, I'd go with Continental Gatorskins or Armidillo or other kevlar lined tires.
text: Additionally, I'd suggest that you move to something a bit larger such as 25mm for commuting.
text: This will provide you with a little more material to fend off glass and other debris.
text: It'll also be a bit more comfortable of a ride for commuting.
text: 22mm/23mm tires are mostly used for racing and are usually very soft and prone to picking up and holding on to debris like this.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3931/Tha Riddla
score: 3
sents: text: Have you tried SLIME or similar sealant?
text: Saw this one a while back, way more hard core than slime, but after looking into it I decided Slime works best for me (I only ever get thorns, high PSI will usually prevent most glass from sticking long enough to puncture) - Using a sealant allows you to keep any tire you prefer.
text: Cons: can be messy, doesnt prevent snakebites.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3949/BillyNair
score: 3
sents: text: Did you get the right size of liners?
text: They sell a couple different sizes (you can tell the size by the color).
text: I have 28s
text: and I didn't have that much trouble putting them in.
text: Maybe narrow tires are more troublesome.
text: Also, I've had great experiences with tuffy tire liners.
text: Combined with Gatorskins, tires are pretty resistant to punctures.
text: Ran over a broken beer bottle, heard it crush under my tires, and still no flat.
text: A little tricky to get them in there, but defintely not something you have to do very often.
text: Probably worth the trouble.
text: Checking their site, you should have the orange liners.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/163/Kibbee
score: 2
sents: text: Your first best solution would be bigger tires.
text: 22's are really light weight and are intended for racing, not commuting.
text: Foldable tires are also usually a little thinner more prone to punctures than non-foldable tires.
text: So get something non-foldable.
text: Bonus: non-foldable tires are usually cheaper.
text: Most companies make tires that are "puncture-resistant.
text: " They have an extra layer embedded in the rubber that helps prevent flats.
text: You won't actually be able to see it but they'll probably have a cutaway picture on the label.
text: As someone else suggested, you could use slime.
text: I've never used it, but I know people who swear by it.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/4239/jimchristie
score: 1
sents: text: Panaracer Ribmo PT .
text: These tires never flat on me.
text: They are really thick and tend to be pretty good for fixed gear riders as well.
text: The panaracer T-serve is also a bit lighter, but has good flat protection too.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/2997/Benzo
score: 0
sents: text: If you are just commuting and dont need much performance wise, you might look into the foam inserts like these: http://bit.ly/L1mKJO
text: They are a pain to get on and almost impossible to get off
text: (I had to cut my tire to get it off)
text: but they never get flats.
text: The biggest problem is that I need my tires to be 85
text: + psi and I have not found any to replicate over 65.
text: Another problem some say is that if you hit a pothole that the impact goes directly into your rims, with weak rims that would be a problem, but I have triple walls.
text: But like I said, I would only use these on commuter bikes rather than performance bikes.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/3949/BillyNair
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
The best solution for frequent punctures is not to use 22 inch tires. 22 inch tires are usually used for racing and are very soft and prone to picking up and holding debris. A 25 inch is more suitable for commuting. Most companies make tires that are "puncture-resistant. Specialized Armadillo based tires work wonders. Furthermore, Tuffy tire liners are recommended as is SLIME sealant.
Thin, foldable and lightweight road tyres are usually soft and liable to pick up debris, so a thicker rigid tyre might be more suitable for commuting. Some tyres have a thicker centre or have a puncture resistant lining. The linings you used are effective, and your difficulty fitting them may be due to using the wrong size for your tyre. Slime is another possible solution.